The potatoes just keep on coming! We humans may have not enjoyed the incessant deluges of rain that the last few weeks have brought us, but the potatoes have. They don't seem to mind soggy soil conditions, and the tubers this year have been not only numerous, but very clean, with no sign of scab whatsoever.
This is what I got from two pots - a joint total 1.36 kilograms:
If ever you thought that growing spuds in small containers was a waste of time, think again!
The potatoes' cousins the Aubergines are growing steadily, and producing a number of flowers. No fruits visible yet though. I suspect that sunshine is required...
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| Aubergine "Pintung Long" |
Just look at the family likeness:
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| Potato "Charlotte" |
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| Tomato "Orkado" |
Now, the purple Aubergine flower is very impressive and distinctive, and now that I have seen one at close quarters, unforgettable, so what was it that these plants produced the other day, which at that time I thought were flowers???
Do Aubergines have male and female flowers?
I've often heard people say that they've had such small harvests from container grown potatoes, but I've had nothing but good. My favourite way of growing them, they come out so clean without any damage too.
ReplyDeleteI also prefer growing them in containers. Your posts have renewed my interest in growing them again next year.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure aubergines don't have male and female flowers. Could that be a flower that has set a tiny fruit?
ReplyDeleteI suppose it could be but I'm pretty sure it wasn't preceded by any flower. I watch the plants very closely as you can imagine, and I feel sure I would have seen a flower if there had been one.
DeleteI noticed with my Charlotte potatoes that the ones I grew in multi-purpose compost had no scab compared to the ones in soil, some of which where lightly affected.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait until my aubergines flower. I'm relying on them to be the big producers for me this year - hope I'm not asking for too much. They are nice and snug in the conservatory and growing well. Great photos by the way.
ReplyDeleteHi Mark, look at your lovely potatoes! I'm ready to check out my containers but I'm afraid they don't look to be done yet. I only planted two containers last year and this year I upped it to five. Hoping you get some sunshine for your aubergines & tomatoes! Cheers, Jenni
ReplyDeleteFrom what I know, aubergines flower have male and female parts... :) Lovely garden, Mark. I need to move to a different place so I can have garden in the summer...
ReplyDeleteThat's your first fruit, Mark! I'm pretty sure they don't have male and female flowers. This will be a flower that has been fertilised and has set - you may have missed it blooming. Congratulations! I love growing eggplants (aubergines) if I can keep the whitefly at bay.
ReplyDeleteNina, I bow to your superior knowledge, but I feel sure there was no flower - certainly not one like the one I showed in my photo in this post. I gather from what you say that whitefly are likely to take an interest soon. Do you grow your aubergines indoors or out?
DeleteI'm wondering if its actually a flower about to bloom so to speak. Is it the same plant as the purple flower? Regardless though I'm loving your potatoes - I have soem plants dying back at the moment so I should be in a harvesting position soon too. This is also our prime potato planting season so I need to get some more seed stock.
DeleteSuperior knowledge? Me? If I could bring myself to use 'lol', I would! I'm an absolute amateur.
ReplyDeleteI don't grow anything inside, they all have to take their chances out there in the big wide world. I had plague proportions of whitefly last summer and autumn but they only hit late in the eggplant fruiting season. Hopefully with your cooler weather, you won't suffer nearly as much.
Liz is probably right, it could be another flower bud. Looking at the photo more closely, if it were fruit, the centre protuberance would be smooth rather than furry which I now realise it is. Either which way, it won't be long before you are harvesting!
I'm so jealous of your potatoes. I've pretty much given up now and am relying on my greengrocer. You've made me want to try aubergines next year though.
ReplyDeleteThought I left a message already... oh well. The eggplant flowers are quite beautiful, but I've yet to have any potato blossoms. I think I am going to tip out on of the grow bags and see what is happening.
ReplyDeleteDavid, some potatoes don't flower at all but still produce very good crops. That was the case with the ones I grew last year. Just thought I should say, before you tip up all your bags!
DeleteI will definitely be growing more potatoes in pots next year - they take up so much space when you have them in the ground - lovely shots Mark.
ReplyDeleteYour post made me want to check my potatoes growing in pots and bags but alas they are not ready yet...
ReplyDeleteWow - what a good crop! I will try to grw potatos in pots next year, too.
ReplyDeleteThe egg plant in the last pitcure... to me it looks like a flower that is still closed.