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City Tart
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Estelle
89 posts

Re: City Tart
Oct 18, 2001, 12:46
The best way to grow potatoes in a small space is in a tower of old tyres. You plant 3 tubers into one tyre, filled with compost, on the open ground. When the leaves are about 6" above the top of the tyre, put on second tyre and fillup with more compost. As plants grow, keep adding tyres and filling till you see flowers. remove flowers, wait a few days. Knock over tower and collect potatoes, most will be inside tyre area. This method avoids digging and produces large crops. Regular watering and plant feed are your only other jobs.
I would advise you to buy seed because seed saved from bought food are either commercial strains that require chemical support or hybrids(a marrow can be pollinated by a gourd, for example, and the plant grown from the resulting seed will taste disgusting)
Borrow a copy of 'the Vegetable Expert' from the local library, or any of Geoff Hamilltons books. They will be the most usefull.
Tomatoes are hard work, and need a lot of care,best in a polytunnel or greenhouse.
Try tough plants that need less effort, like chard, lovege,carrots. Most beans and peas are good croppers, but the soil has to be prepared beforehand. If you have a freezer, 2 rows should provide as many as you will want in a year.
DTBrown s catalogue sells organic seeds of loads of veg, herbs and the helpful plants that encourage the good bugs.
Good Luck.

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