Topic: Increasing the yeild of potatoes

[Jeannine]

For the last few years my potato yeids have not been too good despite making sure the ground was right for them. I have seen bits of stuff on youtube about how folks claim to grow tons of potatoes from just a few tubers, some of it is a bit too scientific for me but wondered if anyone had dom=ne anything different that resulted in huge yields. I guess if we can grow huge tomatoes it should be possible. maybe too late for this year though.

Any ideas welcomed.

XX Jeannine

[Paulh]

I'd have said more water, but doesn't it always rain in BC?

If you're putting fertiliser of some sort on them, perhaps it's a lack of trace elements? Are other crops a bit off as well?

[Jeannine]

No, it doesn't always rain in BC LOL it does rain quite a bit but not as much as the UK and it is only at certain times of the year, It is 82 outside right now. No, it isn't trace elements either as everything else is OK. I get decent yields  but not what I would call good,but what I am looking for is some if the HUGE yields I hear about

[rollingrock]

how much of production increase are you looking for?

[Jeannine]

I read somehwere that folks were getting enormous yield from regular  potatoes but I don't know exactly were. That is what I want to try to do

[ancellsfarmer]

Commercially its superphosphate thats used at 4 cwt /acre but not sure how organic that might be.

[Jeannine]

Thank you that's not for me, I will put the idea out of head I think and stivk  to what I can do as in the past//

[Obelixx]

I'd have thought it was simple enough - enough space per tuber, enough food and plenty of water to swell the new tubers.     

Be careful of sacrificing quality and flavour for the sake of quantity.

[rollingrock]

I'd have thought it was simple enough - enough space per tuber, enough food and plenty of water to swell the new tubers.     

if it was that easy she would not have a problem

[Tee Gee]

The more stem that is covered the more tuber bearing roots will be produced so potentially more potatoes

This is why people who grow in containers add more compost in layers ie.to encourage more tuber bearing roots.

Earthing up does the same but to a lesser extent.

[Jeannine]

Oh good Tee Gee, I am actually growing in big tubs this year, I started with about 6 inches of soil and as the green has shown I have added, The tubs are about 28 inches deep and the loamy soil is now almost to the top. I have never started this shallow before. I think the problem with my "in ground" ones os that I don't earth up enough. I have always grown some in pots but not quite this way so it will be interesting to see how it goes.

[Obelixx]

RollingRock - sometimes familiarity with an every day crop leads even experienced gardeners to miss the obvious.  In order to grow plentiful tubers, potato plants need space and food and moisture and earthing up.     They do a lot of potatoes in pots and in the ground on Beechgrove and always remind viewers not to overcrowd them as this affects yields.

[johhnyco15]

im growing all my potatoes in pots this year most of my earlies are up to the top of the 45ltr tubs second earlies are nearly there and main crop are a third of the way up the tub ill post pics tomorrow they are grown all in compost with fbb mixed in and watered every morning which as its pumped by hand takes around an hour to water the 40 tubs hope this helps             pic was the start around 5 weeks ago

[Jeannine]

Hi, I can't see real close, are the containers sunk into the ground, they look like 5gallon buckets but not as tall, . How many tubers do you put in there. What type.What yield would you expect to get from each container.

I can see that is a lot of watering,

[Tee Gee]

Does this help?


Plant two or three potatoes in a 250mm (10") pot to get an early catch crop.

Alternatively, plant two or three chitted seed potatoes (tubers) in large purpose made bags, one tuber should be sufficient in smaller bags.

Cover the tuber/s with compost.

Water regularly and never let the compost dry out.

As the leafy green shoots (haulms) grow taller, gradually unroll the top edge of the bag and fill in around the plant/s with compost.

Continue with this process until the bag is full.

Continue watering regularly, adding a liquid feed once a week.

Different potato varieties mature at different times, with early ones ready in mid to late June, and later ones will carry on developing into July and August.

If an early variety is being grown then they are usually ready for harvesting when they come into flower.

With second early or maincrop varieties wait until top growth starts dying back.

[johhnyco15]

Hi, I can't see real close, are the containers sunk into the ground, they look like 5gallon buckets but not as tall, . How many tubers do you put in there. What type.What yield would you expect to get from each container.

I can see that is a lot of watering,

they take a big bag of compost per tub I'm not sure of all the variety's as im given a lot from the local farmers no they are not in the ground ill post  pics of the earlies as the finished article tomorrow as tg says as they grow up i "blind" them with compost untill they reach within 2" of the top so i can water them without spillage
hope this helps

[johhnyco15]

my earlies growing on nicely

[rollingrock]

this thread might be usefull
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,50138.40.html

[Jeannine]

No, I don't think that is a good idea  and I am all sorted out now.

Thank you to all he helped me

Jeannine