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Know your Potatoes
Seed potatoes are little potatoes primed and ready for growth. A little smaller
than an egg, they are grown in disease-free sites. One seed potato will produce one
potato plant. Seed potatoes can be planted straight in the ground but they
benefit from being "sprouted" first. Sprouting involves placing
the seed potatoes in warm and light conditions and letting the
"eyes" start to sprout green growth. The potatoes are then planted
and start growing quickly.
There are a huge number potato varieties so study the
catalogues carefully for varieties which suit your taste. Growing
New Potatoes is probably best because they are more expensive in
the shops compared to old potatoes. Potato shows are a good way of
buying lots of different varieties. If you want to know more about growing potatoes, simply
click here to go to our main potato article with a large number
of pictures of potato varieties. Force Rhubarb
It's easy to force rhubarb and you will get really tender
stalks much earlier in the season when rhubarb is at it's most
expensive. All you need is spare dustbin or large bucket and off
you go go. The rhubarb plant will need to be rested the next
year but they take up so little room that this is not really a
problem.
Click here for our page on forcing rhubarb. Hedges Begonias
Click here for lots of helpful hints on sowing and growing
begonias from seed. Lawn Care Remember to arrange for the lawn mower to be serviced
now if was causing any problems last year. It's much cheaper to service
it now rather than wait until everyone realises their lawnmower doesn't
work in March. GO TO NEXT
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WEEK'S "WHAT TO DO
WHAT TO DO IN THE GARDEN FOR
JANUARY WEEK 4
On the left is a seed potato which has sprouted healthy green
shoots and is ready to be planted.
Often neglected but they appreciate a bit of care to make the most of
them. Now is the time to clear the base of your hedge and remove all the
debris which has collected there over the year. This will expose any
over-wintering pests to the frost and kill them, preventing disease
later in the year. A mulch with well-rotted compost or grass cuttings
will provide food later in the year for your hedge and conserve
moisture.
Begonias grown from seed are beautiful annual plants but they do take a
long time to grow from seed. Now is the time to start sowing begonia seed either
indoors, on your windowsill or in a heated greenhouse.
Now is a good time to repair any lawn edges which have become damaged.
It's easier than you think to do a professional job and we show you
(with pictures) how to do it the easy way.
Click here for our lawn
edge repair page.