Growing Potatoes In Containers

[Dennis-The-Menace]

I'm going to try growing some potatoes in containers this year.

I am thinking of using 12inch flower pots but am not sure what soil to use. Should I use orinary multi-purpose compost (eg. Levington) or should I use John Innes or perhaps a mix of both?

Have anyone every grown potatoes in a container using Levington?

Thank you in advance.

[shirlthegirl43]

Hi and welcome to the vine Dennis-the-Menace.

I have been growing spuds in 10litre flower buckets for the last couple of years. Last year I had no success as everything got hit by blight, but the year before that I had good crops of various types of spuds. I drill holes in the bottom of the bucket, put in a little gravel for drainage, an inch or so of multi-purpose compost, some chicken manure pellets or whatever manure you have to hand then whack a seed spud on top. Cover with about 4 inches of compost and leave them to it, when the greenery shows through, top up the compost and repeat until the pot is full. Water in dry spells (remember they need you to check the soil regularly), wait for them to flower or start to die off. If you get impatient, have a 'broggle' about and see what is there - if you are careful you can take a few bigger spuds and leave little ones to mature further.

Have fun!

[veg4681]

Welcome to the vine!

There was an excellent thread with useful discussions on container growing potato last year. See link below

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ase_10458.html

I think the thread may have covered something on compost/soil. If not, no doubt someone will come along with advice. I'm growing in pots myself but like you, haven't really given much thought on the sort of compost I should be using.

[seasprout]

Spud in Tub.

I have been very sucsessful with spuds in containers, i got my seed spuds individually from a potato day and was able to try many different varieties.

For the first couple of years i used plain multi purpose and gave a weekly light feed, however last year splashed out and bought some granular potato fertilizer and mixed it in with the compost, i still have some left for this year, so the cost was not too probative.

Everything Shirlthegirl said was spot on, although some plants might want staking, as the foliage can flop about a bit.

This year i'm thinking of fitting floatation devices to my pots, if the rain keeps up like this then they will need it.

BTW, welcome to the vine. and happy growing.

[Cutecumber]

I don't think you'd be wrong with either multi-purpose or John Innes. The latter is much heavier, though, so if you need to move the pots around this might be of importance. It also probably holds more water, so keep an eye open if we get a lot of rain. Usually, I find it impossible to over-water containers of potatoes, but you never know.

If I were you, do an experiment - one with JI only, one with multipurpose and one with a mix of half and half. It would be useful to see if there is any difference for next year.

I only use home made compost mixed with J Arthur Bowers New Horizon as I am organic and peat free.

[crichmond]

I grow spuds in those builders tubs that they sell in wickes I drilled holes for drainage and put 5 seed potatoes per tub and just use grow bag compost and top it up as ther grow.

Ive got 10 tubs on the go already in the greenhouse with the heater set to 4 degrees just to keep the frost off.

Cheers Chris

[Cutecumber]

Have you done that before, Chris, or is this the first time?

It's extremely early for spuds, that's why I ask.

[crichmond]

did it last year and had a good crop, but you have to keep the greenhouse ventilated or it gets too damp. Obviously they dont grow as fast in the cold weather so you have to wait a bit longer before digging them up, and I have the dithane 945 at the ready for the first signs on infection.

[Cutecumber]

Ah, I see. Interesting. Thanks.

[Ger-annie-um]

Hi, we've been growing in tubs for a couple of years. We got 'spud tubs' from a potato event (35/45 litres) we mixed manure with cheap compost and put about 3 inches in the bottom, added 3 more inches of compost and topped up when the shoots were about 8 inches tall. We kept going until we reached the top of the bucket. We did have to stake them though as the back of the house started to resemble a forest but that was easy enough, just a couple of canes in each bucket and tied with string. We fed them on tomato fertiliser about once a week.

We've just emptied the last of the buckets and averaged about 5lb from each - and they were lovely. Trying different ones this year. It's great fun but not as cheap as supermarket ones although at least we know what we're eating and the food miles add up to about 10feet.

[veg4681]

however last year splashed out and bought some granular potato fertilizer and mixed it in with the compost, i still have some left for this year, so the cost was not too probative.

So was the granular potato fertilizer worth it, I mean was there a spectacular difference against your usual light feed? I was at B&Q today and guess what, they sell specialist potato compost by the entrance. Should have read the compost ingredients .

[Dennis-The-Menace]

Thank you all for your replies. I shall take the advice of Cutecumber (at 12:24PM on 19 Jan 2008) and have a go with the milti-purpose and John Innes.

After a bit of off-beat thinking I was wondering will I get bigger potatoes if I use multi-purpose because multi-purpose is a more "open" compost? Would the weight and denisty of the John Innes make it harder for the potatoes to grow and thus I end up with a crop of smaller potatoes?

[seasprout]

Spud I like.

So was the granular potato fertilizer worth it, I mean was there a spectacular difference against your usual light feed? I was at B&Q today and guess what, they sell specialist potato compost by the entrance. Should have read the compost ingredients .

Well I think i got more spuds, but not necessarily bigger spuds. Would like to think it was because of the fertilizer not the wet summer we had last year.

I did however empty 1 tub which produced a monster (or so I thought), it was huge so I entered it into my local show under heaviest potato, it came 3rd, in the picture its the one on the right which looks like a boob. The winner was the size of my head.

They where watered better last year due to the rain incontrast to 2006 when it was scorching and i just couldn't keep them all wet enough.

I went to my local wyvale yesterday and they are now selling granular potato fertilizer, so it appears it is becoming more available and less specialized. I originally got mine mail order with my spuds.

Think I will always use it.

[diana]

Do you know where you can buy it mail order seasprout

[seasprout]

D.T. Brown and Co. Potato Growing Accessories

The Organic Gardening Catalogue

Potato Organic Fertiliser

Marshalls Seeds Product Detail- 1090-4020: Potato Fertiliser - New Formula

I have also seen it in Wilkinsons.

Its widley available it appears. :-)