SPUDS...is there anything better?

Gardener:Gardening with the Dillons

Date:01 Oct 2021

Blog Type:Vegetables

Where did September go - that first month of spring flew by, possibly via the gale force winds Wellington always has on hand!

Last year I grew Potatoes in a few spots, and they did okay. Grow bags and spuds was a learning curve. I definitely did it wrong - I didn't plant deep enough, and build on it, and they got waterlogged and were just akward. I know that flap on the side is meant to make life easier, but it just wasn't easier. Getting Potatoes out was a bad version of a $1 lucky dip I use to con money from my parents for!

Cue the better plan for 2021. We are very much a small suburban garden family. I make the most of every space. We have a steep bank - down the back of our property. We've carved out paths and gardens, and now we have veggie boxes, built from pallets....  The new home to my SPUDS and they are loving it......(and I had a few Garlic gloves and they're down there too, also loving it and looking better than the ones I planted in one of the raised beds!)

I rectified all my wrongs of last year, to improve yields. 

** Staggered the planting, starting with my early varieties like Swift who is very happy, and have slowly planted out 3 other varieties, with some left over for succession planting!

** Planted to the right depth and have kept building up re-covering sprouting

** Planted long growing crops out of sight/mind and not crowding the kitchen gardens - thank you useful bank

** Have grow bags for Tomatoes this year who will likely love the extra moisture held (though adding extra drainage for good measure

...and for fun I think I'll get the kids to do the Spud/Bucket Challenge with some of the seed potato I have left....You can never have too many potatoes over Christmas and Summer Holidays. Right!?!

....and Yams are going to be planted in here also as I grew them for the first time last year not realising - how long they grow for and how they overrun the garden! Always research first!!!

SPUDS...is there anything better?