Topic: Growing Potatoes in Containers - photos included

[Georgie]

Swift do not normally flower so you will have to watch for the plant dying off or have a furtle inside as I say ;D

Oh right, thanks for that.  It's not easy to furtle in a container though is it?  Unless someone knows different?   ;D

G x

[Toadspawn]

I have found that with the containers I use (2 gal black buckets) it is possible to tip the whole plant out of the bucket very gently without disturbing the root ball. Most of the potatoes are usually growing right at the outside and are easily visible. If I think they are big enough to eat I harvest them, if not then the whole root ball is slid gently back into the bucket and left a bit longer.

[Bjerreby]

I am fascinated.

One of the experts on Gardener's Question Time said that earthing up increases the yield of second early and maincrop potatoes, but not first early potatoes. The only reason to earth up first early plants is to prevent the upper tubers from going green. According to him, 1st earlies only make one level of spuds.

Any thoughts on this?

[Sprouting out]

Hi, I'm new to all this forums and growing veg!
I am also growing Potatoes in bags, I do have room in the ground but thought it would be easier on my back!
I am going to try and grow some from seed Potaoes and some from sprouting Potaotoes from the kitchen to see what the difference is (as I have so many potatoes that sprout in my kitchen, I really should buy less or cook more!!)

[Tattieman]

I am fascinated.

One of the experts on Gardener's Question Time said that earthing up increases the yield of second early and maincrop potatoes, but not first early potatoes. The only reason to earth up first early plants is to prevent the upper tubers from going green. According to him, 1st earlies only make one level of spuds.

Any thoughts on this?

I read that it a magazine the other week. I thought what a strange thing to say. If you have to earth up to stop your potatoes going green it doesn't matter if they are earlies or lates. If you don't earth up and half of your spuds go green then it is a waste of time surely. On large scale planting we plant our spuds underneath huge peaked rows of soil and never touch them again.

Georgie I have some in compost bags and intend to make little flap doors in the bags to take the spuds out of the side and make furtling easier.

[Georgie]

Georgie I have some in compost bags and intend to make little flap doors in the bags to take the spuds out of the side and make furtling easier.

That's a good idea.  And will you tape the door up if the spuds aren't ready?

G x

[cornykev]

Looks like Georgies in a flap.     ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D  :-X   

[tonybloke]

welcome to the site, Sprouting out !! ;)

[Tattieman]

Georgie I have some in compost bags and intend to make little flap doors in the bags to take the spuds out of the side and make furtling easier.

That's a good idea.  And will you tape the door up if the spuds aren't ready?

G x

If you want to be really fancy you cut your flap and get some packing tape to make your flap about an inch longer and get some cheap velcro strips that you put one side on the bag and the other onto the tape.

[cheerfulness]

Think I might have mucked up my potatoes because I forgot to check this thread and thought I knew what I was doing.
I've earthed them up in the week but thought you had to completely cover the leaves with soil.  :-[  I've a couple of leaves poking back through today on a couple of sacks but will I have ruined them all by now?
 I must have put about 3-4" of compost over the top of each.

[Tattieman]

Think I might have mucked up my potatoes because I forgot to check this thread and thought I knew what I was doing.
I've earthed them up in the week but thought you had to completely cover the leaves with soil.  :-[  I've a couple of leaves poking back through today on a couple of sacks but will I have ruined them all by now?
 I must have put about 3-4" of compost over the top of each.

That is the way I do it and have great success.

[cheerfulness]

Oh thank you, tattieman.  :)
I was really upset I'd ruined them as its our first attempt.  Back to being excited again now.  ;D

[Robert_Brenchley]

Don't worry, they're tough enough to survive it!

[chriscross1966]

Don't worry, they're tough enough to survive it!

At this time of year stopping a potato growing would probably take more effort than a few inches of soil :-)even a tiny one will send a sprout up a good foot or so.... I'm still finding and digging out ferals in my onion patch....

chrisc

[Hector]

so what height is the minimum for any container you want to grow spuds in?

[Georgie]

so what height is the minimum for any container you want to grow spuds in?

I've read 30cm but that seems shallow to me.

Here are mine today - between 90cm and 120cm tall now.  :)

G x

[Flighty]

I bet that you can't wait to have a firkle, or furtle if you prefer, G! xx

[Georgie]

I bet that you can't wait to have a firkle, or furtle if you prefer, G! xx

Well it's very tempting but I don't know if I dare!

G x

[cornykev]

Go on G have a little firkle.  :P      ;D ;D ;D

[Flighty]

I reckon another two weeks!