Given seed potato and no idea what to do - Help please

[littlemoney]

I have just been given some 10 sprouted wilja seed potato and don't know where to start. So advice would be appreciated. Is it too late to plant them

Can I grow them on a container and if so how big/deep a container or perhaps a cheap growbag. I am unable to do any digging at the moment so looking for an cheap/easy method otherwise I may have to throw them away. Thanks

[veggiechicken]

You could grow them in flower buckets or any similar sized container.
One or two in each bucket, cover them with soil/compost and let them get on with it.

[johnjohn]

If you cut a grow bag in half and stand them up you could put 2 or 3 in there as well.

[Bren In Pots]

Have a read at the Vine's growing guide for potatoes there's lots of info to browse :-

Growing Potatoes | How To Grow | Planting | When To Plant | Blight | Sweet

[littlemoney]

An old growbag sounds the best suggestion. I have a bag multipurpose compost I got in March but since I bought it some ants have taken up residence. Can I use this or is it better to cut my losses and just spead this compost on the surface of the soil and buy another bag.

I don't really like the idea of using the ant infested compost in pots/bags. any advice please?

[Thelma Sanders]

Poor some boiling water through the compost in the bag - that'll shift the ants! If you spread the compost you'll just put the ant problem somewhere else.

[Kirk]

For 10 I would say get 3 big pots from somewhere like Wilkinsons, 50 to 60cm across, then bags of compost and manure in the ratio of 3 bags of compost to one of manure. If I recall one bag goes well in to one big pot. Mix compost+manure well, fill a pot to about 1/3 way up, arrange 3 seed potato's in each and then cover to the top with remaining compost+manure mix. Water and leave.

If they start to look dry water some more. Should sprout happily and when they are ready (no idea how to tell) you can dig around by hand to drag a few out and boil/chip/roast or whatever.

[Bigmallly]

They are ready to harvest once the haulms start yellowing & dying.

[littlemoney]

They are ready to harvest once the haulms start yellowing & dying.

sorry but what are haulms

[veggiechicken]

Haulms are the leaves and stems.

[Nicos]

Not too late at all!..mine are going in today

[Jungle Jane]

Second early varieties need about 13 weeks before harvesting,if leaves start yellowing at 8-9 weeks it's probably nitrogen deficiency. I watered my potatoes with seaweed extract a lot last year,they liked that,everything did...potatoes need potassium too to bulk up the tubers,seaweed or tomato feed or comfrey if you've got some? Growbags fall over with the weight of the haulm & are difficult to get water to every spot & drainage,make loads of holes,they get blocked,it might be worth getting some reusable containers & doing both ways?

[Bigmallly]

sorry but what are haulms

When they look like this, they are almost ready:

[littlemoney]

If I don't use a grow bag but a pot, how big should the pot be. I think most of my pots won't be deep enough but would appreciate comments please. Can't get out to buy anything at the moment so looking to see what I can reuse.

[veggiechicken]

A bucket size pot. I use flower buckets from the supermarkets.