Home made potato bags?

[Storming Norman]

Hi All,

I have an idea to convert some polypropylene bags into potato bags for this year, to supplement the black containers that I currently use.

Some municipal compost was delivered earlier this year in these giant bags - it seemed wasteful to throw them away. They already have handles and can be cut down and sewn to suit [I hope]. Mind you they are bright yellow.

Do you think these will be the same sort of strength/material as the expensive ones you buy from the seed companies? What would be the ideal size for the bags?

Any suggestions would be welcomed.

Ann

[ChrisE]

I used some old plastic bags last year with limited success. Two important things to do;

1) make sure the bags are light proof, otherwise you might grow green spuds
2) ensure sufficient drainage holes otherwise the spuds will rot

if your bags are yellow you might need to line them with something before filling.

last tip, my black plastic bags proved to be a nice warm damp place for slugs & snails to hide during the day so they didn't have far to go for a meal in the evening. So move the bags regularly to check for slugs & snails and dispatch them to a better place!!

Chris.

[Mcbee]

Have you tried turning the bags inside out? They might be black on the inside/

I'm going to use 80ltr compost bags this year - and these are black inside. Good tip about the slugs though

[tattieman]

Black will absorb the heat during the day and keep your potatoes warmer.
Maybe you could put 2 black bin liners inside the yellow bag you make and put plenty of drainage holes in it.
I think the ones I have are 18" tall and 14" wide.
Should take about 40litres of compost.
You better make them quick as your potatoes will be with you tomorrow.

[Storming Norman]

I wasn't too clear was I? These are the woven plastic builders type bags that sand comes in - not really that see through just very lurid.
But a good idea to line anyway to keep the moisture in as I think they will drain too much [and of course just in case re the light].

They are so vast I can just double them up anyway - husband threw away my compost bag collection to my irritation.

I had no problems with Slugs on the potatoes last year - in pots or the ground - but then they all migrated to the lettuces. Might have to think on that one.

Thanks for the potatoes tattieman. They have got to be better than the ones I bought from the RHS garden centre last year - they were not the variety on the label [very disappointing, and they were not cheap either]. And I had a whole big bag of them so did not plant any other variety. I won't do that again.

The thought of fresh new potatoes.................

Ann

[tattieman]

I wasn't too clear was I? These are the woven plastic builders type bags that sand comes in - not really that see through just very lurid.
But a good idea to line anyway to keep the moisture in as I think they will drain too much [and of course just in case re the light].

They are so vast I can just double them up anyway - husband threw away my compost bag collection to my irritation.

I had no problems with Slugs on the potatoes last year - in pots or the ground - but then they all migrated to the lettuces. Might have to think on that one.

Thanks for the potatoes tattieman. They have got to be better than the ones I bought from the RHS garden centre last year - they were not the variety on the label [very disappointing, and they were not cheap either]. And I had a whole big bag of them so did not plant any other variety. I won't do that again.

The thought of fresh new potatoes.................

Ann

Glad you got the spuds ok
The supplier to the RHS has got a new and better supplier this year if you know what I mean