How many tubers in a big bucket?

[Paulieb]

I've lots of seed potatoes (probably too many if SWMBO were asked), so thinking of where to plant them all.

Will put some in the ground, with most of them in Morrisons flower buckets (1 seed per bucket), and also the 30-40 litre tubs, which will have 3 seeds each.

Now the question is, how many seed potatoes should I put in a 113 litre tub? As seen at wickes in the link below? Do you think it's a straight multiply up for the volume?

Will most likely be growing something like Cara, on Sante so they can all be harvested together when matured.

Site Tub 113L - Shelving & Storage Units - Shelving -Decorating & Interiors - Wickes

[Aberdeenplotter]

Growing spuds for exhibition can be achieved in 17ltr polypots one spud per pot. Growing in a tub with a capacity of 113 ltrs would be a different kettle of fish (tub of spuds really ).

What you can't forget is that spuds throw up large tops. You call them haulms in your neck of the woods, we call them shaws. You need to be able to have sufficient space above the tub to allow the shaws/haulms to spread and absorb sunlight, moisture and whatever else comes out of the atmosphere.

This aspect was touched on in the square foot gardening thread.


My personal view is that you need a minimum surface area of ˝mtr x ˝mtr per spud . That sounds as if I'm saying one spud per barrel/tub but of course the shaws/haulms will be able to spread out beyond the edge(unless you have several side to side. maximum 3 per big barrel for me

[Paulieb]

Thanks, I hadn't really considered that. Was just focusing on not overcrowding the seeds in the compost, thus allowing enough room for a decent crop to grow.

They were going to go end to end down the side of the garden, but perhaps I'll consider buying smaller tubs and space them out a bit more.

I'll double check the recommended spacings for growing in the ground too, and as that webpage doesn't have dimensions will pop into Wickes to have a look.

[Aberdeenplotter]

if growing in the ground, I follow what my dad did. Earlies 12" apart in the rows, rows 27" apart. Lates, 15" apart in the rows, rows 30" apart if you have room, 27 works if you haven't. Good idea to look at smaller pots, easier to empty later apart from anything else but the spacing is important

[Potstubsdustbins]

For that sort of money I could get two 75/80ltr plastic dustbins. This could provide a couple of advantages, (1) They would be black and I have proved over the years that black bins work best. (2) It would give you more growing area. (3) They have lids, great if a frost is forecast, just don't forget to take it off when the frost is over. (4) It allows you to plant extra seed because the haulms can spread out better. As the haulms grow you can just move the bins further apart.

For main crop and stay in the ground earlies I set 4 seeds per bin. The solitary bin is Picasso main crop along with the yield from that bin. The line of bins are Lady C.

Colin

[Aberdeenplotter]

Potty, stolen these pics

[Potstubsdustbins]

Your more than welcome, any pics of mine you see you can use. Or if you want something different ask and I will see what I can dig up.

Potty

[Aberdeenplotter]

cheers matey. I'll be in touch. be nice to have a succession of pics so that the folks can see what is possible

[Paulieb]

Cheers guys....Wickes are next to useless. Keep quoting me 25 quid for delivery, because its 'big and bulky'! Even when they have none in stock, its a 25 quid charge to get one delivered from one store to my local store!!

Anyway........found some cheaper online, which is an option. I did get a couple of bins from Wilkos a few weeks ago, so might just stick with those.

[sammy_roser]

I'm planning to grow in a couple of dustbins I've had for ages. But having trouble making holes in the bottom!

[Paulieb]

For main crop and stay in the ground earlies I set 4 seeds per bin. The solitary bin is Picasso main crop along with the yield from that bin. The line of bins are Lady C.

Colin

How deep do you plant the seeds in the bin to begin with.....obviously then earthing up as they grow to the top of the bin?

[Potstubsdustbins]

Sammy the easiest way is to use something hot, being a plumber I use 28mm copper tube heated of course with a blow lamp. But any lump of metal heated to cherry red in the fire or on the stove will do the job. Make sure you put more than one hole in the bin so that if one gets blocked there will still be drainage.

Paul I start with about 6" of compost in the bin, set the potatoes in this and then cover with about 2 ".
and as you say top up as required.

Colin

[Sylvan]

We use a soldering iron.