I grew some earlies in containers for the first time this year. One Red Duke of York (first early) and one Charlotte (second early) in an old plastic dustbin full of compost, soil and manure produced 1.8 kg - Charlottes did better than than Red Duke of York. I'll definitely do it again.
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We haven't got enough garden space to grow potatoes, so we grow them in tubs as well. It's well worth the effort.
valmarg
Just out of interest, did you find that they grew a lot taller in the tubs, mine ended up over 3.5ft tall and were falling over by the end?
Quote from: posie on July 21, 2008, 19:54:24
Just out of interest, did you find that they grew a lot taller in the tubs, mine ended up over 3.5ft tall and were falling over by the end?
Yes. They grew very tall and I had to support them with stakes and string towards the end, 2 or 3 weeks before I harvested them. I also had to water them regularly.
Hopalong_ was that one seed potato to each bin. And was it a a domestic black full size dustbin?
Duke
Yes, I suppose putting them into a very rich compost, as opposed to planting them in the ground, did encourage top growth.
I would still say it was a worthwhile effort.
valmarg
P.S. I understand that if you pot some potatoes up in containers next month, you could have some new potatoes for Christmas ??? ???
valmarg
I grew mine in black Morrisons flower buckets for the first time this year with great success. Surfice to say, this is what I'll be doing next year only with more varieties! The days of planting in the ground and lifting slug infested spuds have long gone. ;D
Quote from: Duke Ellington on July 21, 2008, 22:24:21
Hopalong_ was that one seed potato to each bin. And was it a a domestic black full size dustbin?
Duke
It was a domestic size black bin. I am also growing a few in large pots, but only one seed potato per pot. Have not harvested those yet. (Also some in my compost heap - ditto).
Paul
For a standard dustbin I use 5 potatoes and manure enriched compost. Charlottes are one of the best potatoes to grow in bins. I don't grow Red Duke of York on account of poor harvests, won't be growing Vales Emerald either, not because of poor harvests but on account that there are much better potatoes to grow. Will most likely grow Mayan Gold next year , along with the Charlottes.
So far planted half of my Christmas crop of Charlottes after Edwin Tuckers delivered them 3 weeks ago - the rest will go in over the next month, as and when bins become free.
Comparison pictures of harvests from Vales Emerald, Maris Bard, Anya, and Estima on my blog http://vortexs-veg-patch.blogspot.com/
Thanks Vortex. I'll try putting more in my dustbin next year. And I agree with you about Red Duke of York. The Charlotte seed potato produced a far better crop.
We tried 'red duke of york' and 'arran pilot' in tubs. The arran pilot had double the yield in comparison to the red duke of york.
I planted 3 tubers per large pot - and got about 3 pounds of Epicures per pot. Last year I planted 4 tubers per pot of Wiljas and got about 5 pounds per pot. What did you do with the pots your grew potatoes in last year Vortex - did you reuse the compost, or did you put it in the garden? I was wondering if the same rotation rules would apply to pots as soil in the garden. PS - my shaws were about 5 feet - and needed staked too.
Meg
Been looking at seed/plant website and they have late potatoes for sale to plant out between now and August. Is it better to plant in containers or into the ground at this time of year?
I have a new plot and want to get growing stuff asap after dicovering that some veggies will grow over winter.... didn't know they could as i am a novice gardener!!
I experimented this year with growing first earlies in garden bin bags. I had one bag inside another, then put in a base layer of compost and four or five chitted potatoes per sack. I added compost on irregular occasions, in fact I would confess to somewhat neglecting the potatoes, leaving them to do their thing.
The result is I've never had potatoes grow so tall, and it has been a pleasure to pull them out by hand and not have to deal with slugs or other soil critters. I'm not sure what the yield has been, but it's been enough for the three of us to have 2/3 meals with potatoes each week (harvesting as and when we need them). Next year bins or old tyres, it'll be tidier!
I planted either lettuce or carrots in mine when the potatoes came out...
I reuse the compost, but I do add about 30% fresh compost and manure with a couple of scoops of fish/blood/bone per builders barrow of compost. Haven't had any problems yet and I've had my autumn sown potatoes taken out by blight for the last two years.
I know its wind blown before anyone suggests otherwise as the tomatoes in the hanging basket under the window in the roof of the greenhouse get taken out at the same time and there isn't a wind blown route that connects the two crops. in addition the spring/summer sown batches are unaffected.
Quote from: hopalong on July 21, 2008, 18:42:25
I grew some earlies in containers for the first time this year. One Red Duke of York (first early) and one Charlotte (second early) in an old plastic dustbin full of compost, soil and manure produced 1.8 kg - Charlottes did better than than Red Duke of York. I'll definitely do it again.
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When you say compost do you mean the stuff you buy from the shops or would it be possible to use garden soil enriched with manure for growing potatoes in bins?
seed potatoes, where do you get them from? would love to grow some in pots, i have some asda flower pots, (freebies) ;D
Either sort of compost will do - depends on what you have available.
Seed potatoes - Any of the major suppliers will have them Dobies, Marshals, Suttons, Unwins, but I got mine from Edwin Tuckers http://www.tuckers-seeds.co.uk/index.php
Quote from: jordsbabe on July 22, 2008, 21:31:22
seed potatoes, where do you get them from? would love to grow some in pots, i have some asda flower pots, (freebies) ;D
I have a few pink fir that my friend gave me. They are very well chitted as she tried to grow them in bags but it didn't work for her. I think she misunderstood my instructions.
Welcome Lottie Lou :D
Well at least you have them, you may need to give your friend a practical demo ;)
Quote from: Vortex on July 22, 2008, 21:34:39
Either sort of compost will do - depends on what you have available.
Seed potatoes - Any of the major suppliers will have them Dobies, Marshals, Suttons, Unwins, but I got mine from Edwin Tuckers http://www.tuckers-seeds.co.uk/index.php
Thanks