How do I grow potatoes total newb question

[invasion]

I went to the Garden center with my Daughter a few days ago and we bought some Unwins Second earlies Elgar tubers....Now the question is what do I do with them

The packet says Plant April-May and Harvest in July August
Would like to plant these in a bag or bin or something to that effect as the area we are going to do our allotment needs a lot of prep before planting.

I did see some sort of sack about knee height for around £4 but what do I do with that do I fill it up to the top and plant the Tubers or do I half fill it or something else??? and what do I fill it with

Do I need to do something to the tubers before planting

as you can see I haven't a clue and would much appreciate any help you can give me 

[manicscousers]

Hiya, Invasion, welcome to a4a  
here's athread we had lately, see if there are any ideas on it  
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,58417.0.html
sorry, I forgot, we put our seed pots in egg boxes to grow little 'chits' , plant them in about 8" of soil and as they grow, we earth up with more compost

[lincsyokel2]

You can buy potato planters, which are bags the right proportions to grow spuds.

All you need is a bag half filled with compost, with some  sort of potato fertiliser in with it, you can buy specialised stuff but basically any 7-7-7 fertiliser will do.

They need lots of sun and water, and if the frost gets to them your sunk.  Plant one or two seed potatoes per bag, and as they grow  heap or fill the bag up with more compost to keep the light off the tubers.

You can also buy potato grow bags. None of this is a cheap as growing them in the ground.

[Tee Gee]

This link might help; http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Potatoes/Potatoes.htm

[invasion]

Thanks for all the help and advice much appreciated 

So I should Chit them first which I am taking as meaning put them on the window sill until roots sprout?? do I have to do anything else or is it just place them on the window sill??

is the video any good http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3zoVolI-Sw
not sure about the watering side seems odd to me no water for a week ? and I dont think he chitted them did he??

so lets see if I got this  if I quater fill bag lay potatoes in then cover again so the bag is about half full and then keep topping up ??
Sorry if I am being basic first bit of growing I have done but who knows in a few months I might be giving the advice 

[nilly71]

I did see some sort of sack about knee height for around £4 but what do I do with that do I fill it up to the top and plant the Tubers or do I half fill it or something else??? and what do I fill it with

I used pondland & 99p shop pop-up bins for my new potatoes. About 4" of soil then 2-3 seed potatoes then about 4-6" of soil on top, when the shoots got about 6" above the soil i used shredded paper and grass clippings to keep topping up until i got to the top, then i just let the plant to get on with it.



The only thing with clippings is the slugs love the damp enviroment.

This year I'm setting up a better watering system as the bags get dry very quick.

Neil

[Tee Gee]

So I should Chit them first which I am taking as meaning put them on the window sill until roots sprout?? do I have to do anything else or is it just place them on the window sill??

It is not essential but (the jury is out on that one) but if you have them and you can't get them planted out (because it is too early or conditions won't allow,) then they may as well chit and this will reduce the growing time very slightly.

is the video any good http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3zoVolI-Sw
not sure about the watering side seems odd to me no water for a week ? and I dont think he chitted them did he??

Yes it was quite good, don't forget it was a 'demo' so he did more at this stage than would have been done in practice.

He is right about the watering, to over water will cause them to rot and remember they haven't started growing yet sio they are not taking up water! This is not required and till the tops start to grow!

so lets see if I got this  if I quater fill bag lay potatoes in then cover again so the bag is about half full and then keep topping up ??

I would work on a third then just cover, then another third and cover again then the final third and let them grow out of the bag/container.

Sorry if I am being basic first bit of growing I have done Grin but who knows in a few months I might be giving the advice  Smiley

I'm looking forward to it after all this is how most of us learn to pass it on in later years.

[cornykev]

Invasion, the ground doesn't need a lot of prep for spuds it can be roughly dug and planted, with the excepion of it being covered in long grass.   

[invasion]

Thanks for all the advice everyone much appreciated..I am learning so much 

Tee Gee what do you mean he did more at this stage than I would do in practice as it was a demo ?

I hyave a couple more questions for you all
My seed potatoes seem very soft and wrinlky is that ok and should I take them out of the packaging now ?
How do I know when I can plant them can I do it now or is it still to cold ?


cornykev my garden is old and they gut that lived in it before dumped anything everything in the ground so I have a lot of work thought this year I would double dig clear and put manure in and then plant it next year or would I have time this year ??

nilly71 I am off to pound land tomorrow get some of those bags  I noticed you have them on some plastic is this a good idea for me to do does it have a purpose ??

once again thanks for all of your help

[lincsyokel2]

you should have taken them out the wrapping soon as you got them!! Plastic is not a good wrapping for organic items, as it doesnt breathe, and if you leave any potatoes in an unopened plastic bag they will rot!!

You can plant your seeds if you can keep the frost off them. Ergo, you cant plant outside at the moment cos its still pretty chilly at nights. If you can get them under cover your ok.

[invasion]

you should have taken them out the wrapping soon as you got them!! Plastic is not a good wrapping for organic items, as it doesn't breathe, and if you leave any potatoes in an unopened plastic bag they will rot!!

You can plant your seeds if you can keep the frost off them. Ergo, you cant plant outside at the moment cos its still pretty chilly at nights. If you can get them under cover your ok.

Should I get new ones tomorrow then or will these be ok they are starting to get roots out of them and they are spongy

[Le-y]

Can i firstly just say i blinking LOVE teegee's website (thanks teegee ) its fab and has stopped me feeling so daunted by growing my own veg so take some time to have a wander around it because its fab.


anyway HELLO *waves* welcome to A4A!

 I grew my spuds in the flower beds at home last year before my allotment, I planted 6 spuds in a row, didnt Chit, i literally got the seed pots, dug a hole and stuck it in!

I also got a big square pot which i had inherited from freecycle and planted 2 spuds in there! they grew lovely too

anyway, cant really offer more advice than you've already had, i'm also a bit of a newbie but i'll offer my good luck for the upcoming year

Ellie

[nilly71]

nilly71 I am off to pound land tomorrow get some of those bags  I noticed you have them on some plastic is this a good idea for me to do does it have a purpose ??

It's weed control fabric because they are on a waste bit of land at the end of my plot.

Neil

[Digeroo]

would I have time this year

The year is young there is plenty of time to plants all sorts of things. 

[chriscross1966]

Should I get new ones tomorrow then or will these be ok they are starting to get roots out of them and they are spongy

Youl'll be ok if they don't smell rotten... some of my chitting tubers are a bit soft but that's not unusual... 2nd earlies ius a good choice, the first early clan is full of specialisations that can be hard to explain and maincrops vary from industrial production monsters like Valor to wierd old Victorian heirlooms like Pink Fir Apple that grow like Audrey2 but need epically long seasons (but frequently taste great)... No such trouble with 2nd earlies really apart from the salad ones (and I doubt a first-timer would buy them, they look strange).... put em in, give em 14 weeks and start lifting when you need them.

If you do decide to replace them I'd recommend Kestrel.... about the most bombproof 2nd early you can get and if you leave it in it'll just get bigger rather than splitting or going hollow like some (Don't know Elgar cos I only really grow a few earlies for some salads and then a load of mains for storage..... it's what my Dad did too so I guess it's genetic.....

PS, just looked up Elgar and they seem to be pretty sensible... good choice

chrisc

[Robert_Brenchley]

Seed potatoes go soft as they chit as they're using up the water which keeps them firm. It's nothing to worry about; just plant them.

[antipodes]

If you plant them very deep then you can start planting them in March, if your area is not too cold. 
It's normal for seed potatoes to be wrinkly, after all they are spuds grown the previous year! Take them out of the wrapping and spread them in trays or eggboxes in a light place till you are readly to plant.
As the others said, your ground doesn't have to be perfect for spuds, a rough working over is fine, as you earth them up, that disturbs the ground and you can keep weeding as they grow. They are good for loosening up a patch of earth even.
You can always do a bit at a time, plant them over three weeks or so, which makes it easier.
Good luck!

[invasion]

Thanks everyone...I have them out of the bag now and sitting on the window sill 
One thing I was going to ask is can I plant them in the pondland  bags and then keep them in the shed until frosts have gone ?? it has to big windows for light ??

Or shall I just plant them and bring them in at night...or would this disturb them to much lifting the bags ??
also if they are outside and we have a downfull will htta not make them rot just like over watering??


How long do they last in the ground/bag will they spoil before I can use them and how many tubers would you plant to keep me going in potatoes for some time. Should I be planting up new ones say each month ??

Regards 

[Digeroo]

Potatoes seem to do ok in the ground if well covered up.  I have found some I missed in the autumn and much to my surprise they are fine.  The leaves are much more delicate and a cold night will scorch them off but they can be earthed up or covered if a frost is forecast. 

Being away from  a major town it is often two or three degrees colder than they say on the weather forecast so every time they forecast 3 or less I have to get into action.  Last year I covered mine several times more than was necessary.

[Tee Gee]

Tee Gee what do you mean he did more at this stage than I would do in practice as it was a demo ?

He showed you the second stage i.e. he planted the seed then covered them then he covered them again. What he was demonstating was;

The first covering is as it should be, the second covering would not have occured until the tops had grown about 6"-8" tall.

The reason he showed you this was to demonstrate how you roll up the sides of the bag until you reach its limits which might be 5 or 6 weeks later.Does that make sense?

My seed potatoes seem very soft and wrinlky is that ok and should I take them out of the packaging now ?

As the others have mentioned you should not have left them in the packaging, as I said previously if you can't plant them chit them at least this is a start.

How do I know when I can plant them can I do it now or is it still to cold ?

Without going into the myth of dropping your pants and testing the soil it is difficult to tell.

I usually look for signs of the annusal weeds growing this indicates the soil is warming up.

Then you have to remember it will be about 3 or 4 weeks before they appear above ground after planting so this gives them a bit of further protection.

would I have time this year ??

Here is a crash course on allotment preparation!

http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Allotments/Introduction.htm