I guess this might of been asked before... But I have bought 10 seeding potatoes today and thought would have a go growing them in compost bags as i have some 75 litre ones.
How many potatoes would you put in a bag? I understand that when the shoots come through, add more compost and roll the bag up a bit more. I think Carol Klein did it on Gardeners world. Lack of space in my garden makes this idea to do behind my shed :)
Thanks :D
i did this last year with two different types of spud and put one in the sack and must say it was very successful for one and not at all for the other bizarrely enough
A lot of work for little return?
But 5 to a sack?
mine were not 75 litre sacks they were no bigger then a carrier bag though obviously stronger and would have struggled with more then one plant in each.
Is this method not a good one Tim, I am open to suggestions :)
I have not used this method myself, but I understand it is very successful. I think there a few peeps on here who have grown spuds this way.
I think the main problem with container or bag grown ones is getting the watering right. But I do speak as a novice on this one ;)
As well as using purpose designed potato bags, I used a compost bag last year. It was reasonably successful.
I've read that one should turn compost bags inside out so the black side is outermost and also make drainage slits in the bottom.
I rolled mine down then gradually rolled it up again as the plants grew and I added more compost.
It is important to water and feed.
I think there's an element of truth in what Tim's said, but I'm struggling for space and trying several different varieties this year so will have to use bags again
Anything's worth a try if that's all you can do, & I know that it can work, but I see it as tricky on the watering, needing great care & attention.
Last year I had great results growing spuds in Crisp Boxes (one to a box), complete with the industrial clingfilm that they came in... We had great results - well, the amount you get doing them properly. But...
I gave them a drink every couple of days
I made sure drainage was good
I earthed up with good quality compost
I fed them regularly
I slug deathed them regularly
They looked really tatty (scuse the pun!)
This year I'm doing 3 in an old dustbin, again with good drainage
We do them in black buckets. The results vary, sometimes we get a meal from a bucket, sometimes only a few tiny spuds. But the supermarket spuds I put in buckets in September and put inthe polytunnel came up trumps - we had loads from each bucket - small, but quite tasty.
This year I'm going to put half a doz Swift seed potatoes into buckets in the poly tunnel, think I'll do it now, and we will also put three in one of those potato planter thingies which has also been quite successful.
Will there be enough light behind the shed, Springbokgirlie?
:-\
Just for information Bob Flowerdew suggested that maincrop spuds were the most productive in containers.
Once they are growing you should try to keep them outside as much as possible otherwise you can get a lot of top and not a lot underneath. It gets far too hot in a greenhouse for them and mine have already been well over 30 degrees Centigrade on a lot of days this year. Its a pain moving them back in on cold nights/ days but its for the best.
Quote from: saddad on February 25, 2008, 18:30:11
Will there be enough light behind the shed, Springbokgirlie?
:-\
My shed is a brick shed and behind it theres sun all day :)
I always end up running out of space & have done spuds in plastic tubes designed for the purpose & inside out 75l compost bags, all pretty successful. You do get lots more foliage which made getting from the back door to the nback gate occasionslly a bit of a thrash, but I'll be doing them again this year.
Cheers
I've put a fleece over my potato container (planted in October) which is now full and has haulms 10 inches tall. Seem to be surviving all right but the container is next to the house and on a stone south facing patio.
Quote from: springbokgirlie on February 26, 2008, 11:02:15
Quote from: saddad on February 25, 2008, 18:30:11
Will there be enough light behind the shed, Springbokgirlie?
:-\
They will get great protection when it's windy, ideal spot for them SBG
I grew mine in the medium sized trugs and I had one that gave me 32 swift potatoes, but mostly it was between 20-24 each trug. Gravel in the base and lots of manure, topped off with new compost to earth them up. Idrilled holes about an inch up from the base. 8)
My shed is a brick shed and behind it theres sun all day :)