Growing potatoes in pots

[rary]

Can anyone tell me if there is a difference in crop size when growing potatoes in pots, if you plant the potato and top up as they grow compared with planting and filling up right away
I think there will be a previous post covering this but I can't access those at the moment

[Small pumpkin]

No idea rary but I'm playing the same game with the potato bag things.
Thought it'd be worth a go after losing so many to slugs in the raised beds last year.

[veggiechicken]

Might depend on the size of the pot, rary?
I have some in MFBs and there wasn't much topping up room.

[bario1]

I can't see there being any difference - from BM's potato tower experiment it appears tubers will only start forming once there is sufficient foliage above ground to 'feed' them. I just put 4" of soil in the bottom of the container, lay my spuds out, add another 8" of soil and let them get on with it.

[Baldy]

I've got spuds in the ground coming through weed suppressant and a load of unplanned extras going into MFBs and buckets - first time I've tried doing either method but (some of the ) things I've seen on the internet would suggest that container growing is definitely viable.
Doubtless I'll publish the results of my unscientific experiment at some point...

[BUFFS]

Viable?, for anyone less mobile it is a definite godsend as everything is raised by a foot or more, without this method I would have had to give up growing tatties over a decade ago, I have my favourites such as salad blue, highland burgundy and charlotte and these are grown for their sheer taste, I thought I had 9tubs but I did a recount and I have 11, so plenty for the two of us. I put the tatties on seaweed, 6ins of compost, when they show I put the rest of the compost on, up to the final height and then it's just a matter of watering when it doesn't rain, not a lot, and it seems to make no difference whether you bung it all on or keep topping up bit by bit, one thing, use fresh compost/soil or, asi found out, you end up with scab, and you don't want that...

[Penellype]

As far as I am aware there is no difference in yield whether you earth them up slowly or fill the pot all at once. I find it much easier to just fill the pot and let the potatoes get on with it. The only time I don't do that is if I am short of compost because I am waiting for something to finish, in which case I will half fill the pot and top it up later when I've eaten the other crop.

I also keep an eye out later on for potatoes near the surface which may become exposed when I am watering. If I see any I cover them up with a bit more compost so they don't go green. I doubt there is any difference in this whichever way you start them off.

[Bren In Pots]

I grow mine in recycling boxes 3 potatoes to a box planted near-ish to the bottom then filled to the top with a mix of soil, dalek compost and leaf mold, fed with BFB, comfrey and nettles.
This way works for me because I don't have much space in the garden but I had a few of those boxes given me when our council no longer used them.

[vixylix]

I grow all mine in potato grow bags - three seeds a bag. I've had great results with lots and lots of potatoes, although I've never grown them in the ground to compare.

The upside is that I have a big sheet of tarpaulin which I tip them out in to to harvest them, much easier than digging and no risk of damage. The downside I assume is that they will need more watering than if they were in the ground.

The first year I earthed them up as they went and last year I filled them right at the start - there wasn't a noticeable difference in results. This year the bags are mostly full, but I ran out of compost so they'll be topped up later.

Sounds like you need a VC style experiment!

[Jay-ell]

Last time I grew spuds I had some in bags and some in the ground. The ones in the ground were all slugged, the ones in bags weren't.

Growing in bag for life type bags, potato bags and 30l tree pots this year. Colour coded.

[Jungle Jane]

This says to earth up 15 days after the plants emerge,I usually do it when they're about 5 or 6inches tall but I'm going to try this on the main crop that's just coming up because it's easy to time them,I don't think I'll be so specific ever again though,unless I get gigantic potatoes but I'll let you know if that happens
Combined Effect of Plant Spacing and Time of Earthing up on Tuber Quality Parameters of Potato (<I>Solanum tuberosum </I>L.) at Degem District, North Showa Zone of Oromia Regional State

[BUFFS]

I grow mine in recycling boxes 3 potatoes to a box planted near-ish to the bottom then filled to the top with a mix of soil, dalek compost and leaf mold, fed with BFB, comfrey and nettles.
This way works for me because I don't have much space in the garden but I had a few of those boxes given me when our council no longer used them.

I have got a few of those recycling boxes and they are ideal to grow tatties in, our council stopped using them too so you see lots being used to grow veg/salad stuff, I must have about 6-7 different tubs/boxes all laid out in a row so they get even sunshine when it shows....perfect..

[Potstubsdustbins]

I use both methods.

My small MFB I fill straight to the top as there is only a little growing to do to get the haulm above ground.

My 80lt bin however I start with about 8 inches of compost in the bottom and then top up when ever the haulms are 6 inch or so above ground.

One pic shows my MFBs planted 9/3 in the GH, the other one of my bins planted 30/3 outdoors.

[rary]

I grow all mine in potato grow bags - three seeds a bag. I've had great results with lots and lots of potatoes, although I've never grown them in the ground
Sounds like you need a VC style experiment!

You mean just bung them in and see what happens

[veggiechicken]

You know me too well