Vivaldi Potato - GYO freebie - Results?

[quark1]

Hi there my fellow 'grapes'!

This is my first post - but I have been scouring these boards for tips and hints that the greenest of novices such as myself might be able to profit from for some time! There have been lots of good tips and advice - my thanks to you all.

I bought the Vivaldi potato earlier in the year and duly chitted and placed into spud tubs 29th May - fully earthed by 19th June. They still have a lot of strong green stuff above ground - although some of this consumed by slugs and snails. Flowers have now fully died off.

Next week will see 10 weeks since planting and I'm dying to know what the results might be. Have run palm of hand down side of tubs and can feel several bumps - which I hope are signs of a crop. Would next week be too early to turn out one of the tubs? I don't want to go too early and get marbles.

Also has anyone else tried these and what is the opinion of both crop and taste/uses etc.

Also can anyone advise on the use of the 'exhibitor bags' as sold by Thompson Morgan - they seem like a good above ground/patio solution - but are the bags strong enough to be reused at least once and preferably more. Spud Tubs are great but so expensive. I have also read many other cheaper alternatives used by some of you already on other threads.

Thanks in advance for any replies and ips!

[Polly Fouracre]

I read(somewhere!!) that if you grow spuds in containers(or indeed anywhere else) that you can put your hand in,feel carefully around and pull out any that are of a decent size.I dare say you will get better advice from others.I have never grown them in containers but it does sound feasible. Oh!, the ones you dont pull out will continue to grow.

[Alice]

Welcome to the Vine Quark1. Hope you enjoy it as much as the rest of us. I haven't grown Vivaldi so don't know if they're earlies or what. 10 -11 weeks seems a bit optimistic to me. I tend to leave mine until the foliage is yellow and dying off. If you're desperate to check before then you can tip the container and slide the whole thing out. Have a poke and see what size the potatoes are. If they're marbles, slide the whole thing back into the container.
The potato containers are expensive. I grow mine in B & Q buckets - 99p. Works well for me. I hope you get great potatoes. You can see some of mine here. I've been eating them since May - I planted them very early.

The potatoes are Charlotte and the carrots Early Nantes. They were grown in a rose pot.

[kernow]

I purchased 20x14 litre bags from T&M earlier this year.material very strong and see no reason why i will not be using them for many years to come.You can see and feel the spuds bulging out the sides.I used multi-purpose compost,but will try peat next year.I tried 6 varieties,picasso, kestrel,harmony,maxine,nadine, & winston.Yields were only average,but found winston were the best.Being down in the far west I planted on the 6th of april.Hope this helps.

[Alice]

I grew Nadine last year Kernow. They cropped so heavily they burst the bucket -split it right down the sides. I haven't had heavy crops like that this year though.

[clubroot]

hi i used two florist tubs cut the bottom of one and slide it into the other had realy good results with this it cost me two quid for the tubs from morrisons but im told some give them away used horse manure and compost to fill the pots

[quark1]

Thanks for the feedback so far!

I have moved some of the compost and revealed a few spuds of 'baby' new pot size - but will resist temptation to turn out just yet.

May try one tub when they reach 16 weeks!

[Jaxom]

hi i used two florist tubs cut the bottom of one and slide it into the other had realy good results with this it cost me two quid for the tubs from morrisons but im told some give them away used horse manure and compost to fill the pots

Try Asda. They give them away, as they would only get chucked in the bin. Ask the greeter at the front of the store if you can have some. Our local greeter saved me so many that I had to take away about 100 after two days. Soon found homes for those I didn't need. They are fantastic for growing tomatoes in too.

[quark1]

Time to 'fess up!

Yesterday I had a dig down and produced 7 small baby news and to my great amazement ALSO a biggie which was approx 4.5"x3.%" and 8.5" in girth at its widest point! Total weight approx 1.5 (old fashioned) lbs!

My son and I did a taste test using the 7 littlies as 'news' with butter/s/p and the biggie as mash.

Both were excellent and the newies plus butter/s/p just get the nod - but they mashed well also.

Hope there are a few more of the biggies to use as winter keepers.

The rest WILL be kept 'til 16 weeks! Yeah - I'm as impatient as they come!