spuds in washing baskets!!

[spacemagnet]

Hi guys,
You may remember i was asking a few weeks ago about how to grow spuds in tyres, well, shortly after i was rummaging in my garage where i found an old washing basket. So i lined it with a bin bag threw in my chitted potatoes and hey presto! today i got my first shoot coming through. I'm so chuffed.
So now i'm wondering, how often do i earth them up and when do i know they are ready. Any ideas how many i will get? I'm so excited. Every morning i run into my greenhouse to see what's grown overnight my french beans and peas are going crazy, my strawberries are starting to flower and my courgettes are taking over. I luv it.
Sorry, going into one there. Anyway any help on the spud front much appeciated.

[Clarea1]

I have always just put a covering of earth over the new growth (sometimes twice a day!) until they reach almost the top of the container then left them to grow on after that. They will drink loads of water, have you put drainage holes in the bin bag? I think I harvested mine as the flowers were present but I can't exactly remember but I'm sure someone else will know and that will help me too! You will never get enough.... they are so tasty!!!

I have got way too many spuds, we have just started a plot at our new house and the area was under membrane and stones. I it was very compacted as well as being a heavy soil anyhow so I put loads in as they were reccommmended to break it up. They cost peanuts and I will sell some at the garden gate/ give to friends & colleagues.

[eskymo]

do you earth them up with bought compost or normal soil from the garden?

[sewer rat]

Eskymo
If your potatoes are in buckets, pails, bags, tyres, washing up baskets (maybe we should have a competition to find the most unusual container for growing spuds ?) then I would use compost to earth up. If they're in the ground, use the soil.

Spacemagnet
When the shoots are about 4-6" long, earth up, and continue earthing up til you have reached the top of the basket. As to when they will be ready for harvesting, that depends on the type you are growing. If it's an early then thirteen to fourteen weeks after planting is the recommendation. If it's a maincrop potato, wait til the flowers have died then start digging them up -= earlies don't produce flowers hence the thirteen weeks. If you're not sure about them being ready, pull away some of the compost and have a feel - if they're not what you're after, pull the compost back and leave them for a while longer.
As for continually checking on the growth of your young plants - we all do it

[eskymo]

My spuds are in bags. I've been using a mix of soil and compost to save money. They seem to be doing OK...hopefully I'll still get good spuds at the end of it.

[spacemagnet]

Thanks Rat, if all goes well i shall have washing baskets all over the place!!