New Season

Starting Up

The first tubers to be started are the small ones raised from cuttings the previous year. In Scotland the normal time for this is mid February. The compost can either be a Chempak seed mix or a proprietary multi-purpose mixed 3 to 1 with either very coarse sand or Perlite. This should be placed in trays about 3 inches deep in a propagator set at 18/20 degrees C. The tubers are placed in the compost with the tops just showing. After pips are seen the tuber should be covered over because roots will grow from the top as well. Care must be taken with watering because the compost may look damp enough on the top but can be quite dry underneath and that is where the roots are supposed to be growing. Starting growth can be very erratic but the later ones will catch up quite well.

Young plants early  May

When the shoots are about 2/3inches high a little tug at the tops will indicate whether a good root system has formed, and if so, they may be potted up into a pot just large enough to take all the roots. Once the plants are out on the staging a temperature of 8 degrees C is ample to keep them growing well. Too high a temperature will result in weak leggy growth. After about 4 weeks the plants will be ready for potting on into larger pots. This is best done using the old pot as a former, packing fresh compost round it then placing the root ball in place. A few gentle bumps on the staging will firm the compost enough.

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