Can I Convert This Tired Plot To One That is Rich In Nutrition?
Hello All,
This is an update to a post a few days ago: https://steemit.com/homesteading/@eggmeister/let-s-try-growing-potatoes-from-seeds-this-year-eggmeister-going-green-fingered This link will give you a heads up as to what I intend to do this year on behalf of my dementia suffering mother. As for the location and condition, you can see all below. It's an Easterly facing rectangle roughly 12ft x 5ft with the remains of conifer stumps and a relatively tired soil (albeit for a bag of rich top-soil last year).
Here is a shot of the garden from back in April, 2012. You can see the conifers were still there back then (before they became 'unruly') and my mum had already got the canes in place ready to grow her annual crop of her favourite 'Scarlet Emperor' Runner Beans.
This is a couple of photos from a few days ago. Looks bad don't it folks?
As per the previous post I hope to grow some potatoes from the seed-pods I gathered and processed last year, as well as the runner beans. I'll have to work around the conifer stumps for now but in the meantime I'll give the soil a damn good forking, weeding and feeding (apparently, according to information I found the other day, I should have fed the soil back in Autumn but never mind).
I'd greatly appreciate any advice on this little project steemians. My mum can't offer any valuable information any more due to her alzheimers but she's always loved her garden and I'd like to do a little something for her.
Many thanks folks,
Rob.
My only advice would be to grow your potatoes in potato towers, rather than in the ground. Potatoes require upheaval of the soil to harvest the tubes and the less disturbance of the soil and its microecology the better.
Thank you @bluerthangreen, I believe I need to keep adding soil higher around the plant to promote more tubers as well? I will look into using towers, much appreciated :)
I have some Scarlet Runner Beans this year too! I got them from a seed giveaway and I love you poles for them to grow on- similar to what I'd like to make and have too.
Hi @goldendawne, mum's always preferred Scarlet Emperor. She did deviate slightly last year and tried a 3 bean mix item from 'Dobies' which were 'Tenderstar', 'Moonlight' & the 'Emperor'. She didn't like the other two. As far as I can remember, mum's utilized the same twin-tepee set up with a cross-bar (not shown) running between the two for as long as I can remember. 6 canes per tepee and two seed per cane (24 in total). It makes for a mass of growing vegetation and more than enough beans for 4 people to feast on :)
Thank you for your support,
Rob
Looks like a good little space! Should be able to grow a good amount of food with the proper stacking. A tip I would give you is to not work around the stumps. Mound up some dirt over this stumps and let them be a slow-release fertilizer as they break down. Kind of like a small hugelkultur mound.
Hi @hopfarmnc, I'll take this on-board, there's plenty of 'spare' soil so mounding up on the stumps won't be an issue.
Many thanks,
Rob.
The conifer stumps have roots that you should cut back to the stump so that the potatoes do not grow around the roots. Check the ph of the soil if it might be to acidic because of the conifers. Also break up the soil and add peat moss. It looks like you have big chunks of soil. If needed add some sand to the soil to help break it up. Good luck.
Much appreciated @richard78624, I'd not considered the ph level (so much to learn lol) I'll get a tester kit. I'll definitely get some peat moss and see if sand will be required once I've worked the earth.
Thanks,
Rob.
This is great! I love when more people get lured into the green life! Happy you're doing this. I hope it works. Take it easy
Thanks Stanley, I could really do with the UK weather warming up and drying out so I can make a start forking the soil. LOL.