Seed Potatoes

[David1949]

Hi all some advice needed i have my seed potatoes on the windowsill and they all now have chitted and i will start planting them in a few week. So i normally plant them in a large planter and earth them up as they grow but reading a thread on Thompson and Morgan web site they say 8 inches of compost them plant your seed potatoes another layer of compost then about 4 more seed potatoes then fill up the planter with compost and wait for them to grow they say that this a new way of growing seed potatoes in a planter
.

So has anyone tried this way of growing seed potatoes just plant them and fill the planter full with soil

[Two_Sheds]

has anyone tried this way of growing seed potatoes

Are they saying to pretty much FILL the container with seed potatoes? *puzzled*

Any old thread on here will show you that fewer seeds gives you more spuds: too many and you'll get poor results

[rustylady]

A lot would depend on the size of the planter you are using. I suppose it would work, but you need to figure out how many potato plants your tub / bag could support.

[Two_Sheds]

i normally ...earth them up as they grow

I don't earth up spuds in the ground, let alone in containers. I put about 5" of soil in the bottom of a container, then the seed spud, then fill up with compost. That's it.

[veggiechicken]

Its a bit like the idea of layers of bulbs in a pot. Read more about it How to grow potatoes in bags | Thompson & Morgan I'm not convinced

[Two_Sheds]

I think it's a swizz to get you to buy more seed potatoes than you normally would

[rustylady]

Its a bit like the idea of layers of bulbs in a pot. Read more about it How to grow potatoes in bags | Thompson & Morgan I'm not convinced

Be interesting to see if anyone has good results from this method. Meself is growing me spuds in open ground on the lottie (apart from a Morrison's bucket or two for the grandson in the greenhouse).

[Two_Sheds]

You've put Caleb in the greenhouse?

[Alison]

You've put Caleb in the greenhouse?

Well it wouldn't be fair to leave him without shelter in this weather!

[bearded bloke]

It apparently does work,but ideally when setting new seeds in each progressive layer of compost you should use a container that can be opened at the bottom to gather the harvest from.
I was reading a few years back of an American who grew in wire cages setting the new layers on straw,cannot find the sight,but did find an Aussie on on the same topic .... GardensOnline: Articles - Growing Potatoes in Small Gardens

[Potstubsdustbins]

Tried once a few years back for me it was a failure, it might work for others.

I put 6" of compost in the bottom of the container and then top up as required but never cover all the haulm unless I need to protect from frost.

This is supposed to encourage tuber growth throughout the height of the plant, certainly I find potatoes within a couple of inches of the top of the compost in my bins. Whether this would happen if you just filled up the container I don't know as I have never grown them this way

Colin

[out in the cold]

We used potato bags last year. Like others have said 6 or 7 inches of compost, plant seeds then about 6 inches on top. Topped up after first shoots.

Got some nice tasting spuds, although they were a bit smaller. I think I now understand why (left too many shoots on)

[David1949]

OK thank,s for your replies it looks like on one has tried this so i will give it a go if it worked for Thompson and Morgan it sould work for me . So this is how to do it.

Growing potatoes in planters is the perfect solution if you want to grow your own potatoes but have limited space. We offer some fantastic potato planter collections, which come ready to plant with potato growing bags and potato tubers, offering great value for money.

In the past, growing potatoes in bags has always involved 'earthing up' potatoes as they grow. But recent trials at Thompson and Morgan have shown that this isn't necessary, so planting potatoes on your patio has just got even easier.

To plant up potato grow bags in two easy steps:

- Simply fill the sturdy potato bags by one third with good quality multipurpose compost, and place your ‘chitted’ seed potatoes on top of the compost. Add another layer of compost and plant 2 more seed potatoes on top before filling the rest of the bag with compost.
- Now all you need to do is water them, place the potato bag in a bright, frost free position and wait for them to grow.
- Feed potato plants every other week with potato fertiliser and water the bags when the compost begins to dry out.

[out in the cold]

Sounds good. Thanks for the info,

Just bought some seeds and started chitting them last week, so will give this a go

[bubblewrap]

I bought my seed potatoes last week from a local garden centre.
I got three varieties Epicure(earlies) Maris Piper & Piccaso I will grow about a total of 200 plants.

I plant the seeds about 10" down and as a rule I find no need to "earth up".
At the moment they are wrapped in old potato sacks and stored in the back bedroom.
I will start to "chit up" the earlies in a couple of weeks & plant out in late March/early April
The others I will not chit up and plant out in late April.