Topic: Potatoes grown in containers

[Marlborough]

Hi, just been watching allotment diaries on YouTube, the guy who makes the videos had planted 2 Sarpo Mira seed potatoes in a 35 litre pot. When he tipped the pot out at the end of the growing season, he had 11 pound of spuds from one pot. He used B and Q compost with a little fertilizer, has anyone else used this method of growing and if so how did it turn out.

[johhnyco15]

im trying it for the first time this year so far so good plants look healthy im trying maris piper so ill let you know how i get on

[pumkinlover]

I have grown a number of earlies this way, starting off in February in greenhouse. It worked well and we eating lovely spuds now.
Plan is to do some more later on so get a late crop of earlies!
I tried with maincrop a few years ago in compost bags but didn't work well but probably not got enough care at the time.
Good luck with yours johhnyco15.

[Ellen K]

Marshalls are selling these potato pots and I was wondering about copying the design ...

http://www.marshalls-seeds.co.uk/potato-grow-pot-single-pid8918.html?utm_source=product&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ACPotatoesJune2015

The idea is that the plant continues to produce as you pick, a nice idea if you are trying to grow for one person and you haven't got a lot of space.  I might try to improvise the design next year with 2 close fitting pots. 

The RHS have trialled potatoes grown in bags, earlies only mind, and I had always thought that poor yields were down to variable temperature in the bag but the RHS says that it is lack of watering at the critical time.  I am not a member and can't find the original reference but google shows this:

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/planttrials/trials2.asp?trialnum=1952 and you can see the link to the trial report (yields only)


I've just done one bag this year, started late March with 3 Lady Christl which were already chitted, will harvest this weekend as I can't wait any longer !!!

[astraman1]

we do some in the green house for an early crop use the flower buckets from supermarkets

[Silverleaf]

I'm going to try earlies in the greenhouse next year. If the tubers I missed at harvest (loads) can survive the winter in my raised beds, then I think they'll manage in the unheated greenhouse.

[Spookyville]

Always grow mine in plastic dustbins. great yields every year with no slug damage :) Even if they go in late (like thisd year - 10 of the 16 bins were only planted about 3 weeks ago) they always catch up by September. 

Got a few posts relating to them on my blog which highlight the method. http://www.downtheplot.co.uk/?cat=7

[BarriedaleNick]

Like other I do some earlies in buckets in the poly.  Decent enough results but nothing spectacular.  Earlies don't respond like lates with earthing up (not enough time??) so maybe results would be more spectacular with later varieties??

[laurieuk]

I tried this some time ago with good results you can see om my blog site under older posts at the end of my blog.

[Marlborough]

I got a catalogue from Medwyns of Anglesey, they sell own brand potatoe poly bags and potatoe fertiliser. The guy on allotment diaries uses 35l pots available on EBay, 10 for £32. 

[johhnyco15]

just opened up one of the gardeners world freebies 8 ltr bags planted with one  charlotte not bad will leave the rest for a week or so

[Obelixx]

Here's the link to the RHS report on potatoes in containers if anyone is interested:-

https://www.rhs.org.uk/about-the-rhs/pdfs/publications/the-garden/2014/February-2014/Top-of-the-pots

[Digeroo]

I like the idea of the double pots from Marshalls but not keen on the price, may have a go with a  couple of Wickes buckets.  I have one with a hole in it already, was going to throw it out.

 

[pumkinlover]

I like the idea of the double pots from Marshalls but not keen on the price, may have a go with a  couple of Wickes buckets.  I have one with a hole in it already, was going to throw it out.

 

Skip dipping is another useful source- though good wash might be needed!

[Jayb]

I like the idea of the double pots from Marshalls but not keen on the price, may have a go with a  couple of Wickes buckets. 

Me too, I made one from two flower buckets yesterday! I think the size is on the small side but should be ok for one early type. A builders bucket/ wickes one would perhaps be a better size.

[Robert_Brenchley]

This is how I'm growing TPS this year. I'm a bit short of the big pots, but it's working a lot better than putting it in open beds.

[Jayb]

Looks great, what size of pots are you using?

[Robert_Brenchley]

About 40cm. I'm not sure whether this is the best size, it's just that I had a few. A lot of my big pots are tall rather than wide, and I'm not sure these will work as well.