AFTER MAIZE, WHEAT AND RICE, THE HUMBLE SPUD IS THE WORLD’S FOURTH-LARGEST FOOD CROP
One of the most satisfying times in the vegie garden is taking a garden fork and gently pushing it under a clump of potato plants. Lift up the fork and, as the soil falls away, you’ll discover a mass of potatoes. It is a moment to savour.
Some will be large, others small, but for flavour there’s nothing as delicious as boiled, mashed or baked homegrown potatoes. Those planted now may be ready to harvest for Christmas dinner.
The potato is a long-growing crop that takes four to five months to produce a full-sized harvest. Potatoes are usually planted in August but hold off in very cold and frosty areas. Frost can burn the leafy tops of potato plants, but plants generally recover if the frost is light.
In a warm climate, a second crop is grown in summer for an autumn harvest. Grow potatoes as a dry-season crop in tropical areas. In many frost-free regions, potatoes grow all year round so there’s always some spuds on hand for a meal.
PLANTING & CARE
Planting that first crop of potatoes can be very confusing for beginner gardeners. This is because potatoes are grown from something that’s called a “seed” but is in fact a small tuber called a “seed” potato.
If you’ve ever had a potato start to sprout indoors before you’ve had a chance to cook it, you are well on the way to growing potatoes. Seed potatoes are sold by mail order in garden centres and at hardware stores and are guaranteed virus free, which means better success in the garden.
Denne historien er fra July - August 2018-utgaven av Good Organic Gardening.
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Denne historien er fra July - August 2018-utgaven av Good Organic Gardening.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prÞveperiode pÄ Magzter GOLD for Ä fÄ tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg pÄ
Glamour girls
EVERYONE LOVES A HARDWORKING ISA BROWN BUT GET A LOAD OF THESE CHIC CHICKENS AND FEATHERED FASHIONISTAS
FRIED VEG
ITâS POSSIBLE TO ENJOY A FRY-UP IN A DELICIOUSLY HEALTHY WAY BY TURNING TO SOME FRY-FRIENDLY PLANTS
BEYOND BIG RED
TOMATOES COME IN ALL SHAPES, SIZES AND COLOURS, SO NOWâS THE TIME TO EXPLORE THEIR INFINITE VARIETY
EVEN MORE TROPPO
ANOTHER SENSATIONAL SIX TO CONSIDER FOR YOUR GARDEN â OR YOUR FRUIT SALAD
LET'S STALK RHUBARB
JUST AS TOMATO IS A FRUIT USED AS A VEGETABLE, RHUBARB IS A VEGETABLE COMMONLY CONSUMED AS A DESSERT
FOOD OF THE GODS
THE FLESHY FRUIT OF THE FICUS WAS MUHAMMADâS FAVOURITE AND BUDDHA FOUND ENLIGHTENMENT UNDER A FIG TREE
MAKING GOOD BETTER
THE IRREPRESSIBLE TV PRESENTER WRITES ABOUT HOW SHE, WITH HUSBAND ANTON AND DAUGHTER FRIDA, TURNED A STEEP HOBART BLOCK INTO A PRODUCTIVE GARDEN
True lily
MANY PLANTS ARE CALLED LILIES BUT ITâS THE MEMBERS OF THE GENUS LILIUM THAT ARE THE REAL DEAL
SALTY BUDS
THE CAPER BUSH PRODUCES TWO DISTINCT BUT EQUALLY DELICIOUS, TANGY MORSELS: CAPERS AND CAPERBERRIES
Ducks on duty
BUSY, VIGILANT, HARD ON GARDEN PESTS AND GENEROUS LAYERS â YOUâVE GOTTA LOVE A DUCK!