Potato Planters

Easter is a traditional time for planting your potatoes but Easter is a bit late this year.

To get started I am trying a variety of potato planters with my early potatoes.

Types of Potato Planters

• The simplest planter I am using is a large black plastic pot. 12″ in circumference and at least the same in height and it will grow a good few spuds from one or three tubers.
• For main crop potatoes in planters I have used half a large compost bag. Part filled I have then turned down the top so some of the black inner plastic shows and helps the container warm up. (Black draws the sun’s heat to the planter).  As the spuds grow I can fill up with compost to avoid greening on the potatoes.
• I bought a plastic purpose built planter from a local shop. Details on the picture. It has an opening so I can take potatoes from the bottom of the bag as needed. However I think I will empty the bag in one go. If anything it is too small for my taste (and so will the potatoes be).
• Last year I had great success with old damage polypropylene waste disposal sacks as planters.

Tips for Potato Planters

• Keep well watered as the potatoes start to form  (I hope you have included drainage holes in your planters).
• Feed every fortnight in May and June with a dilute liquid feed.
• I put the planters under the eaves of the house for early protection. Then I move them when the frost has finished.
• The black bags and pots get warmer than the light coloured pots and planters. The green planter kits look a bit tidier.

Seed potatoes and various planters are available from Thompson & Morgan

Collecting Old Garden Tools

I am often attracted to this advert for Atco lawn mowers.
I must visit the lawn mower museum to see its 400 cousins.

Old automatic hedge clippers on display at RHS garden

Plant label at the Chelsea Physic Garden

Old Garden Tools T Shirt from Amazon

Old Garden Tools from Kay Sanecki

Edging in the Garden

A neat garden looks refined and shows off your plants.
Just simply trimming your Lawn edges will make a big visual difference.

Edging Supplies

See DIY project ‘Edging’

Climbing Plant Frames and Supports

A rose arch is a serious piece of kit for supporting your climbers.
Other ideas are provided below;

Plant Frames and Supports

• The good old stand by is the bamboo cane with twine.
• Twiggy sticks can be enough to support peas and lower growing climbers.
• If you have a fence or wall the strong wires tied across to soft nails or vine eyes may be the answer.
• Thompson & Morgan’s climbing-frame-plant-support allows and encourages free growing plants to climb for 4 feet.
• Trellis is another popular support mechanism and is available in a variety of patterns.
• A rope swag hung between two uprights can encourage a vertical plant to grow laterally.

Supporting role of stakes

Fly Papers

What ticks on a wall? Ticky paper!

As a child I thought this was a joke and my humour hasn’t improved with the decades.

Fly Ppaers
I have used these sticky fly papers to control the small compost flies that breed on soil on my windowsill.
Fly papers are also useful for greenhouses where white fyl populations need to be controlled.
Fly Papers are easy to use some are non-insecticidal sticky fly catchers.
With an attractant on the paper they are simple, inexpensive and effective.

Amazon supply Fly Papers from around £3.

Do computer experts have Pixels at the bottom of the garden? If they do they do not get caught on fly papers.

Shop Around for Greenhouses

Greenhouses are available from a widening range of suppliers and we encourage you to shop around.

Buying Factors

• Appropriateness for your garden or allotment is key.
• Size, safety and ease of installation are the first factors to bear in mind.
• The desired longevity of your greenhouse will influence the construction and maintenance.
• Aluminium is cheaper than wood and glass is better than polycarbon.
• Access for you plus light and ventilation are important. A window and or louvers are needed.
• Extra equipment such as benches shelves and staging can be added later.
• Flooring or growing direct into the soil needs to be considered.

Cost has not been mentioned in the above list. Try to get what you need and want within or close to your budget. Quality will out and you generally get what you pay for.

Greenhouse Vendors

• Specialist companies like Halls, Robinsons and Gabriel Ash
• Retail warehouses like Focus and  B&Q
• Garden centre chains like Wyvale
• Retailers like Tesco and Argos
• Amazon range is limited

Green Insecticides

Going Green Using Diatomaceous Earth How-To Tips: An Easy Guide Book Using A Safer Alternative, Natural Silica Mineral Insecticide: For Homes, … & Environment– A Healthier Life For All from Tui Rose
Diatomaceous Earth is a food grade insecticide that originates from ancient fossilized algae provided by Mother Nature. Safe as a natural insecticide for homes, gardens and pets.

Soap like Savona is a fatty acid, non toxic insecticide that is a safer alternative to chemical pesticides.
Savona is made from potassium salts
It is effective against mealybugs, whitefly and aphids. 1 bottle will cover 500 sq.m, simply dilute with water for application. link

Green Pesticides for Insect Pest Management by S. Ignacimuthu (Editor) and S. Jayaraj (Editor) is not cheap at £56.05 but is aimed at a professional market.

Lawn Edge Trimmers

Cordless Strimmer, Lawn Edger and Trimmer this GTECH ST04 is a must for all garden and grass lovers.

• The ST04 grass trimmer makes light work of cutting and edging, thanks to its fully adjustable head and powerful 12v battery unit that spins the blades at over 8500 rpm.
• A pack of 20 free blades are supplied with this machine and are easy to fit.
• The ST05 trimmer will provide up to 30 mins continuous cutting time from one charge and can be easily be set up for the individual garden user with the extendable handles.

Other Lawn Edgers & Trimmers

• Do not use a conventional spade as most have a slightly curved blade and do not leave a straight edge.
• Use a half moon cutter for small lengths of edge.
• There is a Wolf Garten Tool attachment with a roller and rotating toothed blade to trim the edge.
• Flexible edging in coated mild steel or plastic can give a crisp and permanent edge

Read Best Lawn Edges in the World

Old Garden Tool Collecting and Books

‘Antique Garden Tools and Accessories’ from Myra Yellin Outwater

This is selected as our Gardening Book of the Month March 2011

Old Garden Tools is a virtual museum and prop hire business that showcases a large and extensive collection of vintage and antique garden tools and gardening ephemera. Have a look at the interesting web site.

The book ‘Old Garden Tools’ from Kay N. Sanecki
A cheap paperback describing how ‘some of the oldest implements in the world are those that have been used by land cultivation. Many garden tools are universal in use, like the rake, scythe, slasher, spade and saw, and much estate management of the past, before mechanization, was dependent upon them’.

Often older tools are made better and will last longer than the newer tools available today. Collecting them preserves a heritage and they can make fine statement pieces in a garden shed or display.

Pruning Saw and Garden Saws

A useful tool for pruning and trimming trees and large shrubs a good pruning saw is a delight to use.

Features of a Pruning Saw.

• The handle on this model folds down when not in use. Some types are like large bread knives.

• The single flat blade can get into tight areas between branches.

• A sharp blade makes for a tidier job

• To cut out a branch take off 80-90% of the length then finish off close to the trunk with a second cut.

• Tough garden pruning jobs made easy with this top-quality Spear & Jackson saw.

• • A 7 inch long carbon steel blade which locks open and shut for safety
  • Super sharp precision ground teeth quick, clean swing
  • Ergonomic, non-grip handle for comfort and extra safety
  • Helpful hole in the handle to aid hanging and easy storage in a shed or garage
  • Rust resistant

Helen Yemm in English Garden reports
‘In every garden there are difficult-to-get-at pruning jobs for which secateurs are definitely too small, two handled loppers too cumbersome, and a bow saw (or any other kind of saw) too unwieldy.
Admittedly, a pruning saw is not something you use every day – or even every month; however, in shrubby gardens, where there is a lot of maintenance pruning to be done, often in dense thickets, a slim, handy and murderously sharp blade is an absolute necessity.’
read the rest of her report