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Andrews Top Tips for May

Regarding the size of the seed potatoes, this is an area which is easily misunderstood. Seed potatoes are generally sized 35x60mm. This means that the smallest seed potatoes in the sample will not fall through a 35mm square. If they balance on the square (at any angle) then they comply. The same sample must all pass through a 60mm square (at any angle). We have enclosed some photos of this procedure, which hopefully illustrates the point clearly (please note this uses 35x55mm size as an example, but it’s the same principle).
We always do a thorough quality inspection before accepting seed potatoes from our growers; therefore we are confident that the seed potatoes conform to this size specification.

For the record, accurate sizing is a legal requirement of seed potato certification and the standards are very strict.
Scottish seed potatoes are often sold as size 35 x 55mm. This means the tuber must not pass through a 35 x 35mm square but be able to pass through a 55 x 55mm square.

There is a common view amongst gardeners (particularly very experienced gardeners) that seed potatoes should be “golf ball” or “hens’ egg” size. Historically, some seed potato crops would have been grown as “dual-purpose” stocks, which means that after certification, the largest potatoes in the seed crop would have been consumed and the smallest potatoes would have been used as seed potatoes. This explains where the “hen’s egg” size originated. These days, seed potato production is very specialised and dual-purpose crops are a thing of the past. As a result, when ISJ agree contracts with our suppliers, we must market all the seed potatoes produced to maximise the return to the supplier, otherwise we will not have any growers prepared to plant specialised varieties. Hence, we purchase and supply 35x60mm seed potatoes.

Large seed potatoes have more “eyes”, (and more sprouts) therefore they produce more potatoes. For a First Early variety such as Arran Pilot, or a salad-type variety such as Charlotte, this is exactly what you want– lots of tasty potatoes, straight from the garden! If gardeners would like to see this in action, they should plant their seed potatoes by size – smallest to largest (or visa versa) - and then check the number of potatoes per plant as they harvest.

Small seed potatoes weigh less, so a pack contains more seed potatoes, which means gardeners should be able to plant a larger area. In addition, small seed potatoes have fewer “eyes”, therefore they produce fewer potatoes. What’s positive about that, you might think? Well, it means the crop will produce more, large potatoes and with a modern varieties such as Cara and Maris Piper, which can produce huge yields, this is ideal – a big crop of large, tasty potatoes to store through the winter. Commercial growers pay a premium for small potatoes, especially 25x35mm (these really are small!), for these reasons.
 
 
 

1. Example of sizing square

2. 35 x 55mm tuber will not pass through a 35mm sizing square

3. 35 x 55mm tuber will be able to pass through a 55mm square in any direction.
 
The principle is the same for 35x60mm seed potatoes, except the tuber must be able to pass through a 60mm x 60mm square
 
 Summary of Legislation and Procedures Surrounding Seed Potato Production & Supply

• All seed potatoes are fully traceable back to the original pathogen-tested, disease-free micro-plants. Without getting too technical, this is vital to ensure that, should there ever be an outbreak of disease, stock movement can be traced.
• All seed potato crops from Scotland are inspected by SGRPID (Scottish Government Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate) several times during the growing period and then prior to despatch from farm.
• All seed potatoes are issued with a plant passport prior to movement from the farm of growth and provided they meet the final inspection tolerances. Movement from farm is illegal until all inspections have been completed and a valid plant passport has been issued.
• ISJ are licensed to replicate seed potato plant passports for the horticultural sector and are regularly audited by SASA inspectorate (Science & Advice for Scottish Agriculture) to ensure we comply with their conditions and meet the standards.
• ISJ replicated plant passports, which are the labels of the seed potato packs, show all the legal information required to ensure that stock is traceable. If your customer still has the labels, we can double check the details and will be able to trace the stock supplied back to the original field of growth. The Crop No. is a 6-digit number which allows us to trace the stock.
• The plant passport must also show the size of the seed potatoes. In most cases, ISJ supply size 35 x 60mm, although this can vary depending on the variety. We’ll explain this later.
• As an aside, ISJ are also ISO 9001 accredited – this is an international quality management certification, which demands we are regularly audited to ensure we comply with rigorous standards. This is not obligatory for seed potato providers, but we do it to give our customers confidence that we operate accurate and robust prepacking systems.

The lighter evenings have finally arrived and after a wet March and wet start to April, hopefully the better weather will be with us all soon. Once the better weather arrives, the lighter evenings will give us all more time to spend in our flower and vegetable gardens. Happy Gardening!

March has arrived, and unfortunately the soil is still very wet. Hopefully, we will get some dry weather soon to go with the longer days. There are still a few jobs to do and now is the ideal time to start planning for the crops for the rest of the year.

Here's an explanation of symbols that are used on our website and in our catalogues.

How to care for your citrus trees.

If you have a heated greenhouse or sunny windowsill February can be a busy month for seed sowing. Now’s the time to prepare for the year ahead in the flower garden and on the vegetable plot.
 
1.  If you have your heated propagator going it is wise to keep it as in full as possible, so this month I will be sowing some more Half-Hardy Annuals for my summer bedding display. This month I will be sowing Asters, Salpiglossis, Verbena, Stocks, Mesembryanthemum and two of my favourite summer bedding plants Gazania and Rudbeckia. When sowing remember that Asters, Gazania, Verbena and Rudbeckia can all be sown on the surface of moist seed sowing compost, then the seeds should only be lightly covered with fine grade vermiculite, available in our mail order catalogue or on our website. However, the Stocks, Salpiglossis and Mesembryanthemum are all seeds that need light to germinate, so they are best sown on the surface of the compost and given no covering at all. If you haven’t got a propagator, you can still sow seeds on a warm windowsill indoors but germination may take a little longer. Always use a good quality seed sowing compost and water only with tap water.
 
2.    One of my wife’s favourite flowers are Begonias, so I always make sure I grow plenty of these in the garden. One way of growing them is from Begonia corms. In February or March are the ideal times of year for starting Begonia corms back into growth. If like me, you kept your Begonia corms from last year, and stored them in a frost-free place over winter, you can now bring them out of hibernation. If you didn’t store any from last year all is not lost, as there are plenty of quality corms available for sale by mail order or on our website. Starting corms back into growth is easily done; all you need to do is place them into seed trays of multipurpose compost. The corms should be inserted into the trays so the top of each corm is about level with the surface of the compost. Some gardeners have difficulty identifying the top from the bottom of a begonia corm, well an easy way to remember is the top will have a slight concave in it, whereas the bottom will be round with a few hairs coming from it. Once you have placed your corms in trays of compost give them a good watering and place the trays in a heated propagator or on a warm windowsill at a minimum temperature of 20C (70F).
 
3.   If you like sweet peppers added to salads or chilli peppers to spice up your other culinary dishes why not try and grow your own, they are not as difficult as you may think. Peppers need sowing this month in heated propagator, at a minimum temperature of 21C (70F) and will germinate within 14-21 days. They are best sown on the surface of moist seed sowing compost and lightly covered with fine grade vermiculite. Sowing now will ensure you have big enough plants to produce fruit this summer going into autumn. I always grow 3 plants in a patio container, as they look attractive and are very productive when grown on a sunny patio. Some of the New varieties like Chilli Jazz, Hot Thai and Fiery Flames are compact enough to grow and fruit on your windowsill.
 
4.  If you lifted your Dahlia Tubers from the garden last year and stored them in a frost-free place over winter, this month they can be started back into growth. I always pack the tubers into boxes filled with soil-less multipurpose compost and place them in a warm greenhouse. These tubers will soon start to shoot and in no time, you will have some new shoots that can be taken as cuttings, for this years plants. We have a wide selection of dahlia tubers available in our mail order catalogue and on our website.
 
5.   If you still have room in the heated propagator, at this time of year I like to sow a few seeds of hanging basket Tomatoes like Cherry Falls, Micro cherry or Tumbling Tom. Sown in a heated propagator set at 21C (70F), the seeds will germinate in 10-14 days. These young plants can then be grown on in the glasshouse until big enough to plant into baskets. The planted baskets can be hung in the greenhouse to grow on until they can safely be hung outside towards the end of May. If you follow my method of growing tomatoes, you could be one of the first to be picking outdoor tomatoes.
 
6. If you are short of space, but would love to still grow some early potatoes you still can. All you need to do is buy some early maturing varieties of potato like Rocket, Swift and Jazzy, then plant a single tuber into a large 25cm(10in) pot of Compost. If you don’t have any large pots you could try planting 4-5 tubers in a potato planters (available mail order or on our website) topping up the planter with compost as they grow. Use a soil less compost in pots and planters, with a little perlite added to the mixture, as this will allow some air into the compost, and will improve the quality of tubers you harvest. Then place your pots or planters in a frost-free greenhouse for an early harvest this spring.
 
7.    It won’t be long before lawns will need there first cut. Now is a good time to give lawn mowers a service or take to the local repair shop, so they are ready to use as soon as required.        
 
8.   If you have space in the greenhouse border, or a large pot or trough, now is a good time to make an early sowing of Radish and an early Carrot like Adelaide. Sow these under glass in shallow drills for the first pick of the season.
 
9.   Later this month I will be sowing some summer Brassicas under glass in the heated propagator. If you don’t have a propagator, just sow your seeds in pots on a warm windowsill. If you sow some cabbage like ‘Caraflex F1’ and Cauliflower ‘Skipper F1’ now, you will have plants ready for planting out in April. These will give you an early summer meal before there are any caterpillars about that can feed on them. Another Brassica that will benefit from being sown this month is Brussels Sprouts like Brodie or Brendan. I like to sow this crop early so my plants are large enough for planting out in April. These will then grow throughout the year and make tall stalks full of Sprouts in perfect condition for harvesting this autumn.
 
10.   If you saved some of last years old Fuchsia plants and kept them under glass in a heated glasshouse, then this month they should start producing some fresh young shoots. These young shoots can be taken as cuttings. Fuchsias root very easily in a heated propagator (20C / 70F). Simply remove the young shoots from the stools with a sharp knife. Cut the shoot back to just below a pair of leaves (node) and remove the bottom 2 leaves. This should leave a cutting ideally about 4cm (1 1/2in) long. Once your cutting have been prepared, I like to dip them into a hormone rooting powder, then insert them into a pot or tray of moist seed and cutting compost. Before inserting, cover the top of the moist compost with a thin layer of perlite. Perlite is a white product and will reflect light back onto your cuttings, which is very important on these dull winter days with low light levels. This extra light bouncing back onto the cuttings will help them root in approx. 14-21 days.
 

Happy New Year!

It may be cold outside but there are still a few jobs that need attending so we are all ready for the New Year ahead.
 
1. Carry on with Winter digging of your vegetable plots; I like to try and get this job done by the new year, so the cold frosty winter weather can help break down the soil. I think a tidy winter plot  always looks great and you have the satisfaction that this is a good job done, and once completed you can sit back and relax what ever the weather.
 
2. If the weather is too cold or wet to do any jobs outside, then there are plenty of jobs to do in the warmth of the greenhouse or shed to prepare for next year. A good clean of all the sowing equipment is required. Wash pots and seed trays with soapy water, so they are clean and ready for use early next year. Propagators and benches can also be washed down so they are clean from any pests or fungal diseases that may be hiding in those tiny crevices. This will give us all a clean start to the year ahead.
 
3. Remember during very cold weather to look after the birds regularly. Leave our bird feed and top up the birdbath so they have some fresh water to drink. If you encourage the birds into your garden at this time of year, hopefully they will also return next spring to nest and feed on some of the aphids and other pests that can cause us gardener’s problems.
 
4. On Christmas day or Boxing Day, I will be busy sowing my Large Onions. This is the traditional time for sowing this vegetable, plus it will give me a good excuse for getting out of the washing up. I like to sow the variety Globo, Mammoth or Ailsa Craig, as these will grow into whoppers over 1-2lb in weight. Onion Seeds need sowing onto the surface of moist seed sowing compost, and then they should be lightly covered with fine grade vermiculite. Once sown, place in a heated propagator set at 20C (70F). Germination usually takes 10-14 days.
 
5. Give yourself time to harvest Vegetables for the Christmas lunch a few days before they are required. This year I will be enjoying Parsnip ‘Gladiator’, Carrots ‘Eskimo’, Brussels Sprout ‘Brodie’,  Cabbage 'Marabel', Leek 'Blue Solaise' and Kale 'Oldenbor', all harvested fresh from my plot, along with from storage some Onion ‘Santero’ for flavour to the meat juices and Potato ‘Setanta’ to make my Roasties. 
 
6. December is the ideal month for pruning Blackcurrants. Now that all the leaves have fallen off the plants it makes it easier to see what you are doing. When pruning Blackcurrants you should cut out as much old wood as possible to leave just young growth, that is less than 3 years old. The younger shoots will grow more vigorously and in turn will produce more fruit. The older wood is easily recognised because it is much darker in colour than the younger shoots, and often the bark is a lot rougher. Always try to prune down to a healthy new bud as close to the base of the plant as you can. This will help encourage new shoots to grow from the base. Once pruned give the blackcurrant plants a generous mulch of well-rotted manure or garden compost.
 
7. Check your apples and pears in storage this winter for signs of damage or rot. Removing this will stop fungal spores spreading to the rest of your fruit.
 
8. If you have some large clumps of Rhubarb, why not cut a piece off and leave it lying on the top of the ground this month to get frosted. This cold period will spur the growth buds into developing sooner. Leave the Rhubarb laying there for several weeks until it has been frosted several times, then pot it up and move it into a warm (Not hot) greenhouse or shed. This will then start to produce some tender sticks of Rhubarb for you to enjoy early next spring.
 
9. It always surprises me how much colour and scent there is in the garden at this time of year. Rather than leave this scent outdoors why not cut a few stems of winter flowering Honeysuckle, Viburnum and Mahonia as they show colour and place them in a vase of water indoors. Then as the buds open they will fill your rooms with their colour and fragrance.
 
10. Lastly on cold winter evenings, look through seed catalogues and place your orders, and start to create a sowing and planting plan, so you are fully prepared once spring arrives. You can request a copy of our gardening catalogue online or over the phone (Mon-Fri, 9am-12:30, 1:30pm-5pm)



 

November is normally a good month to tidy up gardens and vegetable plots and use the long dark evenings to plan for next year. With the recent wet weather through the end of October and early November, tidying up may have to wait a little, as keeping off the soil and lawns might be more advisable.  
 
1. One job that can be done early this month, whatever the weather, is planting Amaryllis bulbs, so you will be able to enjoy them indoors from Christmas, going into January. I like to simply plant a single bulb, in a 13-15cm (5-6in) pot, so it is sitting on the high side, so only the bottom 1/3 of the bulb is covered with compost. Give the compost a little water, stand it on a warm windowsill and watch it grow.
 
2. Before we get any very cold and frosty weather, it is important to protect pot grown Fig plants. These should be moved into a cold glasshouse or under a carport, as this will help protect any small embryo figs from frost damage. As these small figs will produce your fig crop next year.
 
3. Seed and plant catalogues are falling through the letterbox each week at the moment. Take advantage of the long winter evenings and browse through the pages and plan your crops, or display for the year ahead. Early ordering is always advisable to guarantee you get the seeds and plants you require.
 
4. Any containers you have plants growing in for the winter months are best raised slightly off the ground from now through to the spring. Simply stand your pots on some stones, bricks or laths of wood, as this will help to keep the drainage hole off the ground and allow free drainage. This helps prevent your containers becoming waterlogged during very wet spells of weather, like we have had recently.
 
5. Once the soil starts to dry out and is not waterlogged, autumn is the ideal time for planting new trees and shrubs into your garden whilst they are going into a dormant state. Planting at this time of year will help them get established through the winter and allow the roots to settle before next spring. Always prepare the soil well before planting adding plenty of organic matter and a sprinkle of bone meal and some Mycorrhizal friendly fungi to the planting hole, all will help the plants establish quicker.
 
6. November is the best month to plant Tulip bulbs. These should be planted at least twice the bulb depth. Plant in an open sunny site in borders or containers. There is also still plenty of time to plant Daffodils and Crocus as well if not already done.
 
7. If, like me, you enjoy growing fresh vegetables, well this month is the perfect time to sow some Broad beans and Peas outside on the vegetable plot, provided the soil is not waterlogged. When sowing Broad beans at this time of year, you will need a hardy variety like Aquadulce Claudia, and a hardy variety of Peas like Meteor. Both Peas and Beans should be sown in drills, on the vegetable plot, and are best sown under cloches for early winter protection. Sowing these vegetables this month will give you an early harvest next spring. If the soil is too wet this month, you can sow right up to early December and still achieve good crops next year.
 
8. Vegetable plots can have the last of old crops removed to the compost heap and the plot cleaned up ready for winter digging later in year. Empty rotted down compost heaps onto spare ground, or have deliveries of well rotten farm yard manure or mushroom compost. These can be spread on the soil ready for winter digging. I like to try and get this digging done before the weather gets too bad, so the plot can be left clean and tidy over winter, and allow the winter weather to help break up the soil ready for next spring. 
 
9. Soft fruit bushes at this time of year will benefit from having a thick mulch of well-rotted farmyard manure or old compost put around the base of each plant. This will help keep the ground free from weeds as well as add nutrients to the soil, and increase your crop next year. Working in some High potash fertiliser into the soil around bushes at this time of year will also help encourage fruiting next year.
 
10. Garlic can be Planted in November, direct into the vegetable plot. If the soil is too wet, plant the individual cloves into small pots and place in a cold frame or cold greenhouse. These will start to grow and can be planted outside later as soon as soil conditions improve.