Pink Fir Apple in Buckets

[Kimbo]

I am growing pink fir apple for the first time this year and I am going to grow them in buckets. Do they need chitting? How many to a standard size bucket should I plant? and when is the best time to put them out?

Kim

[SimonCole]

I'd stick just one in... I can remember overplanting a bucket once and we had mashed potato

[Alice]

Hello Kimbo, I haven't grown PFA in buckets (but will give it a go) but have grown other varieties with great success.
The ponts to bear in mind are
once the potatoes have come up into leaf you can't leave them outdoors in frost so you need to work out when you expext to see the last frost in your area and count back from there. But if you have a greenhouse you can put them in there with a bit of fleece for protection.
Some people say it doesn't matter if you chit the potatoes or not, but I do. I find it reassuring to see something happening. I'd count on a month on the windowsill to get them well chitted.
PFA are not heavy croppers so I would put 3 or 4 in a bucket. I did with Charlotte and avreraged 4LBS to the bucket. On the other hand 1 Rooster produced over 6 lbs of potatoes . so some guess work here.
Potatoes are greedy so I always put some manure in the bottom of the bucket. Just the kind you buy in bags in B&Q but I find it works.
Another grape grew PFA in the ground and said the shaws (top growth) were enormous, so I would put in a few canes at planting time so that you can support them and place the buckets where you can prevent them toppling over with the top weight.
So, if you chit your PFA in March, plant them out in April, give them about 22 weeks to be ready. You can probably bring it all forward a month if you have a greenhouse. Hope this helps.Good luck.

[Kimbo]

Hello Kimbo, I haven't grown PFA in buckets (but will give it a go) but have grown other varieties with great success.
The ponts to bear in mind are
once the potatoes have come up into leaf you can't leave them outdoors in frost so you need to work out when you expext to see the last frost in your area and count back from there. But if you have a greenhouse you can put them in there with a bit of fleece for protection.
Some people say it doesn't matter if you chit the potatoes or not, but I do. I find it reassuring to see something happening. I'd count on a month on the windowsill to get them well chitted.
PFA are not heavy croppers so I would put 3 or 4 in a bucket. I did with Charlotte and avreraged 4LBS to the bucket. On the other hand 1 Rooster produced over 6 lbs of potatoes . so some guess work here.
Potatoes are greedy so I always put some manure in the bottom of the bucket. Just the kind you buy in bags in B&Q but I find it works.
Another grape grew PFA in the ground and said the shaws (top growth) were enormous, so I would put in a few canes at planting time so that you can support them and place the buckets where you can prevent them toppling over with the top weight.
So, if you chit your PFA in March, plant them out in April, give them about 22 weeks to be ready. You can probably bring it all forward a month if you have a greenhouse. Hope this helps.Good luck.

Thanks for that, I think I might put them in bigger containers if the top growth is going to be enormous I have some poly pots I used last year which I can re use.

I already have the seed potatoes - how do I store them to stop them chitting so I can keep them till March

[Alice]

Hello Kimbo, keep them cool (frost free) and in the dark. Take them out into the light and a bit more warmth when you want to chit them. Yes, I would use a bigger container if you have it.

[burnie]

The books say PFA's don't produce a lot but I found them to be different,I had plenty from them,I also grew them in ground that had previously had carrots in and hadn't been manured for 3 years.The tops were quite large and I think 3 in a tub could be a lot,then how bigs the tub?.In a old dustbin size I'd have gone for 2 tubers,put good compost in the bottom foot,tubers then another 6 inches(sorry never went metric)of compost.Then when they start sprouting top up with soil as needed.Good luck,you will struggle to find a tastier "new" spud flavour.

[Snadger]

I grew PFA in the lottie for the first time last year and will deffo be growing them again this year! I averaged about IKg per plant with maybe 6 to 8 large ones and the same amount of smaller ones.

It was probably me that Alice mentioned about the tops being enormous, as it caught me out!!.
This year I am going to stake and twine the rows similar to broad beans! Mine grew 5'0" tall and then keeled over.
If they had been staked I reckon this would have prolonged the growing season (they have a very long growing season anyway!) and given me a better crop. They are a late maincrop.
I wouldn't recommend them for containers unless they were staked or dug early while still in leaf. One advantage to growing them in containers is that they will probaly be planted in a peat/coir planting medium which would make the cleaning of then reasonably easy (I have to resort to a toothbrush!)

Their sweet nutty taste is out of this world though, so whichever way you decide to grow them you will not be disappointed!

[vicki lorraine]

glad to hear they are so yummie. I bought my PFA seeds today and the man on the stall said he tried them last year but did not like them. Thanks for the warning over the topgrowth though. did not expect that. Im also growing Arron pilot (1st earlies) Kestral (2nd earlies) and Romano (main) Do any of these have a huge topgrowth?

[rustylady]

Loved the taste, but the knobbly bits drove me mad! Don't peel potatoes anyway, but do wash and scrub them before cooking - needed a toothbrush for PFA. Grew them on the lottie last year having been persuaded by eldest daughter. Didn't have a problem with the topgrowth, but summer last year was so hot and dry it was a wonder anything grew at all. Will grow again this year, but definitely on the lottie, not in pots.

[vicki lorraine]

Thanks RL. Seem to be following you around the vine tonight. Had some PFA off a friend last year. Had some rather phalic shapes though. Got some laughs from my 15 year old. He posted a pic of the spud in question on his My space and had some Lol comments! Thought i would grow some for fun this year. Will purchase a toothbrush just for the PFA though!

[Kimbo]

Loved the taste, but the knobbly bits drove me mad! Don't peel potatoes anyway, but do wash and scrub them before cooking - needed a toothbrush for PFA. Grew them on the lottie last year having been persuaded by eldest daughter. Didn't have a problem with the topgrowth, but summer last year was so hot and dry it was a wonder anything grew at all. Will grow again this year, but definitely on the lottie, not in pots.

Unfortunately I dont have much choice I will have to grow them in pots as I dont have a lottie and my ground is very heavy clay.

[Snadger]

Unfortunately I dont have much choice I will have to grow them in pots as I dont have a lottie and my ground is very heavy clay.

Tatties do well in clay Kimbo!

[Kimbo]

Tatties do well in clay Kimbo!

Yes but my back doesnt do well in having to dig it over especially as it is also full of bricks. Large pots are a much healthier option

[supersprout]

T&M did a free offer with potato orders of a PFA x Desiree (I think) cross, ten tubers of Moulin Rouge. Can't wait to see how they turn out