Newbie planning ahead

[Potstubsdustbins]

Grow bags even stood on end are to small for anything except new potatoes. Lying down as 2Sheds says they are useless for potatoes.

For second earlies and main crop I would use cheap plastic dustbins, just make a few small or one large hole in the bottom for drainage. When I first started growing in containers I bought a couple of the purpose made potato planters but find these overpriced and they don't have a lid which is most useful.

Colin

[Welshmummy]

Can I ask a few daft potato questions please

1. Do I need to buy seed potatoes or can I simply use a potato from the cupboard and let it sprout?

2. I saw that I can use a bin to grow in, am I right in thinking I plant the potato like a seed, and then when I see the plant start coming up I put more soil/compost in to cover it again?

and I need drainage holes too.

Am spending the morning now sat planning what my vegetable plot should look like and I'm wondering if there's a way of sort of cross planting for helping prevent things - like bugs etc.

[Two_Sheds]

Do I need to buy seed potatoes or can I simply use a potato from the cupboard

You can indeed use a normal eating spud - if you throw your spud peelings in your compost heap you are highly likely to get a crop there next year

Do check out that link to JBA that I posted above, it is excellent

[Potstubsdustbins]

As 2Sheds says you can grow from a shop bought spud, but you won't know the variety or how it has been grown, whats been put on it etc. As a first option I would buy seed potatoes from a good recommended supplier as posted above.

If you do decide to grow in bins use black plastic bins I have found they perform better maybe do to heat absorption. Allow for good drainage I prefer one large hole some 2" in diameter as it is less likely to block and swamp the plants.

Put about 6" of good compost in the bottom and bury 4 seeds potatoes, as they grow top up with compost. For this I use last years compost sweetened with either growmore or blood fish and bone. My preference is to leave some of the greenery above the level of the compost and use the bin lid for frost protection, others prefer to cover the complete plant.

As the plants grow you will need to feed and water I do it as follows. I use Miracle Grow in the early stages to promote green growth. When I have topped off the bin to within a 3 to 4 inches of the top I change to tomorite to promote tuber growth.

Potaoes are mainly water so during the summer as the tubers mature you will need to keep them well watered about 2 gallons per bin every other day. I do one more thing that causes some amusement amongst my friends I rotate the bins through 180` every week to ensure everything gets an equal share of the suns heat. Well it can't do any harm.

This year my harvest was just over a hundred weight of main crop from 5 bins.

Hope this helps Colin

[delsupserve]

Morning Welshmummy, As Two Sheds suggested go to JBA Seed Potatoe site they have very good deals on potatoe grow bags with seed potatoes included plus some video instructions on how to plant them up also a potatoe forum that is excelant. Hpe this helps Regards Mick.