Charlott and rocket spuds - When to sow - tips

[Marb67]

I have some charlotte and rocket seed potatoes on the shelf chitting. I have various potato growing bags to get from Home and Bargain etc. I have had terrible success with them previous summers growing in these bags but I have no space in the garden so it is my only option. I do however have a shady part of the garden that I can plant some in if ok ?

I have some high quality organic veg growing compost so would this be ok to plant them in ? When do I plant, how many to a bag, pot and can they go outside if now is planting time ?

Thanks.

[bario1]

Marb, can you be more specific about your 'terrible success'? If you tell exactly what the problems were, we'll be better able to suggest solutions.

[Marb67]

I hardly had any crop from these sowings.

[bario1]

Was there plenty of top growth? How long did you leave them? What variety were they? How often did you water them? Were they grown in sun or shade etc etc?

[Marb67]

Charlotte and Red Duke. Top growth that died off (not blight) in sun. Left most of summer as no crop so couldn't pick earlier. I did post them last year if you look for for the details.

[Jungle Jane]

You could put some out now,3 to a bag,they will need protecting from frost/cold nights. Iv got some outside in bags covered with thick cloche. They'l grow really slowly because it's cold. Did you use potato fertiliser last year? I wonder what went wrong last year...iv also got some potato growing indoors by the patio doors,the growth is about 4inches above the height of the bag,going to feed them some plant food today coz they've been in there a few weeks now

[sparrow100]

I wouldn't put them anywhere shady. I had 3 on my north-facing balcony in a bag in my first year. I got 5 potatoes. In the same size bag last year in full sun I had 3.5kg from 3 spuds - watered religiously every other day and fed every 8 weeks. The amount of sun makes a massive difference.

[bario1]

I doubt they'll thrive in a shady part of the garden, but if that's your only option then I would put the Rocket in now, 3-5 per bag depending on bag size. Wait another 3 weeks then do the same with the Charlottes.
The compost sounds fine, might be a bit expensive to fill all your bags with bought stuff though - have you got any garden soil you could mix it with 50-50, plus some pelleted potato fertiliser? Mixing with soil will also help retain moisture.
Hopefully by the time the foliage breaks the surface, the weather will have warmed up a bit - but if frost threatens, cover the bags at night.

Just my thoughts, hope that helps Marb.

[Penellype]

I grow my potatoes in raised beds or bags against a north facing wall and get tolerably good harvests, although obviously not as good as if they were in sun. Last year my crop form 10 Charlotte seed potatoes was about 1/2 a bucketful of potatoes upto about 4 inches long, grown in home made compost and not given much extra feed as I tend to forget. The crucial thing is water, and if the tops died down in the sun then it sounds likely that they had got too dry.

[Nicos]

When I first grew spuds, the only pace I had was in the shade.
The plants put on loads of top growth...looking for the light...and had virtually nothing to harvest underneath.

Even if you are using loads of compost , I would imagine that the majority of the goodness must be washed away with watering over a period of time?

When you say compost...is it potting compost or well rotted manured compost?...the terms are confusing!
If the former, there probably isn't a lot of feed left after a few weeks of watering.

Try watering more often and add some feed to it.

Those are just my thoughts which may be of help??

[Kristen]

Top growth that died off (not blight) in sun.

Sounds like not enough water?

I find bags very VERY hard to get the moisture content right. When the plants become big the compost can become very dry and somehow watering them doesn't properly wet the compost. It doesn't obviously run straight through, but areas of the compost seem to remain dry.

I am wondering if I should put, say, a 2L pop bottle, with a small hole in the bottom, in the bags so that the water is applied more slowly than me chucking some on from bucket / can.

Perhaps someone who grows exclusively in containers has some suggestions?

[Penellype]

Sounds like not enough water?

I find bags very VERY hard to get the moisture content right. When the plants become big the compost can become very dry and somehow watering them doesn't properly wet the compost. It doesn't obviously run straight through, but areas of the compost seem to remain dry.

I am wondering if I should put, say, a 2L pop bottle, with a small hole in the bottom, in the bags so that the water is applied more slowly than me chucking some on from bucket / can.

Perhaps someone who grows exclusively in containers has some suggestions?

I am planning on using pop bottles to help with watering spuds this year. I find using a watering can with a rose impossible, and without a rose the water jet moves soil and exposes the potatoes near the surface to light so they go green. I stand my bags in drip trays so that the water doesn't run straight through.

[Jungle Jane]

I am planning on using pop bottles to help with watering spuds this year. I find using a watering can with a rose impossible.

It is awkward,I walk around both sides of the bag when I water to get all areas wet,because it doesnt reach that angle. Dont know if you've tried,but when iv finished earthing up,I add a couple of inches of straw as a mulch,the timing coincides with those sudden cold nights in may,but it helps keep the moisture in the bag during the summer.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Spend £7-50p on a 75ltr plastic dustbin just to compare with the grow bags.

Have you kept last years compost? If so start them of in the new compost then when the haulm starts to appear freshen the old stuff with a little BFB or growmore and use that to top up your containers and don't forget a spud is 80% water so never let them dry out once the haulm is up.

[Marb67]

Some good suggestions thanks. I still haven't planted them but will use new compost first and then bfb. I have some 3 year old organic potato fertelizer I got from poundland but it has gone a bit mouldy inside. I am sure this wont bother the plant though if I use it ?