Past project: Roof garden - Bermondsey
The BBC today reported that waiting lists for allotements in the capital are up 40 years (in Camden) - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8193100.stm. This shows the importance in creating more space for growing vegetables in London, and what a popular trend the grow-your-own movement has become in today’s society.
We hope that with allotement waiting lists so long, people might look into other ways to grown their own, hopefully with the help of Urban Vegetables.
Short of space? Want to make the most from your windows?
We’ll soon be launching this new product (below) - the vertical window garden - which makes the most of the sunlight and the space offered by your windows.
We can make these to fit perfectly into your window, with as many levels as you want and can even install them for you. Automatic watering systems are also available for the ultimate in zero-hassle herb, salad and vegetable growing!
So…grow your own vegetables even if you don’t have any outside space!
Contact us at info@urbanvegetables.co.uk for prices and more information.
More cost-effective than paying £34 for a futuristic Nasa Mini-allotment as well!
The week of 30th April - 5th March is the very first “Urban Gardening Week”, started by Ronseal, the Woodland Trust and Charlie Dimmock…The event has been organised to promote the benefits of gardening within urban areas, and aims to let people know exactly how easy it is to grow flowers, trees or indeed vegetables on urban balconies, roofs and small areas of land.
Urban Vegetables is obviously right behind this event; we hope it inspires as many urbanites as possible to grow their own vegetables in any area they can lay their hands on. Check out more at:
For just £299*, get a fully planted 3m2 raised veggie plot installed in your garden, and:
- Save up to £180 per year from your shopping bill
- Save up to 80kg of CO2 per year by growing your own
- Burn off 200-360 calories every 30 minutes you spend tending to your vegetable plot
- Receive free guides on how to look after your plot and the vegetables growing in it
Live a greener and healthy life with an Urban Vegetables plot.
If you don’t want the plot planted, we will design and install a 3m2 veggie plot for just £240.
If you are interested in receiving more info or a quote, just e-mail mark@urbanvegetables.co.uk and quote “offer” as the subject.
*This offer depends on the time of year and the varieties of vegetables requested. Price may increase if certain vegetables are requested by the customer.
Please visit the link below and sign the petition to help encourage the government to assist schools to grow their own vegetables…
Potatoes are a fantastic, nutritious and simple vegetable to grow successfully and provide vitamins C, B3 (Niacin) as well as copper and phosphorus. The potato has been grown in South America for about 7000 years and was introduced to Europe in the 16th century by the returning Spanish explorers, although it wasn’t until the 18th century that Europeans accepted the potato as a staple food.
There are about 400 varieties of potatoes available to the gardener, so care is needed in choosing the right variety for your eating preferences, as some are better than others for roasting, mashing or boiling. See the section below on choosing the right potato for you, to assist in this choice.
Potatoes can also be stored from the harvest right through to the point at which next season’s crop arrives, and summer as well as winter varieties can be grown – making the potato a great year-round crop (if you have the space). I hope the first in the vegetable-growing guides will help you achieve some great harvests.
Choices of potatoes to grow:
Although there are about 400 choices of potato to grow – I’ll just concentrate on a few popular varieties. It’s first important to know that varieties are split into early, second early and maincrop potatoes. These names essentially indicate when they crop, but also give an idea of space requirements, along with how closely and when they can be planted.
Early:
Second Early:
Maincrop:
Some potatoes flourish in certain soils and conditions and as such, it’s a good idea to ask other growers in your area what varieties do well for them and then buy small packs of 10 seed potatoes so you can try different types and find what you like.
As each potato variety has a different internal structure, different water content and other qualities, certain varieties are better than others for particular styles of cooking. You can find some suggestions below to guide you in the best potato varieties to suit your needs:
Boiling:
Earlies: All earlies boil well
Second Earlies: Anya, Cosmos, Edzell Blue, Marfona, Maris Peer, Nadine, Saxon, Wilja
Maincrops: Ambo, Arran Victory, Cara, Celine, Maris Piper, Maxine, Sarpo Mira, Pink Fir Apple, Romano, King Edward
Baking:
Earlies: Arran Pilot, Duke of York, Epicure, Pentland Javelin, Rocket, Swift, Vanessa, Winston
Second Earlies: Cosmos, Estima, Kestral, Marfona, Maris Peer, Nadine, Saxon, Wilja
Maincrop: Arran Victory, Cara, Celine, King Edward, Maris Piper, Pentland Squire, Picasso, Pink Fir Apple, Romano, Stemster
Roasting:
Earlies: Accent, Ulster Chieftain, Swift
Second Earlies: Catriona, Cosmos, Edzell Blue, Kestral, Mona Lisa, Wilja
Maincrop: Arran Victory, Cara, Desiree, Dunbar Standard, Maxine, Picasso, Romano, Valor
Mashing:
Earlies: Accent, Epicure, Winston
Second Earlies: Cosmos, Kestral, Merlin, Nadine, Osprey, Wilja
Maincrop: Arran Victory, Desiree, Harmony, King Edward, Kerrs Pink, Maris Piper, Pentland Crown, Remarka, Sarpo Mira, Stemster
Chitting:
Chitting is the process of encouraging seed potatoes to sprout before planting them - vital for early varieties, but not so for maincrops. Chit from late January to February (in a cool but frost-free place); and about 6 weeks before you want to plant the potatoes. Every seed potato has a more rounded end on which most of the ‘eyes’ are situated. Stand the potatoes in containers (egg boxes are perfect) so the rounded end is at the top - making sure there’s plenty of natural light, but no direct sunlight. When the shoots are about 2.5cm long, they are ready to be planted.
Planting:
You should plant your chitted potatoes once the soil has started to warm up, (early varieties in late-March, maincrop varieties mid to late April). The following process should guide you through what to do:
Growing again? You shouldn’t plant potatoes in the same ground year after year. Try to leave 2-3 seasons before planting potatoes in the same plot - this should stop pests and diseases building up.
Short of Space? Grow potatoes in a well-drained container (at least 30cm wide and deep). Fill half the container with compost or good quality soil and set two seed potatoes into the top of the compost. Then top up with more compost or soil to within 2.5cm (1”) of the rim of the container.
Harvesting:
Your potatoes should be ready to harvest from June (earlies) until September (maincrops) or about 8-12 weeks from planting - depending on the growing conditions.
Earlies can be harvested as soon as they are ready (for summer new potatoes); so harvest them when leaves and stems (or Haulm) are still green. Another good rule of thumb for new potatoes is to harvest them as soon as the flowers open. To harvest, use a fork to lift the potatoes from the side. You will probably spear some, but can reduce this chance by using a special potato fork.
Second and maincrop varieties can remain in the ground until September, even though above-ground growth may well be looking past its best. Being in the ground for longer does increase the risk of blight and other diseases however. Two weeks before you lift the crop, cut the growth off at ground level. This should give the skins of the potatoes sufficient time to toughen up, making them far less prone to damage from lifting and easier to store. To harvest, use a fork to lift them from the ground. If possible, harvest on a dry sunny day and leave the potatoes on the surface for a couple of hours to harden (this will improve storage).
TIP: It’s best to remove all potatoes as if left, they’ll grow and attract pests and diseases into the area.
Problems and solutions:
Frost: can ruin a potato crop, so keep an eye on the weather. Earlies are generally planted mid-March with maincrops planted a few weeks later. If frost threatens after the leaves have broken through the surface you need to protect the plants; do this either by pulling earth over the leaves from the side or covering with fleece.
Potato Blight: Potato blight is one of the worst diseases for the potato grower, caused by a fungus Phytophthora infestans. Blight can wipe plants out literally overnight and can infect the potato tubers causing them to rot in storage - it can also travel from potato to potato, so can ruin an entire harvest (it was responsible for the Irish Potato famine). It also effects other members of the potato family, including tomatoes and develops when the weather is warm and humid. The “Smith Period” is a 48 hour period when the minimum temperature is 10°C or above and the relative humidity is more than 80% for the majority of this period. These periods are when blight is most likely to strike.
Symptoms of Potato Blight:
Prevention of Potato Blight:
Treatment of Potato Blight:
Common Scab: Only a skin deep disease and doesn’t affect eating quality. There is no treatment but you can help prevent it by growing a resistant variety such as Wilja.
Potato Cyst Eelworm: The problems are caused by the grubs of the Cyst Eelworms, which burrow into the roots and form small cysts, containing hundreds of eggs. Plants will become stunted, the lower leaves wither and higher leaves wilt during daylight, what’s worse is that only small tubers will be produced - about 1cm in diameter. The eggs can remain in the soil for up to 10 years so if the ground is heavily infested, you may have to stop growing potatoes for several years.
There is no chemical treatment, so just destroy infected plants and tubers. Crop rotation can help prevent the infection, as will growing a resistant variety.
For more information: http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0801/eelworm.asp
Fertilizer:
Potatoes are a very productive crop and thus need large amounts of nutrients. Requirements will depend on the variety grown and on the amount of nutrients already in the ground for them. A good idea is to add about 15kg of manure per metre the autumn before sowing - this should ensure a good amount of Nitrogen for the foliage. For Earlies, if you have manured, there is not much need for further fertilisation - if you have not manured however, then adding 150-200g/M2 of Growmore or fish, blood and bone will provide enough to get a decent crop. Second early and maincrop varieties will benefit from additional fertilisation - specifically Nitrogen throughout the growing cycle, as Nitrogen is the nutrient that is easiest lost from the soil. Potash is also required, and is a welcome addition at any point (a good source is wood ash).
Storage:
Potatoes are best stored in a bag that can allow some breathing and moisture to escape, but will exclude light - hessian sacks are ideal, but paper sacks or even pillow cases also do the job - plastic bags however will not allow adequate, so don‘t use them. Before storage, remove any damaged potatoes and use these first. If Potato blight has struck remove and destroy any infected tubers, and check through them all carefully, otherwise the blight could spread in storage. Ideally, store the potatoes in a cool (about 5°C), dark room but do not let them freeze. If any of the potatoes have turned green, putting them in a dark room can sometimes reverse this.
Hello and welcome to the Urban Vegetables blog - an area that will transform into a helpful advice and information section for anyone who might want it.
I will be posting blogs based around growing guides for as many vegetable types as possible - and hopefully users can leave their own feedback, tips and advice as well. We also encourage recipe suggestions for the vegetables, and posts advertising any veg-related events.
Any comments always welcome!
All the best, Mark
