Topic: Potato surprise

[Digeroo]

Decided to extent area for purples sprouting so a potato plant had to go.  So pulled it up.

Got 7 huge potatoes, one a bit smaller with a green patch which was put back for next year, and three smaller ones.

It has been very dry so I thought the crop would be small.   

[saddad]

A couple of my rows have been disappointing but dug up a very impressive row of charlotte this evening..

[antipodes]

Ohf my spuds have been rubbish! Too dry here, but at least no mildew or blight on anything so far. OH has broken his back getting them out with a pickaxe!!!  We have harvested a few boxes of them and they are healthy but seems very poor compared to how many we planted. Seems like the plants just didn't make spuds! Is  that possible ?

The only good lot was to be had from two volunteers that were growing on my plot under a pile of composted weeds.  I got about 15 spuds!!! and there were at least 7 or 8 really big ones! I don't even know what variety they could be, I usually grow Amandine or Charlottes.

[johhnyco15]

Ohf my spuds have been rubbish! Too dry here, but at least no mildew or blight on anything so far. OH has broken his back getting them out with a pickaxe!!!  We have harvested a few boxes of them and they are healthy but seems very poor compared to how many we planted. Seems like the plants just didn't make spuds! Is  that possible ?

The only good lot was to be had from two volunteers that were growing on my plot under a pile of composted weeds.  I got about 15 spuds!!! and there were at least 7 or 8 really big ones! I don't even know what variety they could be, I usually grow Amandine or Charlottes.

you should try growing potatoes in tubs you can control the moisture and no back ache at harvesting time

[terrier]

Are they bottomless tubs or do they just have drain holes in the bottom like pots?

[johhnyco15]

Are they bottomless tubs or do they just have drain holes in the bottom like pots?

i drilled holes in the bottom and a inch up

[antipodes]

you should try growing potatoes in tubs you can control the moisture and no back ache at harvesting time

No can do, my OH won't allow any type of plastic in the garden (he is obsessed with plastic in the food chain). But we did plant them in a new area that we had just added to the veg garden. So the soil was probably rubbish. However it has given us an excuse to dig over the patch really well, putting them in and getting them out and we can manure and mulch that bit over the winter and plant other things there next year. Nice sunny spot, might be good for the tomatoes.

[DrJohnH]

Are they bottomless tubs or do they just have drain holes in the bottom like pots?

i drilled holes in the bottom and a inch up

Quick question- how big did you make the holes and how far apart?

Thanks!

[johhnyco15]

Are they bottomless tubs or do they just have drain holes in the bottom like pots?

i drilled holes in the bottom and a inch up

Quick question- how big did you make the holes and how far apart?

Thanks!

used a 8mm drill bit around 10mm apart and 4 holes an inch up and  yes antipodes they are all food safe tubs so nothing should leach into the soil  hope this helps oh and the hold around 90 lts of compost