What to do in the garden September week 3

Susan Explains Storing Potatoes
Too many potatoes can be a problem at this time of year. Don't leave them in the ground, this will only cause them to rot and contribute to blight next year. The best way to store potatoes is in hessian sacks. Theses sacks allow the potatoes to breathe. The ideal temperature for storage is 6°C (43°F) to 10°C (50°F). They should be stored in a dark frost free place like a garage or shed.

Harvest the potatoes for storage on a sunny day and leave them to dry in the sun for a few hours. When they are dry, brush off any soil from the surface. Examine each potato before storing it and reject any which are not in good condition. Carefully place them in the sack avoiding bruising them and then place the sack in the storage area.

Hessian sacks are cheap and can be bought online from many sources. Type "hessian sack potatoes" into your preferred search engine for a list of online suppliers.

Spring Maturing Lettuce

This week is an excellent time to sow spring maturing lettuce outside. In warmer areas they can be left to grow without protection outside. Choose a cool day and be sure to water the soil before sowing the seeds.

In cooler areas place a cloche over them from late November onwards. Use any hardy variety, Valdor is an excellent one for most areas of the UK.

They will be ready for harvest in late April to may.

Autumn and Winter Weed Control
As crops are harvested your vegetable plot will have large areas which have no plants growing on them throughout the autumn and winter. One way of discouraging weeds is to grow winter harder crops which will suppress the weeds. the crops can in many cases be eaten or simply dug in during the spring. Turnips, (for their spring green leaves) and spinach are ideal crops for suppressing weeds.

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