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WEEKLY GARDEN CALENDAR, SEPTEMBER WEEK 3
Susan Explains Storing Potatoes Harvest the potatoes for storage on a sunny day and leave them to dry in
the sun for a few hours. When they are dry, brush off any soil from the surface. Examine
each potato before storing it and reject any which are not in good condition. Carefully
place them in the sack avoiding bruising them and then place the sack in the storage
area.
Hessian sacks are cheap and can be bought online from many sources. Type
"hessian sack potatoes" into your preferred search engine for a list of online
suppliers.
Spring Maturing Lettuce
This week is an excellent time to sow spring maturing lettuce outside. In warmer
areas they can be left to grow without protection outside. Choose a cool day and be
sure to water the soil before sowing the seeds. In cooler areas place a cloche
over them from late November onwards. Use any hardy variety, Valdor is an excellent
one for most areas of the UK. They will be ready for harvest in late April to may. Autumn and Winter Weed Control
Too many potatoes can be a problem at this time of year. Don't leave them in the
ground, this will only cause them to rot and contribute to blight next year. The
best way to store potatoes is in hessian sacks. Theses sacks allow the potatoes to
breathe. The ideal temperature for storage is 6�C (43�F) to 10�C (50�F). They should
be stored in a dark frost free place like a garage or shed.
As crops are harvested your vegetable plot will have large areas which have no plants
growing on them throughout the autumn and winter. One way of discouraging weeds is to grow
winter harder crops which will suppress the weeds. the crops can in many cases be eaten or
simply dug in during the spring. Turnips, (for their spring green leaves) and spinach are
ideal crops for suppressing weeds.