Growing my first spuds!

[Leralc]

Hello

I bought a "grow your own potato" kit through gardeners world, it contained 2 black grow bags and some seed potatoes.

Whilst flicking through said GW magazine, I noticed an advert for other potato sacks where you keep adding soil as the plants grows, until the bag is full....

so I thought i would try this, so i now have plants started to poke through my soil in my turned down bags.

So, finally getting to my point I have a question about adding the soil - do i just add another layer to completely bury the new shoots or just a little bit so the top is still poking out ??!

Im a major novice at the grow your own lark, so your guidence would be gratefully received

[Creemteez]

Hiya,
each time they get their noses up above the soil by a few inches, lightly cover them with about three or four inches of soil or grass clippings, or compost, untill you've unrolled your bag to the top and can't get any more in, then sit back, water regularly and wait...
BTW, those bags can get a bit top-heavy when full up and are prone to being blown over. If they are freestanding on soil, driving a few stakes into the ground around them should help on the support front.
Good luck, and welcome to the wonderful world of tattie-growing!

[Leralc]

thanks very much

I am considering starting some more bags, given that these ones are growing - i didnt think i would get that far!

[JennieAtkinson]

Creemteez has said it all. Do watch them falling over though, it is really frustrating.

Generally I find this is a good way of growing tatties. I also grow in some large pots which I bought for a £1 each (they are lilac!). Same process, but they do stand better and easier to water being a wider top.

[ann-the-nan]

Growing my first spuds!

I'm growing my first lot, in bags as well. That makes two of us doing our first lot. Perhaps we should form a club.

[FionaH]

Im growing my first spuds too, and first of just about anything else

[Spangles]

I'm also growing my first spuds (well in pots anyway). Still waiting for mine to show wee shoots

[Lemon]

I tried recycling large compost bags - turning them inside out and putting 2 spuds in each. The black bag warmed up from the sun and the plants were growing like crazy! I made the fatal error of COMPLETELY burying the plant and leaves and killed the plants! No spuds there! Luckily the ones in the ground were ok! Not do that again!

Waiting for my GW spuds to chit a bit more before I will plant them - or do you think I should just plant anyways?

[Sheepish]

each time they get their noses up above the soil by a few inches, lightly cover them with about three or four inches of soil or grass clippings, or compost, untill you've unrolled your bag to the top and can't get any more in

What proportion of grass clipings will work? I've got a couple of sacks on the go at the moment with 4 inches of compost, the seed potatoes and a further six inches of compost, no further earthing up needed yet. Can I do the rest on nothing but grass cuttings (I assume not) or how much would need to be compost?

[teakdesk]

I must admit to having a downer on using grass clippings....

If you cut your lawn daily (like my neighbour) then they are probably/possibly Ok....

But we cut our lawn when the grass is a little longer and it clumps together into a thick impermeable mat that kills everything under it....

If you want to try your clippings I'd suggest (as they say in the paint ads) testing it on something something you wouldn't mind killing !!!

[Mchanen]

I'm growing tatas for the first time too, i planted them on easter monday bank holiday and so far i have earthed them almost to the top of the veg bag they are in!

They grow like crazy when they get going- i'm pretty pleased with the progress of them so far

[basketcase]

I wasn't growing potatoes in bags.

But, d'you know what...?

[Lemon]

errrr.......clue in name?

...basket.....? case.....?

[HotStuff]

Hello, is this the First Spud Club?

This lot were planted in Morrisons flower buckets on St. Patricks day. I also have some in B&Q plastic rubble sacks which were planted a bit later.

I think I read somewhere that when you earth up you shouldn't cover more than one third of the foliage. I can't go any further with the buckets (unless I stack them!) but will keep rolling up the sacks. Thanks for the tips about supporting them, hadn't anticipated that.

[Creemteez]

What proportion of grass clipings will work? I've got a couple of sacks on the go at the moment with 4 inches of compost, the seed potatoes and a further six inches of compost, no further earthing up needed yet. Can I do the rest on nothing but grass cuttings (I assume not) or how much would need to be compost?

I only cover with about 2-3 inches of clippings, and wait until the shoots have pushed through by another three or four inches before covering again with eigther soil or compost.
This way the clippings have had a chance to dry out before the next layer is added, avoiding ending up with a slime-fest!
I think the secret of earthing up is to make sure whatever you use is applied LIGHTLY, so fluff up compacted grass clippings and "rain" compost or soil onto the shoots so that they are not crushed.
Alternate layers of stuff so that dryer mediums ie compost - absorb the moisture from wetter - ie grass clippings.