Just harvested my potatoes :), but......

[ANewGrower]

I didn't have a huge crop Only 8 potatoes in 1 sack and between 15 and 20 in the other 2 (some very small though), however, the bottom of each sack was very soggy, despite the top being quite dry, and there were lots of rotten potatoes

Did I leave them too long? Were they over-watered? Although the top 2/3's of the sack wasn't soggy

I'm still looking forward to eating what I have harvested, but wondering if I did anything wrong? The flowers had died back in the last week or so

[The Large One]

What variety ?

[Alison]

What was the drainage like out the bottom or your sacks? If the water had nowhere to go to then the potatoes will have got too wet.

[ANewGrower]

Maris peer and Duke of York (only had 8) and international kidney, which produced the most!

Bear in mind I am a complete novice

[ANewGrower]

What was the drainage like out the bottom or your sacks? If the water had nowhere to go to then the potatoes will have got too wet.

I think that may have been the problem, they were on a stone patio, what do you suggest I put them on in future? I have some more seed potatoes from tattieman which I should harvest for Christmas, I'm planning on planting these before the weekend!

[toastie]

Although our maincrop pots are grown in the allotment did grow five Charlotte potatoes in a big pot (think its about 30 inches across and 24 inches high) which does have holes in the bottom so at least the excess water can escape. Harvested them a few weeks ago, emptied the pot, put in fresh compost/soil etc and have planted some Kestrel seed potatoes in their which, hopefully, will be ready to eat with our Christmas lunch. Haven't used potato bags but can only assume that the soil was too wet and the excess water had no holes etc to escape from.

[Farmer_Gyles]

i grow loads of spuds in the ground, with extras in large tubs - i emptied 2 large tubs a few days ago and got a mere handful of small potatoes with loads of tiny tiny spuds smaller than a small marble - they were 2 varieties out of maris peer, charlotte and something else - very disappointing - guess i'll just have to wait longer .....

[Snadger]

All containers need to have drainage holes. It is however better to have drainage holes slightly up from the bottom (around the sides) to give a small resevoir space at the bottom. Containers by their very nature are susceptible to under/over watering.
I used plastic fertiser bags for my spuds pierced at the bottom. I did get a crop but not half as good as the ones I planted diret in the allotment soil.