my potato grow 2008..( used soil bags)

[Eyren]

Excellent thread (and a cool avatar too - I'm a big fan of PotC ). We've decided to try bags/pots this year after poor yields on the lottie - now I'm itching to get my spuds going!

[Flummery]

Well done - they look like really decent yields. I LOVE potatoes!

[Irie Jan]

fertiliser used = zero
nutrients used= zero

smug look on face = priceless.

Hi Muslimgrower :

Smug look lol quite right too looks good to me! I have read about peeps growing spuds like this but it is so good to see the proof in pictures. Nice one!

[muslimgrower]

Muslimgrower, from your photographs I gather you roll the bag up as the stalks grow and cover the growing spuds with the bag. Do you also cover them with soil or compost as they grow, like earthing up is done when they grow in the ground?

Hi brother..

yeah.. i cover the stalks up as it grows ( like hilling/earthing on a allotment)

You say NO nutrients - does that mean you did absolutely nothing except water them? That sounds good to me, also the idea of starting a few every two weeks.

NO fertilizer and no nutrients, i only watered in the evenings, once a week, the rainy summer took care of everything for me...

i was going to use fertilizer i actually bought a pack on-line, but left it in the drawer and forgot all about it until half way through the potato grow and then i decided not too bother with it.. The idea was to fertilize some bags and leave some bags natural just too compare... but it never worked out, so well pleased with the results..
But in future i shall only fill the used soil bags 1/4 full of soil.. and stagger my grow so i have spuds all the way till December.

[Banana]

Wow you've inspired me into thinking about buying more spuds. I thought I was running out of space...

[muslimgrower]

salaam everyones...

This year i am growing spuds in BnQ buckets, and ill be using chip bark instead of compost or soil




am growing lots in containers

chilli+tomatoes+spuds+brussel sprouts+ courgettes+cucumbers+ aubergines+herbs

[muslimgrower]

i forgot to add i am not using certified potatos, just regular ones from a shop, i just made sure they were not cracked or damaged....

[Sanjo]

Hmmmm. that's interesting Muslimgrower. Will the bark have enough nutrient in it or are you adding any? They look fine and healthy at the moment.

[muslimgrower]

I never added anything last season but i grew that in compost, but does the multi purpose regular compost from BnQ have any goodness inside it !?

i was thinking spuds are not that expensive in the shop, so is it worth it too use bought compost and soil to grow them!? i have a small compost bin ( newbie) so it would be better to grow spuds in the compost i made so it will be FREE.

[indigox]

I never added anything last season but i grew that in compost, but does the multi purpose regular compost from BnQ have any goodness inside it !?

Yes, nowhere near as much as home made compost, but I think usually they add fertilizers to it as well. The guidelines on mpc normally say 'enough nutrients for 6-8 weeks'.

[muslimgrower]

thanks indi..


Ill see how it goes, maybe ill use nutrients in one bucket and leave one alone.. Too be honest with you i dont use nutrients or fertilizers ( i do have some laying around) on anything i grow even in pots, last season i grew tomatoes in containers and used zero stuff, just plain old water from the garden hose.

i have lots of brussel sprouts in a trench i dug at the back of the garden including courgettes and i don't plan to use any chemicals natural or not.. lets see how it works out for me huh !!

[Seahorse]

Salaam MG

Is all your stuff 'outdoors'? I'm growing chillis and toms with no real greenhouse this year (have a couple of mini g/hs but mostly my stuff is stuff just having to take it's chances!).

[muslimgrower]

w/salaam sea horse

yep everything outdoors and i don't have a greenhouse either... most things i germinated indoors and then moved out.. even in mid may it was cold in the evenings and some swooned and died like some safi scotch bonnets (chillis) i was growing..

yeah its a hit and miss growing outdoors without a greenhouse, i hope my aubergines and courgettes bare fruit, last season they got mouldy in early September

[Seahorse]

Fingers crossed for a good summer and a mild autumn, eh? I think it's really interesting to see what can be grown in different conditions.

[Sunbeam]

wow - excellent pics and a brilliant crop - will try your technique next time