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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: gavinjconway on September 10, 2011, 18:37:17

Title: I'm Gutted - Spuds almost a failure
Post by: gavinjconway on September 10, 2011, 18:37:17
I'm gutted... my wheelie bin spuds (Sante i think) that I've grown this year are a real dissapointment.. They were full grown looking like a great crop would be reaped. I emptied them out today and very dissapointed.. Only 5kg... there were a lot of small and very small spuds still on the roots that have not filled out.. I had a lot of good spuds near the top and not too many lower down. Still pleased with is as it is something I heard about doing...

But I think know the reason.. as it was eventually a full bin of soil and commpost I did try to get water down to the bottom but obviously not enough because the soil was very dry when I emptied it. Obviously too dry to grow the littles spuds big!!

I will make up a hose pipe with holes and plugged end and use it to get down to the bottom next year.

Has anyone experienced this problem before?.
Title: Re: I'm Gutted - Spuds almost a failure
Post by: lottie lou on September 10, 2011, 19:06:03
My Anya and PFAs in ordinary black dustbins gave best crop ever - much better than ground.  The ones that came out the best were in the bin with no drainage.
Title: Re: I'm Gutted - Spuds almost a failure
Post by: gavinjconway on September 10, 2011, 21:21:03
Mine had drainage holes but no crocks in the bottom and placed on ground so the holes were blocked up... I just didn't give enough water...
Title: Re: I'm Gutted - Spuds almost a failure
Post by: lottie lou on September 10, 2011, 22:43:06
I was a bit worried about chucking buckets of water in the one without drainage but I didn't want to ruin a good bin just in case I needed to use it later to hold liquids.  Previous year grew my biggest spud in one of those wiggly wigglers bins.  No drainage either but the darned thing cracked down the side for some reason.  (spud? trying to get out).  I put loads of newspaper in the bottom of the others.