potatoes in dustbins

[j r hilton]

I planned to grow some potatoes in dustbins after reading that you get tubers all the way up to nearly the top. I have now read an article that states that this does not happen and you only get potatoes in the bottom of the bin and that all the extra earthing up is a waste of time and effort. The impression I got was that you need only a tub 2ft high. Has anyone grown potatoes in dustbins and had a crop filling the bin ?

[allotment grower]

You can grow potatoes in a wide range of containers... bins or polybags.. as long as it has drainage..

The idea with the poly-bags is you fill it to half way mix in some potato fertilizer place the potato seeds a quater of the way down as the plant grows top up with compost in stages as it grows add more until the bags are full then you will get a tiered crop.

if you just put them in and fill to the top you only get a small crop of potatoes..

[alex-adam]

I haven't tried growing in such large containers as dustbins. I grow potatoes in bucket-size pots, and usually get a good crop. The advantage of this size of pot is that I can position them on any bit of available space and are easy to move around. As AG above points out, good drainage is essential.
Only grow earlies or second earlies in containers.

a-a

[scarletrunner]

I can assure you that it works in the U/K. Just make sure drainage is adequate,give plenty of water and tomato feed or similar when flowering starts.Wait until tops start to die down before harvesting.

[solway cropper]

It might work with some varieties but certainly not all as they don't produce extra tubers as the haulms grow and then get earthed up. I've grown spuds in containers for the last three years and all I get is one layer of potatoes roughly where the original seed was planted. I'm not complaining as I still get good yields and it is so easy to just tip out the container to harvest them.

I believe this whole idea came from an article some years ago in an American newspaper where some guy said he got 100lbs of potatoes from 1lb of seed planted using this method. As far as I know nobody has ever been able to get anywhere near that sort of yield but don't let that put you off.

[Potstubsdustbins]

I have been growing spuds in bins for 20 years mostly second earlies and main crop. Done properly it can be very successful, this year my average harvest was about 25lbs per bin.

I have never managed to get them in great quantities up to the highest level but there is usually a good number of smaller spuds from the surface downward and then usually two layers of good sized spuds lower down. I have tried many sorts over the years but have now settled on Lady Christl for my sedcond earlies and Picasso for my main crop. With regard to drainage I have a single 50mm hole in the bottom covered with a polystyrene crock.

I start with compost that last grew peas, sweeten it with a little growmore and add a specialist potato fertilizer. Put about 6" in the bottom of the bin and set 5 tubers (like a domino 5) just under the surface. You can start earlier in bins than normal as you have great frost protection a LID.

When I first started I let the haulm get too large before adding extra compost this does not promote the growth of extra spuds up the plant. Now I never have the haulm over 3" to 4" above the compost until it grows over the top of the bin. I stop earthing up when 3/4" from the top of the bin this makes watering easy in dry weather you just pour a 2 gallon bucket into each bin.

I use a high nitrogen fertilizer until the spuds start to form and then change to high potash to promote grow of the fruit, so to speak. With main crop I allow the haulm to completely die back before harvest, with the second earlies I usually can't wait that long.

Other plus's, very little pest or disease problems and of course you have very handy containers to keep your used compost in over winter. 4 of my bins have PSB in at the moment but that is coming to an end and these bins will then be prepared for the spuds.

The pici is the harvest from one bin of Picasso.

Colin.

[j r hilton]

Thanks for the replies.
I am impressed with potstubs yield and am going to see if I can get the same results. I wasn't sure how to really go about it but his way seems the way to do it and I will try it that way.

[super trowel]

I might even have a go at this.
How many tubers to say a standard dustbin?

Best wishes

[scarletrunner]

Some people are known to have harvested 36.lb.from a bin,with just one Picasso seed potato.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Some people are known to have harvested 36.lb.from a bin,with just one Picasso seed potato.

I have heard so but I have never managed anywhere near that, still I keep trying.

I usually use 5 tubers per 80ltr bin but a friend swears by only using 4.

Colin

[briggsy2011]

I am growing my spuds in bins this year, i got 3 from dobies. Last year wasnt brill as only got 6 pots, as i grew them inbags, so i read up more and got more advice from this forum i feel more confident in growing a better batch x