Growing potatoes in containers

[burnie]

I may try a container or two this year as I'm running out of garden,thanks tattieman.Probably my Pink Fir Apples so the risk of a late frost will be long gone.

[SlugLobber]

Thanks, Tattieman. I'm more or less doing what you said, but the fertiliser recommendation in particular is very useful, as is the watering advice!

[tattieman]

Glad you are finding it usefull everyone.
I was going to do the video this weekend but I have a big potato day on so I will have to wait.

[Eyren]

Great thread, Tattieman! We're going to try containers this year as our plot is small. I think I will have to mix the compost in batches, though, as I don't think I have anything big enough to put a 60L sack of compost in all at once

I have some Chase Organic fertilizer - the NPK levels are 6:5:7 according to the website - does that sound about right?

[Twinkle]

excellent timing... (although I did plant some first earlies in tubs last week and watered them... bums)

I've been charged with doing some gardening with the school and thought we'd have a potato challenge - infant class vs junior class - one early in a plastic sack per class and a small prize to the class that gets the highest yield before the school breaks up in June so all these tips are noted. Excellent.

[tattieman]

Great thread, Tattieman! We're going to try containers this year as our plot is small. I think I will have to mix the compost in batches, though, as I don't think I have anything big enough to put a 60L sack of compost in all at once

I have some Chase Organic fertilizer - the NPK levels are 6:5:7 according to the website - does that sound about right?

Close enough I would say. 4:4:7 would have been ideal.

Nice to hear about the school challenge twinkle.

[Comfreyfan]

Good stuff Tattieman. I've never grown in containers before, but I will have a few seed potatoes left over this year, so definitely going to give it a go - I knew I'd been saving all those compost bags for a reason!

[FionaH]

Great info, thanks

[finefencer]

I think there is nothing like spuds out of the ground, BUT the little fellows who put the holes in them brass me off so...
I have used those flower buckets for some time, I start them off early in the green house, and move them out after the frost, I take on average about 15 spuds to the bucket....and not a slug in site....and you can do it all year round...

[lisab]

Quick Q : If you get about 15 spuds yield to the bucket, how many do you put in to begin with? I have no idea about growing potatoes, as you can see!
Thanks,
Lisa B

[Sanjo]

Quick Q : If you get about 15 spuds yield to the bucket, how many do you put in to begin with? I have no idea about growing potatoes, as you can see!
Thanks,
Lisa B

Lisa, if it's flowers buckets you are talking about, then just the one. They don't hold a lot of compost, as it says above, it's about 10 litres so I would have said just one spud. £1 do a slightly wider tub and I put 2 in them.

[sez]

I think there is nothing like spuds out of the ground, BUT the little fellows who put the holes in them brass me off so...
I have used those flower buckets for some time, I start them off early in the green house, and move them out after the frost, I take on average about 15 spuds to the bucket....and not a slug in site....and you can do it all year round...

think i'll have to give this a go - got 25 morrisons buckets for a quid yesterday and need something to do with them, right?

[sez]

silly question but are you meant to cover the whole shoot or just top it up to cover the actual spuds?

[Sanjo]

Well, Sez, I lightly cover the shoot. It will grow through the compost. Just keep doing it. The deeper the spud, the more you get. Don't put it all on at once though. The idea is to cover the baby spuds to keep the light out and at this time of year to help protect the foliage from frost.

[frias]

Thanks for the tips. I'm going to try growing the free seed potatoes I got from Fothergills in flower buckets. No Morrisons around here but Asda gave me some for free.