What to grow between potato drills

Blowin · Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2017 11:10 am Post subject:

What Uncle Tagwex doesn't tell you, FionnG, is that like me he only has two mouths to feed - but gardens as though he's a market gardener. His own admission to this is on the forum somewhere.

Generally speaking, spuds are fairly cheap to buy so I grow a couple of shortish rows of second earlies that last us until the maincrops hit the supermarkets. I steadfastly refuse to poison my ground with spray but have successfully thwarted blight for the last two years by buying a length of wide fleece that I stretch over my crop as soon as the flowers appear. You must make your own decision but please don't be bullied into thinking you MUST spray - unless you want to mount a challenge to Tagwex.

tagwex · Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2017 1:10 pm Post subject:

Uncle????
There may only be two mouths in this house but there are others elsewhere.
At some point a few short drills turns into an unfleeceable amount and even you would then consider spraying.

Blowin · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 6:32 am Post subject:

Actually I wouldn't spray. I'd rather buy my spuds (if that's not being a hypocrite).

tagwex · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 9:58 am Post subject:

But that is not gardening.
What do you think the commercial growers do, and you are buying from them?

Blowin · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 10:58 am Post subject:

There's nowt I can do about what they do but my soil remains unpolluted. If it makes me a hypocrite, so be it.

tagwex · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 11:12 am Post subject:

You are a totally green man, to be applauded.

simonj · Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2017 2:46 pm Post subject:

I plant broad beans between the potato seeds

tagwex · Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2017 2:53 pm Post subject:

How would they take to be being sprayed for blight?

mange tout · Posted: Tue May 09, 2017 6:39 am Post subject:

tagwex · Posted: Tue May 09, 2017 1:03 pm Post subject:

Beans should be planted in November, i know the packets say up to April but the blackfly will have them ruined by June/July if they are not at a substantial size by then. Radish would be another quick growing crop between the spuds, also a turnip called atlantic 3 which can be picked in 8 weeks.

Blowin · Posted: Tue May 09, 2017 5:32 pm Post subject:

Maybe I'm speaking too soon or tempting Providence, but I haven't seen a blackfly or whitefly in the ten years we've been here so my broad beans go in in March/April with most of the other stuff. However, Tagwex Is right if you're in an area where aphids thrive, by planting in November they are more resistant to infestation.

Lius · Posted: Thu May 18, 2017 8:43 am Post subject: DO NOT SPRAY

@FionnG - I have grown Sarpo and Orla without spraying for 10 years now and never had a sign of blight, just a few false alarms due to sun/rain damage. I have gone off the taste of the Sarpo and only grow Orla now as early and main crop. If I had to spray or add any chemical to any of my crops I wouldn't bother putting in all the effort growing my own, Aldi and Lidl have very cheap chemically grown vegetables if that is what you are after. Rolling Eyes

tagwex · Posted: Thu May 18, 2017 12:24 pm Post subject:

Look who is back again. Been a while???

Lius · Posted: Thu May 18, 2017 8:29 pm Post subject:

Missed Ya lots.

And I never got to Sexy-Wex to see your homestead last year.

Maybe this year????

tagwex · Posted: Thu May 18, 2017 11:09 pm Post subject:

Ehhhhh that was two years ago. But I like the sexy bit! Very me!!!