Author Topic: Spuds in containers  (Read 1803 times)

lottie lou

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Spuds in containers
« on: August 04, 2017, 19:48:53 »
Just emptied some of my tubs.approx 2.5 lbs per tub.  Shoved the soil back into the tubs.  I am aware that its best to rotate however wondered of it would be okay to reuse the soil as it is such a faff filling the tubs again and even worse for the dustbins which I haven't emptied yet.  Also what do othe fellow spuds in tubs growers use as a growing medium?  Bought compost far too expensive, impossible to make enough compost myself, council does not sell compost and have no transport to collect even if they did.  Ideas/suggestions appreciated.  May

BarriedaleNick

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Re: Spuds in containers
« Reply #1 on: August 06, 2017, 15:58:44 »
I do a fair bit of container growing and I do reuse the soil but add to it as I go along.  I might add some chicken poo pellets and some bonemeal or whatever I have at the time but I also add some bought compost or some home made stuff or some manure from the stables.  Difficult if you don't have transport but well rotted stable manure is a godsend.  We can get delivery of it in cubic meter bags if needed or we can get mushroom compost or cow poo delivered too.  Must be somewhere round you that can deliver or perhaps get a mate to give you a lift to some stables. 
Failing that then just make sure you add some ferts to the tubs in whatever form you prefer
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lottie lou

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Re: Spuds in containers
« Reply #2 on: August 06, 2017, 20:09:30 »
Thanks.  Just wanted assurance that I wouldn't be condemned to hell and damnation with all my spuds deseased and withered if I reused some of the original soil.  Usually use fresh soil humped from other end of plot and earthed up with new compost but unfortunately I'm not as young as I used to be.

pumkinlover

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Re: Spuds in containers
« Reply #3 on: August 07, 2017, 06:11:21 »
I use my home made compost from the bin to fill the potato pots. In an ideal world it would be sieved first but that hasn't happened yet!

brownthumb2

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Re: Spuds in containers
« Reply #4 on: August 08, 2017, 08:01:09 »
Am I right in saying you cant/shouldn't use the same compost for growing potatoes  a second time  as it would like growing potatoes in the same patch of ground as you did last year  if its ok to grow in the same compost why do we rotate them in the ground it  would be a lot easier if we did grow in the same bed each year and avoid volunteer's springing up all over the allotment

BarriedaleNick

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Re: Spuds in containers
« Reply #5 on: August 08, 2017, 17:45:12 »
I guess the main reasons for rotation are
To avoid depleting the soil of nutrients (or avoiding freshly manured beds for stuff like carrots etc)
To avoid the build up of pests and disease that pertain to particular plants.

If you are adding nutrients and mixing the soil up with other stuff then I think the points above are nullified to a certain extent.
One reason I move my spuds about is that the soil gets a good digging over and I add loads of manure/organic matter to earth them up so I do end up with improved beds.  Other then that I don't follow strict rotation..
Moved to Portugal - ain't going back!

johhnyco15

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Re: Spuds in containers
« Reply #6 on: August 08, 2017, 18:39:48 »
i rotate my tubs first its a mixture last years and some new compost as cheap as i can get it mix this with ffb plant spuds when spuds are harvested i put carrots in the tubs with a handful of bonemeal thats first and second early i also sow late climbing french beans in some tubs the later tubs get some spring onions sown the main crop tub soil is saved to mix in next season the rest when carrots beans and spring onions have been harvested the soil tops up my raised  beds mixed up with leafmould hope this helps
johhnyc015  may the plot be with you

gazza1960

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Re: Spuds in containers
« Reply #7 on: August 08, 2017, 19:20:24 »
Visiting the channel islands years ago gave jude and I some great info on revitalising old dirt on the plot,of course then we lived at heathrow so collecting seaweed was a chore,now we live 20 mins from Poole Harbour im a frequent visitor as the harbour holds loads of weed passing through so Gazza just collects plenty of bladderwrack and I lay it on the potato plants and allow mother nature to break it up over the growing season,bags need a bit more care so I allow the weed to break up in a bucket into a soft mess....only don't get too close as it stinks to high heaven....I turn the dirt out of the bags and check for any old weeds,reload it and once the new tatters have appeared above ground I put some of the seaweed slurry around them.........works fine ......of course seaweed Tea is whats left over in the bucket I then filter through judes old tights...........don't tell her or she,ll kill me..........once done I pour it over my tommies once a week after the first trusses are set.

anyway the seaweed has worked for centuries for the channel islanders on their spuds so good enough for me.

GazNjude

 

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