OF COURSE, spud tubs are a fantastic way of getting a taste of fresh potatoes in a small space, but they are also valuable to those with plenty of space. Out there on a sunny patio, that container can receive the best of attention and the quality will be much finer than those grown in soil.

As we all remember yields in the long, dry summer last year were badly hit by drought. No such problem if the container can receive the best of attention just outside your back door.

When I entered the Wheatsheaf pub contest in Brading a few years ago, I was amazed at both quality and yield in the controlled conditions of a tub.

From just a single seed spud I seem to remember getting over 7lb of smooth-skinned perfect potatoes.

This year, I’m comparing Desiree with one of its Dutch compatriot child of the Sixties, Wilja.

Radically different in outside appearance — Desiree is a distinctive red and Wilja blushed white — they are very similar under the surface.

Desiree is a versatile, fairly waxy variety which is firm and holds its shape. It is useful for all methods of cooking and is a particularly fine baker.

Prolific Wilja is similarly yellow-fleshed and is both waxy and floury, making it truly multi-purpose.

I had just a couple of Desiree, which I popped in one recycling tub and picked up a pack of tiny Wilja seed spuds in a discount shop, putting five in the other.

Put six inches of compost in the bottom of a tub and cover the potato with four inches more. As the haulm develops, continue to earth the plants up and potatoes will develop from ever-increasing root development.

The miracle of these ‘living stones’

DISGUISE is the secret of Lithops’ success. Living stones, as they are better known, sit there, unobtrusively, in their native South Africa, protected from grazing animals by their unattractive appearance.

But then the miracle happens and, like many succulents and cacti, they put out the most beautiful flowers every now and again when the conditions are right to attract pollinating insects.

Lithops are among the many species of succulent, ‘her babies’ as she describes them, that brighten the life of enthusiast Patricia Eldridge — although it means an increasing workload for her devoted husband, John, who takes on the lion’s share of maintenance these days.

Lithops’ engorged leaves, which particularly fascinate children, are green, grey or brown and are mottled to blend in. They split in autumn to produce large daisy-like flowers, which are only short-lived but stunning. Yellow and white are most common and there are also shades of apricot and pink but don’t be surprised if they don’t bloom for a few years — it will happen when they are sufficiently established.

Plant in gritty cacti compost with pebbles surrounding the lithops and put the pot in bright light on a windowsill that gets at least four hours of summer sunlight.

Allow to dry out between waterings from spring to autumn and after flowering there is no need to water until the next spring because, in true succulent style, the goodness is stored in the fleshy leaves. Over-watering is the most common cause of failure because while they may look rock-hard the soft ‘stones’ are prone to rot if too damp.

Top tips

  • March, when the risk of harsh weather has receded, is a good month for pruning bush and climbing roses.
  • Continue planting broad beans, second early and maincrop seed potatoes, onion sets and shallots.
  • It’s a good time to sow tomatoes, peppers and other greenhouse crops in a propagator, either an electric model or on a light windowsill in a warm room.
  • It is worth leaving the under-cover planting of cucumber, squash, sweetcorn and other outdoor crops for a week or so. The shock of outside, colder life will ‘check’ tender crops, so it is worthwhile leaving it until we have warmer days — and especially — nights.
  • Once the soil has become workable after the recent rain, beds should be improved. Dig in a six-inch layer of compost or well-rotted manure to prepare for the growing season ahead. You can also work in a general-purpose fertiliser, such as pelleted chicken manure, bonemeal, or fish, blood and bone.