March
part 1
Any tubers
that have not started by now are simply discarded and form part of my
“weeding out” process. As both daylight hours and daytime temperatures
increase the plants are starting to respond and it is during this
initial period that the benefits of producing larger cutting tubers are
realised. These are as follow:
No losses
due to shrinkage during the dormant period
No requirement to start them up earlier than adult tubers, and finally
They tend to produce a larger number of basal shoots, the surplus of
which can be used as cutting material.
Let us now
look ahead and pre-plan what we need to do for the next two months.
Compost –
growing on
I personally prefer to use a soil based compost which is reasonably free
draining and that suits my type of management. I have found that by
simply replacing 3 litres of loam (I do not use loam with a high clay
content) with three litres of peat when mixing by hand a bushel of John
Innes compost that this fulfils my requirements. All other ingredients
remain the same, however, to this I add 6 oz of nutrimate. At this
point I should say that the peat I use is of a very course grade which
helps to keep the mix open and aerated.
Feeding –
already discussed
Have you missed something? I started my tubers in a peat based
multipurpose compost and prior to doing so I made the conscious decision
that firstly I want my initial compost to be peat based (easier for the
new root to penetrate) and secondly by choosing multipurpose I had
decided the strength of fertiliser (feeding) that I want for the
plant at this stage of its growth. I will then move to a soil based
compost (in my opinion it produces a far more robust plant) and again I
considered feeding and have chosen to make a J.I. No2 mix (strength
of fertiliser). Everything going well no additional feeding will be
required during this period.
Growth
stimulant
I do use maxicrop (original seaweed extract) as a foliar spray and find
that it gives the plants added resistance to pests and diseases and I
also feel that it assists in the production of an overall healthier
plant.
Pot size
Now is the time to look ahead and decide what will be your 1st
or in my case 2nd pot size. I always start from my final pot
size and work back in order to see what sizes can be utilised (the
coarseness of your compost will also play a pivotal role if using the
existing pot as a mould). If you intend to move from peat to a soil
based compost then this is also a good time to decide when this
transition will take place e.g. if moving from a 1˝
litre (1st ) pot into a final 3 litre ( 2nd) pot
then it is obvious, however, if moving from a 1 litre pot and working
towards a final 3 or 4 litre pot then you have a decision to make (a lot
will be determined by the quality of root). If I am to grow two or for
that matter three cutting tubers together as a single pot plant, I will
have no option but to pot them directly into a 7˝ litre pot (an
additional 4˝
or
5˝
litres
of compost). It will be at this point that the transition between peat
and soil must take place. I would also anticipate that all top growth
will almost stop as the plants continue to produce bottom growth (root)
as they settle into the new compost. It will be during this period that
great care must be taken when watering as mistakes can easily lead to
disaster. A little bottom heat during this period may be advisable.
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