Potatoes Made Easy

[tattieman]

Hi folks.
Some earlies can be ready in 52 days if you like nice tasty new potatoes.
The potato planter bags are very difficult to furtle about in and you will find that a majority of the potatoes will be in the bottom 2/3 of the bag.
As stated the flowers are normally an indication that the potatoes are forming but I normally wait until the haulms lose the strong green colour and start to die back.
On average earlies could be ready in 10 weeks if they have had ideal growing conditions.
Second earlies will be an edible size at 12 weeks and maincrops can vary from 14-24 weeks again depending on weather conditions.
I just did a video the other day about how to tell if your potato plants needed water or not.
I have also been toying with the idea of placing the potato planter bags onto a watering tray for 5 mins and let the bag absorb the water from below.
My next idea is to just fill the bottom quarter with compost and water from below whilst topping the bag up with shredded paper which would be kept dry.
This would save people alot of money if they did not need to buy as much compost.

[Sanjo]

See Elise, I told you an expert would be along and there ya go!!

[tattieman]

Sanjo you were doing very well without me as you had some very good advice.

[Sanjo]

Sanjo you were doing very well without me as you had some very good advice.

Thanks Tattieman. I've come over all girlish and shy!! It's having the confidence to stick one's oar in though isn't it!

[ANewGrower]

Apologies in advance if I am asking very basic (and silly) questions!

I have today planted my seed potatoes in potato sacks. I know its late so am not sucre of I will get much back, but wanted to give it a try (I did mention on another thread that I was impatient so the thought of waiting til next february brought me out in a cold sweat!). I've got Duke of York, Maris Peer and International Kidney.

So, onto my questions!

They're in the sacks with compost and potato fertiliser, I watered them today, but how often do they need watering? I know that is dependent on the weather, but as an average?

Also, how long should I let the stalks grow before filling in with more soil?

Thanks

[tattieman]

You have to water by eye.
By that I mean if the compost looks wet then don't add any more water but if it is dry then add more water.
I top up the bags 3 times normally. The first time I fill it to about halfway and once the haulms are through about 4 inches I top it up and then do the same again to get me to the top.
If the potato haulms look a slight blue colour then they need water but if they are yellow you are giving them far too much water,

[ANewGrower]

You have to water by eye.
By that I mean if the compost looks wet then don't add any more water but if it is dry then add more water.
I top up the bags 3 times normally. The first time I fill it to about halfway and once the haulms are through about 4 inches I top it up and then do the same again to get me to the top.
If the potato haulms look a slight blue colour then they need water but if they are yellow you are giving them far too much water,

Thanks for that Tattieman

I've been looking at your site, and will be ordering some Christmas potatoes soon

[Elaineb]

overgrowth

Hi Tattieman, or anyone else!!!!!

A quick update on my spuds...Now then am getting a bit worried (I think) My bags have been topped up as you said and the foliage is nice and green, but there is so much of it!!! my first crop's growth is about 2 foot, is that right, just showing signs of flowers now...my other two bags are about 10" behind them. Is this too much foliage then?

Elaine x

[tattieman]

Hi Elaine
Don't worry that all sounds normal. Mine are the same and the foliage differs per variety.

[arpoet]

Shredded paper with compost

Hi Tattieman. I like the idea of shredded paper with the compost. I have a supply of spent hops from a brewery that i use with paper as a mulch for my beans and might just mix some of those with compost in with my next potato planting, which will be from your chirstmas stock. Thinking of pentland javelin in sacks on the staging of the cold greenhouse.. Any tips welcome.
Roger ARPoet

[Elaineb]

Hi Elaine
Don't worry that all sounds normal. Mine are the same and the foliage differs per variety.

Thanks tattieman!

another question for you,just tried to have a bit of a furtle but scared of breaking the main stems...sooooo the first crop is just showing signs of flowers, bearing in mind these have been in since mid feb I know I was a bit impatient to start....will these still be "new" spuds because I have friends coming down next weekend and would love to serve them...should I leave them or take a chance!
Elaine x

[chris]

I had a furtle around my charlottes in planters - found a small marble sized spud near the top.. Most of my spuds are flowering now - esp the earlies.. they'll have been in 13 weeks this weekend.. shoudl I risk one bag, or should I just wait until the halums start dying down?

[tattieman]

I think it would be fine to risk a bag of first earlies now. I did a bag of Swift and they were a decent size. The ones at the top are always smaller compared to the big ones at the bottom.

[chris]

Yeah, I got a smallish harvest, some were an ok size - really tasty though.. you're right the skins just fell off too.

When should we be looking for xmas spud planting then?

[cupcake]

Love the new website Tattieman! I shall be wanting some seed potatoes for Xmas (first try!)