Potato Questions

[veg4681]

I've had a look at the various potatoes and possibly thinking of growing some next year but was wondering if any one in the category (first earlies or second earlies or early maincrop or late maincrop) is the easiest to grow...less hassle.

My thoughts are that perhaps the 1st earlies is the easiest because it's too cold for pest to persist??? BTW I intend to grow them in compost bag/container.

Also I don't need big supply of everyday eating potatoes that I don't mind buying from the shops. I'm more interested in those exclusive ones in smaller quantity which are either too expensive in shops or they don't sell them and I'd prefer to eat them as I go along (don't want to be worrying about storing, buying potato sacks etc). Is 1 kg potato seeds too much to feed a family of 2 adults and a toddler?

[lainey lou]

Hi Veg,
don't know much about spuds, was given half a dozen chitted seed pots this year and grew them in trugs, got back approx 50 -60 spuds of varying sizes - dont know how good that is but they tasted great, well worth growing and i plan to grow lots next year.
As far as I can tell 1kg seed pots = approx 12-15.
The Marshalls and T&M catalogues seem pretty informative about the different varieties.
Good luck
Lainey lou

[SueA]

Hi Veg4681, I think first or second earlies are the best bet for growing in containers. The salad types & first earlies take the shortest time to develop & although you probably won't get a very big yield the taste is worth it. I've grown 'Rocket', 'Concorde', 'Harlequin', 'Winston', 'Anya', 'Lady Christl', 'Colleen' etc. in tubs & they all taste lovely.

[Cutecumber]

I think you're right to go for some of the more unusual varieties. You will have to go by their descriptions (see Alan Roman's site for an example) and choose according to your personal taste. Waxy or floury is the main distinction. Some of the waxy salad varieties are particularly distinctive - charlotte, for example - and very popular.

As its your first go, I would choose an early variety. They mature more quickly and the top growth should be more controllable. Four tubers in a compost bag would probably be a good bet. Remember that potatoes are tender and must be protected from frost - don't be too early.

There is nothing wrong with growing maincrops in containers - if you have a particular favourite then go for it. I actually find that I get a better (i.e. heavier) crop using maincrop tubers in containers as opposed to earlies, but the flavour is nothing special. They are just nice to have.

1kg will be fine. You can just let them grow until you want them, lop off the tops and pick out the tubers when you like. Unless there are any disease problems, they will keep better in the the growing media than in your kitchen. I tend to wait until the foliage looks "tired", pull it out, and have a dig around - I'll use some potatoes then, and leave the rest for later.

Try planting successionally - the first container in March, say, and then another one every two weeks or so until you've used up all your tubers. This is easy to do with earlies as they are quick growing and it will spread you harvest out a bit.

[Alice]

Good advice there from Cutecumber and the others Veg 4681. I grow my potatoes in buckets for the varieties I like and sow in succession to get salad potatoes right through the summer. Charlotte does well, Cherie were excellent this year and Swift and Sharpes Express were very good. If you want to try some potatoes for roasting Rooster is the one to go for. Here's a few pics of mine for you. Charlotte and Cherie (the red ones) both harvested fro May on. But potatoes are not hardy so if you decide to start early be careful.

[Flummery]

Another advantage to earlies is that you tend to miss blight. It was present in the village - all the allotment holders suffered form it on their maincrops but my spuds were all earlies and came through well.

[veg4681]

Thank you all for your utterly useful comments/advice spoken from valuable experience. Great picture Alice, they're flawless and look so fresh. Thanks Lainey, it's really useful to know that 1kg is about 12-15 pot seeds. I was wondering how many compost bags I need.