seed spuds

pwgun · « **on:** December 30, 2006, 19:32 »

Hi Guys,
Been a while since last time i wrote.
I have been busy diggin weedin diggin weedin etc etc etc etc....
and so it goes on. The plot is now resembling an allotment plot as opposed to an overgrown piece of woodland.
Anyhow i enjoyed diggin so much(!!!!***!!!!?? :? ) i have taken on the plot next to mine and have half finished diggin that,.
Biggest problem that appers so far is that both have emense amount of twitch(couchgrass). I have removed loads( two compost bins,pallet size) and am now in the process of doing it all again as we have had some frost that loosened it up a bit.
Does twich eventually compost down as i am not allowed fires on the site.
And finally, and the reason for the posting is-
How many of each(early,2nd earl, main) do i need to sow (in no of plants) of seed potatoes for an average family of 4? as i have heard many stories of far too many grown and going to waste. I hope to have taters nearly all year round.
Thanks guys for any help relevant to the above , or anything else that takes your fancy.
Al

freyaluck · « **Reply #1 on:** December 30, 2006, 19:49 »

I plan to grow about 50 potato plants in total for my lot - family of 5.
I think that should be enough, if not I will know better for next year and if too many I am sure friends and family will be grateful for free spuds.
I am sure there is better advice though as this is only a rough guestimate.

Frey

shaun · « **Reply #2 on:** December 30, 2006, 19:57 »

on a good plant in good weather you would expect to get 3-4 lb of spuds,this year i got about 2-3 lb
anyone agree ?

freyaluck · « **Reply #3 on:** December 30, 2006, 20:04 »

sounds about right to me shaun. so my above calc would be ok as we use about 3lb of spuds a week
frey

muntjac · « **Reply #4 on:** December 30, 2006, 20:23 »

the more fibre in your soil the better as it produces more spuds and holds the water .7lbs here shaun containers .4 -5 lbs outside grown

pwgun · « **Reply #5 on:** December 30, 2006, 21:30 »

thanks for the advise. it is very useful advise as i would have gone slightly overboard with my calculations.

Twitch? how do i eradicate it . i do not want to cover the whole plot for years , but i am leaving about a third of a plot each year to rest, so that may help if i keep it covered. I am presently at the stage where i think a dose of glysophate over the beds when the roots pop there noses up and start greening up may be the only sure way.
Any better / more organic ways that anyone can suggest.

As it is extremly mild i have started some seeds of in the shed, onions, toms, cauli, cabbage. If the mild spell remains i am hoping to get things off to an early start, or does mother nature have her way of telling seeds when they can and cannot grow???

As far as windsurfing goes this year i have not done much at all, it appears that the plots have taken over all my spare time, and some of the time that is not spare , but to which i say' sod it im going to the allotment'.

Next year when all is as it should be on the plots, i hope to get a balance between them.

muntjac · « **Reply #6 on:** December 30, 2006, 21:37 »

twitch is dig it out ,dig it out ,dig it out or did i already say that . glyphos it when it going .no diggiong use a small sprayer to keep on top of the litle bits you miss.dont chop it up or it will be coming back 10 times worse .a growing point 1/8th of an inch is all that needed to make it grow agan it puts on 4 inches in a week .if you leave it covered it will just grow and grow and grow .cover it for a couple weeks ( it warms the soil up )until you get loads growth on the green bits then glyphos it hard

muntjac · « **Reply #7 on:** December 30, 2006, 21:41 »

surfing at kessingland was good this last year as was my daily swimming .. mind Christmas morning was blooming

muntjac · « **Reply #8 on:** December 30, 2006, 21:42 »

oh and ,DO NOT COMPOST TWITCH it loves the rich soil and the warmth

pwgun · « **Reply #9 on:** December 30, 2006, 21:58 »

Can twich be drowned, i have an old bath i put on site with a watering system hatching in my mind. Before then i was going to put some compost stuff in it with water to make and bottle some homemade fertiliser, but i will use just the twitch if it is erradicted in water.

muntjac · « **Reply #10 on:** December 30, 2006, 22:03 »

cut out the air it wil die is my guess pw

shaun · « **Reply #11 on:** December 30, 2006, 22:33 »

got to be in the top 3 of worst weeds,you cant smother it as karl says,i recommend constant distubing of the soil (cultivation) its worked for me,took me a couple of years though, but you will win if you keep pecking at it .like any plant/weed it needs its leaves to grow as soon as you see it popping its head up get forking it.

pwgun · « **Reply #12 on:** December 31, 2006, 22:02 »

thanks guys, looks like i have my work cut out.

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seed spuds

freyaluck

freyaluck