General Chat

Yesterday, the 28th December,2010, I visited three of my local garden centres. All three had racks/displays of, wait for it, ..............Seed Potatoes. I mean, you cannot even think about planting them before the end of March 2011, next year, for gawds sake
I know garden centres have to diversify these days, selling all manners of fancy goods etc, but this is ridiculous. Now until Valentines day, is known as a lean period for them, but come on. The condition of these potatoes, come planting time will be deplorable, many having chitted and turned to mush. It is all a ploy to get OUR money into THEIR till, to tide them over.
This is akin to finding Cream Eggs in the shops the day after Boxing Day, and in some cases in the North East, before Christmas.
Novice gardeners beware.
I dare bet my next weeks pension, that before the end of January, the garden centres will have in, the plant plugs, which are meant to fill our summer hanging baskets.
Rant over, but I do despair.Commercialism gone mad, I say.
Julia in Derbyshire

Somehow it seems worse than easter eggs in January Julia because Garden centres should respect the fact that people look up to them as the experts. Some people will no doubt fall into the trap of buying these things too early. I expect they have protected themselves in the small print somewhere. Like when they put the plugs out and very small notices say 'must be protected from frost'.

Ann, I agree with what you have said. Imagine the newcomer to this interest, who goes and buys these seed potatoes, and similarly buys the plant plugs, then on sunny February day, and yes we do get them, thinks he/she will make a start, only for there to be a frost a few days later, and all is lost. It is wrong, and we do look to the 'experts' for guidance. Shame on them.
Barbara. I too have seen plants needing a tidy since the thaw, but I have been at this gardening malarky for too long, and know the error of being too keen. I have quite a few ferns in my garden, but always leave the rusted leaves on, to protect the new fronds in the crown, until such times that I know the danger of frost is almost gone. Also, I have had booklets offering bedding plants and plugs, to bring on. No way. Why should I heat my greenhouse, at my cost, just to generate income for the growers at this time of year. We can, and probably will, have more snow before long, and I do not fancy having to go down to the greenhouse to see that the heat is okey. Heat also encourages the plants to grow spindly.
No, I will bide my time, and keep me money in me pocket for now, at least
Take Care Both
Julia in Derbyshire

I know garden centres are lethal for selling early (like the supermarkets) on the other hand as an allotment holder, (and I know Julia has one) OH belongs to an Allotment Association whereby he can order anything he wants from their shop, now I am sure he collected his seed potatoes a few weeks ago as I got the email they were in and know his shallots came just before Christmas. If they are stored in a dry place they will be OK. Traditionally spuds planted 17 March and even here in the south would not dream of planting annuals out before early to mid May (depending on weather).

Hi Chris. Yes we have an association aswell, but I have never known them have potatoes this early.
We like to get ours from one particular garden centre, because they have unusual and new varieties, which we like to try, each year. These are in small packs, maybe 10 tubers, for £1.99. At that price we can afford to try 6/8 different ones. I noticed two new ones yesterday, that we have not tried before, Isle of Jura, and Juliette. The thing is, with them being in this early, they will get sold out, and we will have less choice. I have bought them in February, and put them in the conservatory, keeping them just above freezing point, and they have been okey.
We did notice the onion sets and shallots were also in stock, and will probably fetch those in a couple of weeks time, when we are fed up of being indoors. Our usual drive out on a Sunday, invariably is to the garden centre. At least we get some nice food and a good mooch around to see what is the new up and coming thing for the new season.
The garden centres sell so much else these days, and I always think they have a better selection of gift type things than the high street. I had my eye on a pair of boots, yesterday. They were abit like Excavator boots, but were in a dull red suade, and not as 'heavy' looking as the usual ones. However, and there is always one of them, they were priced at £59.99. I am hoping they decide to have a sale soon. I had also, earlier in the day, seen a bag in the Co-op, similar price, and that was not in the sale either. Decisions, decisions.LOL
Take Care
Julia in Derbyshire

Ah, I see Julia is getting her "BOVVER" Boots ready for action.Must get out me shin pads in readyness.**M**.:o)>

Does that mean i should not have planted my Runner Beans this morning then?:>))

Ha,ha,ha, Prickles babes. Here in this part of the country we have what is called 'Bean Sunday'. It is the nearest Sunday to May 12th. LOLOL
Julia in Derbyshire

Not unless you want them to do a "Runner" **M**.:o)>

"Bean Sunday!" Phew! Must be right windy that weekend in your neck of the woods!! :>))

Good job it's not the nearset sunday to Dec 25th or Derbyshire would take off! LOL

We grow, Runner Beans, Dwarf French, Borlotti Beans and Broad Beans,non of which gives wind.
Now, it's them there Brussels as does that, and we grows em by the acre. OOH ARE, we does.
Julia in Derbyshire

Oh i agree Island....sprout and bean Sunday? It dont bare thinking about!!!

We have ordered plug plants for next year, but they will not be delivered until planting time. I think the firms do this inorder to gauge how many to grow.

Jean, I can understand that. But it is when they are available in the garden centres about the end of January. As you say, they will not be despatched until planting time.
Julia in Derbyshire

I grow roses and lots of them, they are all sent by a very dear friend, and he always says "water them" dead head them etc, very kind coz im rubbish at gardening :)))))

ohhh and if the potatoes go to mulsh it save you mashing them lol :))))

As for growing tomatoes, i was told to stand in the grow bag xx

Happy gardening xxx

Julia, I am often tempted by plug plants in the early months, but only having a six by two green house I know I cant have them. Trouble is , they are never there when you want them. Often seed potatoes at this time of year can be last years spuds that didnt get sold. I fell for a lily last week and bought it in flower. It will last this week, but at least I will have it to plant out in the garden after. This time of year is when most of my orchids are in bloom and I have 6 in flower at the moment, with two cuttings with buds on. These are the first cuttings of mine that have flowered and I am thrilled to be able to say 'I done it!'

Julia

Just to add a note re potatoes - I grow them all year round - except July and August - cannot give them enough water -

I cannot buy seed potatoes here so I chit my own -

Last year I tried Marshalls potatoe sacks - as did my sister in Norfolk - we were both disappointed with the yield - we both test planted simultaneously in the ground - afraid it there was no comparisons - the yield was three times greater when planted in the ground

I can also grow lettuces and salad leaves every week of the year


Irene in Spain

I have just learnt a new word, I had not heard the expression chitting potatoes, not one that is used here as far as I know.

Us Kiwis can grow different things all year round, but some things grow better in different parts of the country. My dad grew a bean called Missouri Wonder ( he would not have got through the customs these days with what he brought back from overseas) he was noted for his bean growing and he used to slice them at an angle and bag them up and give them away as well. We named a room downstairs in his house the bean room because he could often be found there with a bowl of beans slicing and bagging quite happily.

This is a delightful amusing thread Julia - one without dare I say it a "whiff" of animosity.


Persey xx

The best spuds we ever grew was about 30 years ago when an allotment holder - he was in his 90s gave my husband a box of wizened potatoes - (had they been apples they would have gone to the birds) our own had been in the ground weeks and were beginning to show through. To humour the old man OH planted them - one of the best crops ever!! The old man's hair was jet black which he put down to drinking caster oil every day. A villager verified this as she was sat on bus behind him when he took a slug from the bottle!!