How do you get potatoes bigger?

[Icyberjunkie]

I dug up my first plants worth of King Edwards yesterday and although there were enough to easily feed the family they were not very big, more like new potatoes in fact.

How do you get them to grow bigger or is just luck of draw?

They were delicious though   :)

[Icyberjunkie]

[undercarriage plan]

Mmmmmm did they have enough water? Lottie  ;D

[Derekthefox]

I have been told by my neighbours that it is down to nourishing the soil before planting, using BF & B or potato fertiliser ...

I must admit, this year is my best ever for potatoes, the international kidney are just delicious, and both the desiree and cara are slug free, and at least a reasonable size. I did not feed, so will endeavour to compare with next years crop, which I intend to feed with BF & B. I still have pink fir apple to lift in October.

Each year sees different results though, so comparisons are difficult. :-\

More important to me though is the flavour, King Edward are just superb ...

Derekthefox :D

[Icyberjunkie]

Under general advice I didn't water so that could be part of it....

As for fertilising I went by the general that you should plant root veg in unmanured/fertilised soil.......well it was my first year  :-\     So if your supposed to thats another learning for next year!

Thanks guys or should that be guy and girl....?  ;D

....oh yes, one other thing - am i guessing right that BF&B = blodd, fish and bone?

[MikeB]

Hi Icyberjunkie

Try http://www.hdra.org.uk/factsheets/gg9.htm

Regards

MikeB

[Icyberjunkie]

Thanks Mike - but that has reminded me of another question!   

The item states about not storing potatoes in plastic sacks...but are the plastic woven kind acceptable or does it have to be paper?


Thanks Iain

[Derekthefox]

Blood Fish and Bone yes! apparently potatoes are so hungry that they dont classify as normal roots ..., and they are tubers of course. To be honest, I have always wondered why potatoes are grouped with roots too, but then I am rather intellectually challenged, hmmm this is leading back to the sanity question again ... I need to lie down in a darkened room ...

ha ha ha

Derekthefox :D

[MikeB]

Hi

I believe the reason for storing potatoes in paper sacks, is that the paper absorbs any moisture on the surface of the potato, hence reducing the risk of mould or fungus.  Alternatively Hessian sacks as these allow air in and do the same job.  Plastic sacks make the potatoes 'sweat'

Regards

MikeB

[Multiveg]

Mwah, mine aren't very impressive - holes, eelworm, slugs, and even the Sarpo blight resistant ones don't look all that healthy. The groundkeepers where I had Sarpo before look a darn sight more healthy than the other spuds planted this year.

[dibberxxx]

you need to talk to them and sing to them Icy thats what they need love and attention  ;) ;) ;)

[Icyberjunkie]

lol dibber - must stop ignoring them then  ;D

Wardy,  there was no growth left as the plants had completely died down about 2 weeks ago.    Dug a full row tonight and had a few bigger ones so maybe not as bad as I first thought.  Strangely the plants grown on last years compost heap ground produced more small potatoes than the rest of those in that row so very confused now - although thats easy done  ::)

Must go looking for spud sacks though - todays are in an old charcoal bag I had so should be fine but not enough room for them all!

Thanks for all the reponses,  and apologies for putting you in the darkened room Derek  ;)   Iain

[Derekthefox]

No problem Iain, someone questioned my sanity I recall, perhaps they were right ...  ;D Other than that I am doing ok  ;)

Derekthefox  :D

[growmore]

Try your local chippie (fish and chip shop) for spud sacks they are  usually pleased to give them away as they have loads and most just throw em away .Some even have to pay to have them disposed of.   

[Mrs Ava]

My spuds have been grrrrrrrrrrrreat this year, with the exception of the roosters which the slugs really enjoyed.  Still to dig my King Edwards though.  The foliage has been gone for a good 3 weeks so must get them out this week.  I was always told plenty of feed and water gives you big spuds, but I do not water mine, and have had some monsters! 

[tim]

On a meter, I could not afford to water thoroughly. And I don't always use fertiliser. And we have no manure. And we are on fast draining land.

So why do we get a good proportion of huge potatoes?

[Derekthefox]

I guess you could keep a philosophy class occupied for hours with that one Tim  ;) That's one of the strangest things I have noticed about gardening, the unpredictability ...

Derekthefox :D

[keef]

I grew king edwards last year and they seem to produce massive tops but only loads of fairly small spuds, most sort hens egg to lemon size. But they do taste very good.

Dig in plenty of manure this year, i find spuds grow much better (bigger) in rich soil, also water them if it gets dry. I hav'nt been able to get any dung for the last couple of years - this year the spuds ive dug so far are just about average but not as big as i'd hoped, hav'nt dug my cara's or most of my desires yet though. This year i'm going to do a midnight raid on the local farms dung pile up on the downs  ;)

Paper sacks are the best - let less light in and help to keep the spuds dry.

[Robert_Brenchley]

The first year I had the plot I got mini-potatoes. They've got bigger every year since, I put it down to lots of organic matter going in.

[john_miller]

Under general advice I didn't water so that could be part of it....

As for fertilising I went by the general that you should plant root veg in unmanured/fertilised soil.......well it was my first year  :-\     So if your supposed to thats another learning for next year!

The main reason you don't fertilise root crops is to avoid the roots splitting, and looking unattractive as a result- they are still edible, if the root tip should encounter pockets of high nutrient concentrations. Potato tubers do not have actively growing roots so there is not much danger of them splitting from that cause. They also don't count as a root crop because they are a storage organ, not a root.
Potatoes are generally viewed as heavy feeders so, in addition to a base dressing being put down, a top dressing of N is applied just prior to flowering as this tends to coincide with tuber initiation. Sufficent water is also most critical at this point. This will help avoid hollow heart- due to inadequate boron being available- and allow the cells to swell to their full size.

[Icyberjunkie]

Thanks again for all the input as well as the rather obvious tip of talking to the local chip shop owner - particularly as I know him quite well!

Makes me feel much better to see your comment Tim.  If even you don't know there must be some hope for me  ;D