30 Litre Plant Pots With Handles

I have 10 of these little beauties coming my way today, only problem is the couriers track app is so very naff and gives no indication what time they are likely to arrive. Not my first purchase of these from Oakland Gardens. I take a soldering iron to one of the handles to mark them with my initials as some have historically gone walkies from my plot. 

Oakland Gardens | Gardening Supplies for Home & Trade 

Evri didn't send me the delivery time until the start time had expired, then they sent me an updated time for delivery 5 minutes after it had been delivered and with the same time stamp confirmation that the parcel had been delivered. 

Oakland gardens terms at purchase was three working days, so its a bit of a shocker finding the next day delivery sticker on the stack of plant pots with handles.  

Harvesting Java Main Crop Potatoes

Sunday morning on the Allotment tidying up the sections of Greenhouse into a Pallet against the wall behind the Potting Shed. Then harvesting two buckets of Java Main Crop Potatoes.

Not as many spuds in the second bucket but a good harvest for the day. I just brushed off the potatoes with a paint brush. I would defiantly grow this variety of potato again they are very nice tasting and road and mash well. 

The spoil from the two buckets cleared today and two from previous potato harvests were dumped on Square Foot Garden Bed 1 and levelled, topping it back up as the level had dropped as the woodchip had decayed in the bottom of the bed.

I have a bag of mulch that has a split in it, to add next visit. I need to weed the woodchip around the bed and relay it with fresh woodchips. I'm gradually working my way up the plot weeding and replacing woodchip paths over the Winter months. 

Greenhouse components moved off the tray and raised bed this morning have been stacked in a pallet against the wall behind the potting shed. 

Those not yet in the pallet are covered in soil and need brushing off. 

Last four buckets of Java maincrop spuds covered to keep the rain out and offer some frost protection until I can harvest them, as they are needed.

My Robin was in and out looking for critters to eat as I was emptying the buckets into the tray on top of a raised bed, and sorting out the potatoes. I love the fact he has absolutely no fear of me and I just chat to him.

Harvesting Java Maincrop Potatoes

Harvesting three buckets of Java Maincrop Potatoes this morning and removing blue pipe hoops from the onions beds. I spent over 3 hours on the plot but needed a rest between sorting out each bucket load. Overcast but dry and around 14C. Spuds to be shared with Emma (daughter) and Elaine (Sister).

First bucket of Java maincrop potatoes emptied on the large tray on the raised bed. Nice to see some good sized spuds showing and dropping out when I lifted the bucket off.

With my mobility issues there is no way I will go back to growing in the ground, it's potatoes in buckets all the way now.

First Bucket opened out and spuds exposed, ready for the picking

First Buckets worth brushed clean and put in tray, with one really nice Jacket Potato worthy spud.

Second Bucket load of Java Potatoes another good large Jacket Potato worth spud, that's me and Kelly sorted.

Second Bucket load of Java Potatoes another good large Jacket Potato worth spud, that's me and Kelly sorted.

Third Bucket of Java Potatoes, again a nice indication of what I was going to find when I worked my way into the soil.

Green Tray on the left is the first & second buckets of potatoes and in the right tray pre brushed off potatoes, that I brushed clean and bagged up for my sister Elaine. I have another six buckets of Java potatoes yet to harvest. 

Harvesting Java Main Crop Potatoes

A couple of hours on the allotment this afternoon, feeding the worms in the Hotbin and harvesting my first bucket load of Java main crop potatoes. Emptied the bucket into the tray and liking what I saw straight away.

Nice size of Java maincrop potatoes, from first view. 

Java Maincrop potatoes extracted from the compost & soil and brushed off and left in the sun to dry out a little.

Decanted the Java spuds into a tray with some onions to bring home. I have another 9 buckets of Java Maincrop potatoes to harvest, but by time some have gone to my eldest daughter and sister when I share the love, it will be time to harvest the next bucket load, and repeat the process. The soil in the buckets will top up the raised beds that are already consolidating and need topping up.

Harvesting Potatoes In Buckets

Morning visit to the allotment to harvest Arran Pilot & Charlotte potatoes in buckets until rain stopped play. The first bucket of Charlotte second earlies was a little disappointing bearing in mind four seed potatoes went in.

I used one of the trays Kelly had picked up for me to empty the buckets into and then routed around and extracted the potatoes. Once the potatoes had been removed the soil was deposited on the raised bed.

Many more potatoes from the second bucket of Charlottes 

Third bucket of Charlottes extracted, and again a reasonable amount of spuds. 

Again a better yield but so many mini and micro potatoes.

First bucket of Arran Pilot first earlies. The soil from the three buckets of Charlottes was deposited on the raised bed and filled it to the top. This last tray load of soil was put back in the bucket ready to add to the next raised bed.

First bucket of Arran Pilot first earlies, much better yield than the Charlottes 2nd earlies

Rain stopped play and I put everything away and brought the spuds home. The Arran Pilot are in the foil tray. The album I listened too on the memory stick whilst working was Paloma Faith The Glorification of Sadness.

Last of the Java Spuds in Buckets

As the sky was so clear of clouds and it was so sunny I went to the allotment between 4pm and 7pm today as Plot 1 and the potting shed would be in the shade.

I completed mixing up the compost Coir and fertiliser with the 600mm Power Planter and the Ryobi Drill and placed 4 Main Crop Java seed potatoes in each bucket.

Two Java main crop spuds at a 1/3 depth

Then two more added at 90 degrees to the first two at 2/3 depth finally topped up and then taken to bed 1 which is where I'm placing them this year. As the potatoes are harvested the contents of the buckets will be placed on Bed 1.

Bed 1 with the main crop java spuds in buckets, I really need my sister to cut her grass next weekend and donate the grass to me for mulch on top of the spuds in buckets.

I emptied some compost and course coir into the Square Foot Garden Bed 2 and watered it in and watered in the spuds in buckets and the four Red Baron onion beds and parsnip bed.

Red Baron Onion Bed 3

3 Red Baron Onion Beds on the right, Parsnip bed in the middle on the left and Asparagus bed at the back left.

Red Baron Onion Bed

Way too much invasive Bindweed growing in the onion beds. I may need to ask a plot neighbour or two for a little help next time I see them.

Red Baron Onion Bed

Parsnip bed with so many seedlings that have been eaten, its quite gutting after going to all that trouble to germinate and start off so many in loo rolls. But I have never seen so many slugs and snails on the allotment as we have this year. 

The Asparagus bed really needs attention, there could be asparagus in there but it's too full of weeds to see. I'm going to have to hit and clear this bed, but that's not going to be easy with my current mobility issues. 

Caught up with some plot neighbours that I have not seen since before starting my treatment for cancer last year, which was nice, lots of people over on the plot once the sun was going down and shaded areas were creeping across the plots, but a reduction in water pressure as everyone was watering.

More Java Potatoes In Buckets

Seeing the pebble pool working in the sunshine, and Michelle's new bees visiting for a drink makes me smile and happy.

Today on the plot mixed up new and old compost for the Java main Crop Potatoes in Buckets and planted another 16 spuds worth, just a few more buckets to go and the spuds will be done. Photo above Java Maincrop at 1/3 depth of the bucket

Java Main crop potatoes at 2/3 depth of the bucket. 

Bucket topped up with compost.

Buckets moved to Bed 1 on the allotment and watered. Next lot of grass will go on top as a mulch.

The First Earlies are showing now. I attacked all the bindweed with weed killer until the weed killer ran out. Watered the Red Baron onions and reading all the Facebook posts about them it may have been a little foolish to have just grown the one variety this year, as they are prone to bolt, time will tell. Watered the two grapevines.

Swift First Early Spud in Buckets

Nice warm and sunny morning on the allotment planting 8 number 30 litre Square Flower Buckets worth of Swift first early potatoes 4 in each bucket at two levels in diagonally opposite corners.

8 number 30 litre Square Flower Buckets worth of Swift first early potatoes

So happy to see that the Sweetpeas along the greenhouse climbing frame have germinated and are showing.

First Early Spuds & Runner Beans

I found a tray of Caledonian Pearl - First Early from Suttons behind some fleece in the greenhouse on plot 1A yesterday and this afternoon I dashed to the allotment to get them in flower buckets.

Four potatoes in each bucket, this is a photo of the second layer, I used a mixture of coir, soil and Gro-Sure Multi Purpose compost, plus some D.T.Browns potato fertiliser.

Coir Mulch when I had to come home, two square flower buckets worth in the greenhouse. If it rains it will only help the hydration of this block.

Close view of the Coir chips

Coco Coir Mulch - D.T.Brown

Natural and 100% PEAT FREE - made from 100% Natural Coconut husks, after harvesting, it is stored, ground, washed, dried, and compressed. Coco Coir is a natural by-product of the coconut farming industry and causes minimal impact on the environment and it is the most environmentally friendly alternative to peat moss.

Natural, 100% coir husk chips. This mulch product increases the porosity and enriches soil and retains moisture around plants. Breaks down slowly in the soil to improve structure. Reduces weed growth up to 90% and helps to deter slugs and snails.

How To Use It:
Simpy put your compressed Coco Coir Mulch brick in a container, add 22.5 litres of water and let it sit until the water is absorbed (approx. 20min). Fluff it up and you are ready to use it.

Key Benefits:
- 100% peat-free
- pH and nutrient balanced
- Sustainable and environmentally friendly, from natural renewable sources, biodegradable
- Easy to handle, uniform in composition, odourless
- Better water retention, long lasting
- Provides good drainage / good aeration
- Free of bacteria and weed seeds
- Increases the porosity and retains moisture
- Improves the soil structure
- Reduces the weed growth and deters slug and snails

Size: 30 x 13 x 30cm when compressed. Add 22.5 litres of water and it will expand to 60ltr of Peat Free Coco Chip Mulch - pH value 5.5 -6.8

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First Early Potatoes

Caledonian Pearl - First Early - Potatoes from Suttons in the six flower buckets.

D.T.Brown Rhubarb Livingstone

D.T.Brown Rhubarb Livingstone going to seed already. 

I think I need to water this a little more often than I have been.

 

D.T.Brown Rhubarb Livingstone with bindweed growing in the corner, but not for long. 

Runner bean trench weeded and runner beans "Best of All" from Suttons sown directly in front of the bamboo poles and watered in.

Heavy crop of medium length pods in large clusters. Can be picked over a long season.

Sow in April under glass or cloches, or outdoors in May and June. Prolific, decorative plants thriving in well cultivated soils containing plenty of humus.  Regular watering in dry periods will be amply rewarded by a heavy crop of delicious, tender young beans for table and freezing. (12-16 weeks maturity.) Packet sufficient for a double row of approximately 4.5m (15')