Spinach

[Bubblette]

I'm on planting my third batch of spinach this year, but the first done haven't done so well. They look great up to about 5 leaves, then start getting scorched looking patches and a couple have gone completely crispy brown and given up the ghost entirely - why is this and what can I do? I keep them watered and they have the sun for part of the day - would they be best completely in the shade? They're in pots/window boxes in my back yard.

On a better note, I had my first harvest today Some mixed lettuce leaves I planted at the end of March, which should (fingers crossed) come again - had them for tea...yum! What was/will be everyone else's first late spring/summer crop?

Also, I have some (well, 2) potatoes in - they were sprouting in the cupboard and I had some compost from last year, so what the heck, not losing anything - and hey presto! they've gone mad in an old compost bag! But does a lot of green top mean diverted energy so not so much potato bottom? Complete beginner question of the day - how do I know when they will be ready to dig up and eat??

Thank you

[red]

I've not tried growing spinach.. but do grow beet spinach instead - which I find very easy - maybe try that next time?

first summer crop was radishes - have had one large lettuce so far too.. home grown is great isn't it

I've not tried potatoes in bags.. but in your shoes would 'earth them up -by putting some soil etc on top. they have to flower first.. then usually the tops die down.. before you eat.. but you can always dig a little and see how they are coming on.

[Thurston Garden]

I am the opposite to Red. I regularly grow perpetual spinach in the big tunnel (stuff from last year is now bolting and being fed to the hens). I just sow a pinch of seed into individual cells and plant out in a grid 9" apart in the beds in the tunnel. It does not like to get too dry - remember the leaves are mainly water!

I am growing Chard for the first time this year, but a bl00dy rabbit grazed on the first plants the night after I planted them out. Thankfully they are coming away again though (and I found out where the little bugg3r got in to the tunnel

[red]

er...I said I do grow beet spinach.. or perpetual spinach as it is also called.


same as you - I raise in modules then I plant outside.

[Thurston Garden]

Oops. Men cannot multi task....doing too many things at once!

[red]

[andyt]

Hi Bubblette,
re: spinach.
Their roots do require plenty of room. Are they getting potbound?
Spuds:
Plenty of top growth is good.It shows a lack of blight.Plants do not have to flower.Nowadays "earthing up "only reqd. where no shelter from windy conditions.Tubars ready for eating between June & Sept. depending on variety.Best way to see if ready,;stick your hands in the soil & have a rummage!
good luck!

[Thurston Garden]

Hi Bubblette,

Spuds:
Plenty of top growth is good.It shows a lack of blight.Plants do not have to flower.Nowadays "earthing up "only reqd. where no shelter from windy conditions.Tubars ready for eating between June & Sept. depending on variety.Best way to see if ready,;stick your hands in the soil & have a rummage!
good luck!

Earlies are ready when the flowers open. Mains are ready after they have flowered and the shaws/haulms have died back naturally. Having said that if you have taken the tubers from under the kitchen sink, then you probably won't know what type of seed they are.

Ridging up is necessary if you want a decent yield. The stem forms additional tubers within the ridged up part - it cannot do that if it's not ridged up.

Ridging up also helps control weeds. Every other field here has tatties growing in it - these are planted into ridged up soil to save on labour & fuel. Before the tatties come through, the ridges are green with weeds. A tattie plot is weeded 3 times in a season - once when the tatties are planted, again when they are ridged up (again, again if you ridge them up twice) and lastly when you dig the crop. Not ridging lets weeds get a hold before the canopy of shaws/haulms meet between the rows, and deprive the growing plant of water and nutrients, reducing the yield further...