Potato watering test

[Lotsaveg]

Besides testing the mycorrhizal fungi on my spuds this year (and having amazing results), I also tested the level of watering.

A raised bed with Rocket was watered every day it didn't rain whilst two 1 ton gravel sacks containing the same type of soil (75% topsoil : 25% Multi-purpose compost plus chicken pellets) were not watered unless the potato plants were wilting.

Potatoes from the watered bed are perfectly smooth and the outer skin falls off when rubbed whereas the potatoes from the sacks are rough and difficult to rub off the skin. They also have quite a bit of scab.

Watered potatoes are also bigger and around twice as many per plant. The unwatered potatoes are much rounder and uniform in size though.

[Potstubsdustbins]

As to be expected potatoes are mostly water after all. Still its interesting that someone has taken the time to prove the point.

Colin

[taff]

is there much difference in taste?

[zazen999]

But spuds in sacks will usually be smaller anyway - the best trial needs to have conditions the same in both cases. Otherwise it's not a trial...or a test.

[Lotsaveg]

Having just finished eating some for tea, I can say there really wasn't any difference in taste. The only difference was the skin was a little bit more leathery on the potatoes from the sack.

As for the trial, I'd used similar areas of soil per plant so should have been fairly comparable. The sack allowed the soil to dry out quicker than the bed which is why I chose to use this method.

[Potstubsdustbins]

I have never grown spuds in sacks, but I have grown them in just about every other type of container over the last 25 years or so.

I have to say that I have never found the spuds to be smaller than those grown in the ground or the harvest itself to be reduced. These Accord planted in a 20ltr container in early March were harvested today. Total weight 3lbs 6ozs not bad I think.

Colin.

[Two_Sheds]

I have never found the spuds [grown in pots] to be smaller than those grown in the ground

I experience very reduced crops when grown in containers, but they are smooth & scab-free, which is a huge bonus

1) Charlotte in a Morrisons bucket
2) Charlotte in the ground
3) Kestrel in the ground

[Potstubsdustbins]

2 Sheds could it just be that some vareities do better than others?

OK a 20tlr container is slightly bigger than a Morrisons bucket but I would not have thought that it would make that much difference and I also use Morrisons buckets with pretty much the same results.

According to my records that particular bucket was riddled used compost sweetened with BFB, fed with Miracle Grow until the container was topped off and then fed with tomorite. You I presume would use comfrey tea, which as per the other thread is ideal for the job.

I am at a loss to explain.

Colin

[zazen999]

I have never grown spuds in sacks, but I have grown them in just about every other type of container over the last 25 years or so.

I have to say that I have never found the spuds to be smaller than those grown in the ground or the harvest itself to be reduced. These Accord planted in a 20ltr container in early March were harvested today. Total weight 3lbs 6ozs not bad I think.

Colin.

Yeah - but you feed yours to the max with miraclegrow, don't you?

[Two_Sheds]

2 Sheds could it just be that some vareities do better than others?

I've always had the same result though, year on year, with different varieties: very little comes out of any buckets/containers that I use, compared to spuds grown in the ground (and arguably, the containers get more watering/feeding than the ones up the lotty)

[Potstubsdustbins]

Yeah - but you feed yours to the max with miraclegrow, don't you?

Yep and tomorite once the containers are topped off. My theory is you can't expect anything to grow if you don't feed it.

Colin