Any hints on what I'm doing wrong

Hi All
I only have a smallish garden and grow veg in one (smaller) area and also do quite a lot in pots. I was wondering if someone can advise on what I'm doing wrong in the following areas:

Potatoes - grown in a large custom made pot. The first year I did this I got a bumper crop. I used some seed potatoes that my mum gave me. The last couple of years I have used seed potatoes bought from the garden centre and for the last couple of years the greenery on top has gone mad and I haven't had many potatoes. All the growth has obviously gone into the greenery. I did use a fair amount of chicken manure when planting do you think I could have used too much or does anyone know what else I might be doing wrong.

Beetroot - this is grown in my patch (I do rotate), the last couple of years the greenery has grown but the roots haven't developed. Last year I put this down to not receiving enough water but it has happened again this year. Admitadly I haven't watered them much myself but I am in Manchester and we have had loads of rain this year (I assumed this was enough), I have feed them a couple of times. Any ideas?

Lastly my carrots - I always struggle to grown carrots, I've suffered from black fly but last year I sorted that out and got a good crop but this year they just don't seem to want to come up. I've done about 4 plantings and have only had a couple of carrots appear. Do you think this is slugs as I didn't have this problem in previous years or water again maybe as I don't think I've watered any less - I'm stumped.

If anyone can help me become a better veggie gardener and help me with my problems it would be much appreciated - Thanks

 

Everyone seems to be having issues with potatoes this year. My yields have been treetreetreetree (but v tasty) I too bought mine from a garden centre. I'm going to try buying online next year, had a few good sites recommended... (sorry names evade me just now)

I never had carrot issues and did quite well this year, despite some appearing white. I found one wee slug in there but it didnt seem to do any harm. I know thats unusual. Perhaps it was a bad batch of seeds?

I'm a noob too tho so sorry I cant help with useful answers.

 

lots of strange things happening in gardens lately

False Golden acacias are stressing .... RHS is not sure why

I have seen some star jasmine with red leaves this week .... normally red leaves only appear in the cold? ... and these climbers are well fed/watered

Japanese maples leaves are browning (and I can vouch that it's not due to a lack of underwatering or direct sunlight)

lots more strange things happening, but I have only been 'actively' involved in gardening for 3 yrs in the UK so am still learning, but base my observations on what I have seen in the past few weeks

 

With your carrots, are you getting the tops to grow or are they being munched :OUCH: ?? Are there some carrots but small? If you have tops but not bottoms then the soil could be too rich!! the leaves grow like crazy but the roots dont. Let us know?

The last time I grew some I grew them in the greenhouse and left them very late before I put them in the ground. It seems that the longer I left them (to a point) the better the carrot .

 

Potatoes first, Chicken manure is high in urine ie, nitogen. Nitrogen encourages leaf growth. So lots of top growth and very little bottom growth. Feed spuds with superphosphate for maximum yields. Beetroot, again plenty of top growth at the expence of bottom growth. What have you fed them with? Again I would use the superphosphate. Carrots, I think that possibly you have sown them a little too deep. All of the above could be right, but then again, it could all be wrong.:D:D

 

Only 1 is important Armandii, Phosphates.

 

Thanks all for your replies - there is definiately food for thought here.

My potatoes are Maris Bard First Early - I didn't lift them until the foliage had died right back so I really don't think I lifted them too early, I can't remember if they flowered or not. I try and follow organic gardening as much as I can. does anyone know if I can get an organic alternative to the superphosphates?

My beetroot and carrots are in the same area of veggie patch. I dug in some chicken manure before I sowed them. I think one packet of carrots might have been last years but I'm sure I also used a new one (one about the fourth sewing). I would have put this down to them being munched but they are right next to the beetroot and they haven't been touched so my feeling is that its not that, maybe I did sew them too deep. I'll remember that for next year.

Beetroot - yes lots of top growth and nothing underneath. That pesky chicken manure again?

On the plus side I've a bumper crop of garlic, onions, lettuce and spinach :yess: