potato feeding question

[queen of the cobs]

Dear All,

I usually manure my potato beds in the autumn and add some blood, fish and bone to the trnches before planting, as well as some extra nitrogen about half way along the growing cycle.

I've read somewhere that they like a lot of potash too, and wondered if I can add sulphate of potash or if there's something else you grapes would recommend - don't really have access to wood ash. And when should I add it?

thanks. x

[Two_Sheds]

I use comfrey feed for a dose of high potash every week

Earlies are up and out of the ground before you need to think about feeding again, but maincrops may well benefit from it: another sprinkle of BFB and/or comfrey/nettle tea

[di]

I don't know what the nutrient value will be but I'm weighing down some cardboard at the edge of my potato bed (particularly stubborn buttercup and bindweed) with buckets of water, as I find couch or bindweed root, I'm dropping it in the buckets. Will then be close to my potatoes when they need watering.
Might fill one with some nettles too.

I also read somewhere that coffee grounds may help prevent wire worm so I applied a good amount of them to my bed too.

[queen of the cobs]

Thanks - is it ok to sow comfrey now to use this spring/summer? and do I leave it all year round, or grub it up at the end of the season?

[Two_Sheds]

No, don't sow it ! That will be the wild one, and it'll self-seed all over the place.
You really want the sterile Bocking 14. Available from your favourite auction site (at least, that's where I got mine)

[redser]

Wondering what the feeding/watering routine would be for spuds in pots? I planted charlottes in January and they are going great, the foliage is above the top of the bucket. The bottom 6 inches was home-made compost, some manure and FB&B. The compost was fairly damp so I've only watered them once. The compost is over half the depth of the bucket now so I'm going to add more today. Any advice on feed and watering from here on in? Thanks alot

[Two_Sheds]

Watering ~ lift the container up: does it feel light or heavy? If it's light, water it I stand all my containers in a saucer of some sort, and water into that like this

Feeding ~ as per instructions on pack, or if you make your own, whenever you remember

[redser]

Thanks a lot, that's good enough for me. Good video link!

[Potstubsdustbins]

Redser your charlottes usually take about 11/13 weeks so right now I would be thinking of giving them a high potash feed, comfrey, tomorite etc, this will help the tubers swell.

Potatoes are mainly water so has the tubers grow the take up of water will excelerate so keep an eye on them.

Colin

[redser]

Great info, thanks Colin, will do that.
Can I ask you, I earthed them up almost to the top of the pots yesterday. I had been earthing up little and often at first but missed out the last couple of weeks and the stems were pretty long above the compost. Do you think spuds will still grow from those stems? Cheers