Topic: Spuds in Pots/Containers

[philcooper]

Because they are not cleared for the production of food and probably contain toxins?

Sorry John, I've checked with manufacturers and it's the same plastic that is used in black plant pots, as sold for growing such things as tomatoes.

The waste that occurs today amazes me - I'm still using up 1 and 2 litre pots that I acquired from a landscape gardening firm 2 years ago - they were throwing hundreds of them into a skip!!!

Phil

[ajb]

Mine went into pots yesterday 3 in each (whopping big pots) using a mixture of potting compost, not particularly well rotted manure (been stood for ages, and soil. I've tried Orla, Colleen.   They're in the forst-free section of the greenhouse. Fingers crossed for a harvest in May/June?

[tim]

'Frost free' - yes, good idea. My Colleen have been down below freezing twice, so whose bright idea was that!!

[Hazydaisy]

 :P  Thanks for all that information.  I'm new to this site and to fruit and veg gardening.  My 10 yr old son is growing pumpkins, strawberries, lettuce, tomatoes as well as flowers.  He also wants to try potatoes.  It won't be too late if I start now, will it?

[tim]

Never too late!

[Justy]

I have got loads of left over seed potatoes and was thinking of what to do with them but I was wondering if I could use old multipurpose compost bags along the same lines as the pots.  I thought about rolling them down to start off and then topping up the bags as the spuds grow until the bag is unrolled. 

Any thoughts/advice?

[Mrs Ava]

Sounds good to me Justy!

Kitchen Garden mag have an article where they reakon on their heavy soil, they plant spuds into June and still get a great harvest!  ;D

[Mothy]

If you plant Early spuds late on I would think you should still get a crop because they require less time to grow. I may be wrong!!  ;D

[philcooper]

Justy,

Spuds are ideal in any container (given a minimum diameter of about 12").

You're right on early spuds maturing quickly but you can keep a few to grow inside/somewhere warm/sheltered for new spuds late in the year

Phil

[aquilegia]

Justy - I grow mine in half growbags (turned upright and cut in half, or folded over). As I earth them up I unroll them until it gets to the top (or half way mark!)

I think the depth of a whole compost bag would be too much. I did that last year and spent ages digging down to where teh actual spuds were, only to find very few down there!

[tim]

A reminder - I put supermarket Cara in (outdoors) on 25 June & got 25 pots each by 2 September. So, once again, don't panic!!

[Justy]

good point Aquilegia - my compost bags are huge!  I will go and buy some growbags and give it a try  also has the advantage that I can use the compost already in the growbag.  I can dot them about on the lottie then whereever I can squeeze them in.

[Justy]

made my first grow bag type spud containers today.  I did use the old manure/compost bags after all as the grow bags were white and I was worried that they wouldn't block out the sun enough.  They look good and I have put about 3 spuds in each and placed them at the end of my beds where the soil is so claggy it is impossible to dig. 

p.s how can I post photos on here?

[wardy]

Justy  To post pics you're supposed to pay Dan by using the Donate Pay Pal thing at the top of the page.  this is a contribution to financing this forum.  Lots don't and use Imageshack or Photobucket  :)

I had some old compost bags which I used for my spuds, and an old washbasket.  I don't throw my compost sacks away yer see - these things always have another use  :)  My washbasket spuds are just poking through but no sign of my bagged ones

[Cat]

This is really is a good guide.

I will be doing this next year and just wondered how much the yield would be per pot?

Thanks

Cat

[Conker]

Cat,

I did this at school with a half-bag of compost and a tall waste bin from Tesco!  We didn't look after them too well (forgot to water them/cover them as they grew), yet we yielded about 30-40 potatoes from about 9-10 seed potatoes!  Would love to know what happens if you look after them!!

Give it a go...you might be pleasantly surprised!

Bob