RHS Can I Grow Potatoes in Pots: A Gardener's Collection of Handy Hints to Grow Your Own Food

by Sally Nex

Overview

The latest in the popular RHS series, RHS Can I Grow Potatoes in Pots? is the perfect gift for gardeners, delving into everything from sustainable ways of growing food to planning for year-round fresh harvests

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This easy Q&A format book is suited to both beginner and more experienced growers, and encompasses a wide range of subjects to take readers beyond the basics of fruit and vegetable growing. Taking into account the popularity for growing food from scratch among newbie gardeners, you'll find advice in this book whether you have a garden, an allotment, or even a balcony or other small space to work with-everyone can get involved with growing delicious edibles no matter what space they have available. 

Discover: 

-    Which varieties to choose for gourmet home cooking, the most nutritious crops to grow, and how to grow unusual edibles like olives.
-    Techniques and tips to get the most out of each crop, from how to grow epic-size pumpkins to whether it's worth thinning beetroot.
-    Troubleshooting tips for pest problems: ways to work with wildlife rather than against it and providing an alternative viewpoint on traditional problems, such as eating the weeds as well! 
-    How to make the most of your fruit and vegetable harvest, with information on the best time to pick produce and how to preserve it.
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781784728458
Publisher:	Octopus Books
Publication date:	10/25/2022
Pages:	224
Sales rank:	432,076
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.30(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Sally Nex is a gardener and writer whose work promoting sustainable techniques has appeared in leading national publications including Gardener's World, The Guardian, Grow Your Own and the RHS's The Garden. She travels the country presenting talks on a range of subjects and is a prominent voice in the movement for Gardening Without Plastic. Her passionate for sustainable gardening has earned her the Garden Media Guild Beth Chatto Environmental Award in 2019. Her most recent book is the RHS publication, How to Garden the Low-Carbon Way.

Table of Contents

Introduction 2

1 What to Grow

I've never grown vegetables before - where do I start? 14

How do I choose which tomato to grow? 16

I'd love to make my own jam - where do I start? 18

Can I grow my Christmas dinner? 20

Can I grow my own botanicals for cocktails? 22

Are big vegetables always better? 24

How many squash plants should I grow? 26

Do heirloom varieties taste better? 27

Can I grow my own booze? 28

Do I need a vineyard to grow my own wine? 30

Do I have to grow more than one apple tree to get a crop? 32

Can I grow lemons in a cold climate? 34

Will my olive tree grow olives? 35

Do edible flowers actually taste of anything? 36

Can I grow plants from kitchen scraps? 38

What's the most environmentally friendly way to grow new plants? 40

Do I really have to sow all my vegetables from seed each year? 42

What can I pick from my veg garden in winter? 44

Can I grow my morning cuppa? 46

Which home-grown herbs make the best tea? 48

Is it worth growing grains in your garden? 50

Is growing veg good for the environment? 51

Can I grow my own beanpoles? 52

What's a forest garden? 54

Which veg are easiest to grow in an eco-friendly way? 56

2 Where to Grow

How much space do I need to be self-sufficient? 60

What qualities should I look for in a good veg garden? 62

What food can I grow in a shady courtyard? 63

I can't bend down much - what can I grow? 64

Do I need to rotate my crops? 66

Can I grow potatoes in pots? 68

Can I grow veg on my compost heap? 70

Do grow lights make seedlings grow better? 72

Do I need to use plastic pots and trays to grow my veg? 74

Can strawberries grow in shade? 76

Can I grow a whole veg garden in a container? 78

Do I need soil to grow my own food? 80

Is it a good idea to grow food in my front garden? 81

Can I grow fruit trees in pots? 82

Can I grow carrots in my kitchen? 84

What can I grow on the roof of my shed? 86

Can I use my hedges and fences for growing food? 88

How much veg can I grow on my balcony? 90

Can I put a veg bed on my patio? 92

Should I put a pond in my veg garden? 94

Do I have to remove the turf before I build my raised bed? 96

Can I use ray pond to grow things to eat? 97

Are Brussels sprouts too big to grow in pots? 98

How can I get my hands on more growing space? 100

Do I have to grow my veg in rows? 102

3 Incredible Edibles

How should I get my veg beds ready to plant? 106

If I add sugar to the soil, will it make my tomatoes sweeter? 108

Is it worth thinning vegetable seedlings? 109

How do I make my vegetables more nutritious? 110

What is leafmould? 112

Does pinching out tomatoes really help? 114

How do I know my seeds are still alive? 116

Should I grow maincrop or baby veg? 118

Can I compost my weeds? 119

My container crops are looking sick - what can I do? 120

Do I need to pollinate my greenhouse crops? 122

How can I make my own fertilizers? 124

How much should I be feeding my veg plants? 126

Do I have to do lots of digging? 128

How do I make compost without a compost bin? 130

Help! My compost has turned gloopy! 132

Do home-made pest remedies really work? 134

Can other plants help my veg grow better? 136

How can marigolds help my tomatoes grow? 138

Will my veg taste better if eaten the moment they are picked? 140

Which veg taste better if you grow them yourself? 141

Does how you feed and water make a difference to flavour? 142

How can I make sure there's something to pick from my veg garden every day of the year? 144

Should I sow my seeds into pots or direct into the ground? 146

How do I keep my containers watered? 148

It's stopped raining! What should I do? 150

What's so bad about peat? 152

What's the best way to deal with garden waste? 154

Is it worth making my own potting compost? 156

4 What's Eating My Crops?

How can I climate-proof my plot? 160

Can I eat my weeds? 162

Why have my strawberries suddenly wilted? 163

Can anything stop blight? 164

What crops will be a feast for me and for wildlife? 166

How can I get rid of slugs? 168

Should I spray caterpillars and aphids? 170

Do bug hotels help in a vegetable garden? 172

Are some vegetables immune to disease? 174

Why have I got so many weeds? 176

What's eating my veg? 178

How can I harvest herbs and let the bees enjoy their flowers? 180

Should I feed the birds? 181

Why are the leaves on my raspberries turning yellow? 182

My onions are going rotten - what's wrong? 184

Can bugs help protect my plants? 186

Do carrots grow straighter in drainpipes? 188

Is my rhubarb meant to flower? 190

5 Harvest and Beyond

Can you ever guarantee a good harvest? 194

How do I know my winter squash is ripe? 196

Should I wash the mud off my potatoes before storing? 197

Help! I can't eat all this! 198

Can I keep beetroot in the ground all winter? 200

Can I make my own fruit juice? 202

Can I use seeds from my vegetables to grow next year? 204

Should I freeze, bottle, dry or ferment? 206

To blanch or not to blanch? 208

Will one bad apple really ruin the whole barrel? 210

Is getting tips from social media a good idea? 211

How do I plait my garlic? 212

How can I make my harvest last longer? 214

What's square foot gardening? 216

Further reading 218

Index 220

Credits 224