Hello,
Newbie here, and although not an allotmenteer I do grow veggies in a reasonable sized patch in my garden. This year I decided to have a crack at growing potatoes, but due to limited space I thought I'd try growing them in a large container.
All was going spendidly well, and my Charlottes were going great guns, until this morning... due to the high winds last night all the stems have bent over and/or broken.
My question is, is there any chance of my plants recovering from this hefty setback/damage, or should I just face up to the fact that I've lost my crop?
Any advice or thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Hi Whitty
They will almost certainly be fine. Even when hard frosted and the foliage dies right off they tend to throw up some more shoots, so even if they dont re grow from the broken stems they will send up more shoots from down below.
It just means you have to wait a bit longer, but new potatoes at christmas are great!
Adrian
That's too long!!
Thanks plotofweeds, that's put my mind at rest somewhat.
Good job I've got some (undamaged) Anyas in as well - that's a long ol' hungry gap to Christmas!
Would you reccomend that I remove the broken stems to encourage new shoots?
Leave them, they'll soon grow back. Just don't worry.
Do as Robert says, nothing.
They will be slowed down by a small amount only or, if maincrop, the yield may be down a small amount.
Phil
my first year of growing pots in the ground. how much earthing up do i need to do? running out of soil. my foilage is now just a bit more than a foot above the soil. do i need to earth up some more?
How far have you earthed up already? I don't do it at all, I grow mine under a thick layer of mulch.