Tragic Potato harvest

[Marb67]

I planted some Charlotte potatoes in the ground with just a few to harvest. Red Duke Of York in 3 large bags = 2 potatoes harvested. That is just so depressing considering I fed, watered and plants grew strong and healthy.

Gutted.

[Potstubsdustbins]

This year I have grown RDofY in Morrison's buckets and dustbins so far I have been more than happy with the yield.

Marb how long were they in the ground and did you feed your bags?

Potty

[Two_Sheds]

I'm going to resist getting drawn into this conversation

I'll sit on my hands

[Marb67]

Yes, I said in the post I fed and watered them.

[Potstubsdustbins]

In that case I am at a bit of a loss. Can I ask what you fed them with?

I grow in all sorts of containers and usually get a good yield. I have had one problem with drainage this year which cost me quite a few of my LadyC but apart from that things are going well.

Potty

[solway cropper]

But how long were they in the ground, Marb?

I would normally give Charlottes 14 weeks absolute minimum and ideally 16-18 weeks.

[Marb67]

I'm going to resist getting drawn into this conversation

I'll sit on my hands

I am not sure what you mean.

[Marb67]

They have been in the ground since April. They did much better but the bags did nowt. I used organic potato fertiliser from pound land.

[Potstubsdustbins]

If you harvested early ( and I am not saying you did) you would still expect to see loads of tiny spuds just waiting to grow.

The potato fertilizer I use is granular and will only last about 8 weeks. This gives the plants a good start but I still have to use a high potash liquid fertilizer as a follow on to help swell the tubers.

Potty

[Marb67]

There were lots of very small ones from the ground but they have been in much longer than 14 weeks. It's water that swells the tubers, the potash feeds the initial development. I'll earth whats left right up and hope more develop.

[Kirk]

I find better results from containers then the ground. I also don't specifically feed them they get planted with a mix of compost, manure and chicken pellets. Ratios tend to be 1:1 compost to manure or no less then 2:1 compost to manure.
Checken pellets three or four handfuls.
After that it is water as required.

Find it has worked fine for the past several years.
Potato's don't strike me as something that you add a liquid feed or a powder feed to.

[Potstubsdustbins]

I have been growing spuds in bins for plus of 20 years and after trying several different ways find I get a better harvest if I feed with high potash and give them loads of water whilst the tubers are growing.

Not saying its the only way just that it works for me, particularly with main crop which are in the bin at least 22 weeks.

Potty