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| POTATOES | LETTUCE | CARROTS | TOMATOES | ||
There has never been a better time to start growing your own vegetables. Living Gardens have some great products and advice available so that anyone can have a go, if you dont have a large garden, Living Gardens have some great space saving solutions. Becoming a self sufficient gardener will not only save you money, but you will be eating healthy food that you have grown and nurtured yourself. For even more help and advice have a look through our FAQs page |
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To prepare two potato growbags you will need:-
*Pack of 2 Potato Bags - £9.99 All available instore at Living Gardens Garden Centre Living Gardens advice on how to grow your own potatoes; |
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| 1.
Chit (sprout) your potatoes to give them a head start. Place the seed
potatoes on an old egg box with the rose end uppermost (the end with
the most eyes) and sprouts will arise. Keep the seed potatoes in a
cool but frost free place with moderate light, such as an unheated
room. After your seed potatoes have chitted and the sprouts are approximately
2in long, remove the weak sprouts leaving on the three stongest ones.
Chitting takes about six weeks.
2. After the chitting process, once all risk of frost has passed, your seed potatoes are ready for planting. Half fill your potato bags with the vegetable compost and mix in a small handful of organic potato fertiliser. Plant the seed potatoes about 2-3in deep in the compost with the sprouts uppermost, taking care not to damage the sprouts. Water well. Label if you are planting more than one variety (include the planting date to assist you in deciding when to harvest). |
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3. Once the seed potatoes start to shoot through the surface of the compost, fill the potato bag with compost (called earthing-up) to encourage a higher yield of potatoes. Sprinkle a small amount of organic potato fertiliser onto the compost and gently work into the top layer of compost. 4. After about 10 weeks, depending on variety (see harvesting information on seed potato packet), lift the flap on the potato bag to harvest the potatoes and enjoy a crop of tasty home-grown potatoes! |
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To
prepare two lettuce instant planters you will need: All available instore at Living Gardens Garden Centre Living Gardens advice on how to grow your own lettuce; |
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| 1.
After all risk of frost, position your instant planters in an area
with full sun. Use a sharp pair of scissors to punch drainage holes
in the base of the instant planters. Lay down the instant planter
and cut out the top of the bag, ready for planting your seeds. Loosen
the compost with a hand fork to eliminate any lumps leaving you with
a fine growing media.
2. Make two evenly spaced drills (mini trenches the size of your forefinger) in the compost along the length of the first instant planter. Finely sprinkle the seeds into the drills and cover with compost. The seeds should be sown about half an inch deep (roughly the depth of your forefinger). Water carefully using a watering can with a fine rose. 3.
Once seedlings appear through the surface of the compost you will
need to remove some of the weaker ones to allow space for the others
to mature. Thin the seedlings to 6-8in apart for full sized lettuce
hearts or to 4-6in apart for ‘baby leaf’ lettuce. |
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| 4.
As the seedlings start to mature, feed once a week with Westland Organic
Nutri Plant Liquid Feed. Dilute in a watering can as directed on the
packaging. Continue to water your lettuce regularly, especially in
dry periods. 5.
Follow the above steps with the remaining seed and second instant
planter 2-3 weeks after sowing the first instant planter. This will
ensure you have a crop of lettuce available for harvesting over
a longer period of time. |
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To
do this you will need:- All available instore at Living Gardens Garden Centre Living Gardens advice on how to grow your own carrots; |
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| 1.
Sow carrot seeds after all risk of frost has passed. They are best
grown in a sunny spot. Fill the first barrel with compost leaving
2-3 inches between the surface of the compost and the rim of the barrel
to allow space for watering. Make sure you have loosened the compost
with a hand fork to ensure it is not lumpy.
2. Finely sprinkle the seeds onto the surface of the compost. Cover with another half an inch of compost. Water carefully using a watering can with a fine rose. 3.
Once seeds have germinated, thin seedlings as necessary. Leave half
an inch between plants to grow baby carrots or slightly more space
if you would like larger carrots. |
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| 4.
Keep your carrots well watered during their growth period, too little
water results in coarse, woody roots. Do not fertilise as this will
cause your carrots to fork. Four weeks after planting the first barrel
of carrots, plant your second barrel to provide you with a continuous
crop of carrots. 5.
After about 12 weeks start pulling up your first crop of carrots,
as soon as they are big enough to eat. |
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To
prepare a tomato growbag you will need: All available instore at Living Gardens Garden Centre Living Gardens advice on how to grow your own tomatoes; |
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| 1.
Some varieties of tomato can be grown outdoors once the weather has
warmed up, after all risk of frost which is usually around late May.
Greenhouse varieties can be grown in an unheated greenhouse from around
late April providing the plants are a substantial size (approx 30cm/12”
in height). Until then your tomato plants must be kept in a brightly
lit, heated room or on a windowsill until established.
2. When the time has arrived for planting, place your growbag in a sunny position sheltered from strong winds either in the greenhouse or outdoors, depending on the variety of tomato you are growing. Use a sharp pair of scissors to punch drainage holes in the base of the growbag. It is best to grow a maximum of two plants per growbag to allow enough room for root growth. Lay down the grow bag and cut out two large evenly spaced openings in the top of the planter. Loosen the compost with a hand fork to eliminate any lumps, leaving you with a fine growing media. 3.
Make a hole in the compost in each opening that is the same depth
or slightly deeper than the rootball and plant each of the tomato
plants. Firm the compost around them. You can also plant a small
pot of basil in the growbag with your tomatoes. This will help to
keep whitefly at bay and improve the flavour of your tomatoes. |
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| 4.
Drive the tomato stake or bamboo cane into the compost and support
with additional canes if necessary. The tomato stake has the added
bonus of being a waterer that directs water straight to the plant
roots. Tie the main stem to the cane/stake using the plant ties. Check
plant ties regularly to ensure they’re neither too loose nor
cutting into the stem. Some bush or container varieties require no
support.
5. Remove sideshoots to make your plant more productive. Simply grasp the young shoot emerging between the main stem and fruiting branch and bend it sharply downwards to give a clean break from the branch. Some bush or container varieties do not require sideshoot removal. 6. Water your tomatoes regularly and start feeding with the liquid feed (as directed on the bottle) once the first truss of flowers appears. 7. Pick the tomatoes as they ripen to encourage the plant to produce more fruit. |
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