Allotments 4 All

we live in wigan, plot in golborne, we have an allotment shop on rob lane, golborne but I think it might be a bit too far away for you, straight down the east lancs, they sell potatoes by the pound/kilo, I usually ask for 10 potatoes, they're not getting them in until end jan and it's £3.00 to join  :)

i grew potatoes for the first time last year in pots. I grew maris piper but harvested them early as small salad potatoes and they were fantastic for flavour. as long as you only put 2 or 3 potato seeds in depending how big the pot is. equally as good to grow potatoes in is black bin liners or in a big bag of compost, but make sure the compost has been well broken up.

I'm growing my pots in containers for the first time this year.  Have decided on Lady Christl (first early) and Cara (maincrop).

Bought my containers from Wilkos in the sale last year and can't wait to get going.

I have always fancied grow pots in pots, but have been put off due to having to buy more seed potatoes than I needed.  Does anyone know of an on-line supplier of small quantities?

dobies sells pots for pots  :)

Hi Shirley - I bought some Charlotte & Red Duke of York over the weekend from a local Garden Centre.  They were in small packs containing 10 seed pots & were £1.69.  Wyevale sell them in packs of 10 too for about £2-3 depending on the variety.
I'm really glad I looked around first as otherwise I would have ended up buying online & spending 3 or 4 times as much!
Just can't wait to get going now!

Thanks, I will make enquiries at the local garden centres, first and check out the Dobies catalogue. 

Quote from: Teej on January 15, 2007, 09:47:38
Hi Shirley - I bought some Charlotte & Red Duke of York over the weekend from a local Garden Centre.  They were in small packs containing 10 seed pots & were £1.69.  Wyevale sell them in packs of 10 too for about £2-3 depending on the variety.
I'm really glad I looked around first as otherwise I would have ended up buying online & spending 3 or 4 times as much!
Just can't wait to get going now!

I bought one of those small packs at the garden centre too, same price!  I got Catriona Second Earlies.  I'm growing 4 pots of them.

Do I just put one seed potato in each pot?  I have no idea what I'm doing!  ;D

Laney

If the pot is around 12" then 1 tuber will be enough

For something the size of a distbin 3 - 4

IMHO Catriona is a very good tasting 2nd early dating back to the sixties or even, according to some, the 20's

Phil

Quote from: philcooper on January 17, 2007, 09:50:59
Laney

If the pot is around 12" then 1 tuber will be enough

For something the size of a distbin 3 - 4

IMHO Catriona is a very good tasting 2nd early dating back to the sixties or even, according to some, the 20's

Phil

Thanks!

I'm growing them in buckets(70p in Asda!), so one tuber should be enough. 

I'm finding myself wishing away the weeks now so that I can get started.

If you're growing somewhere sheltered, patio/balcony where the heat of the house keeps the temp up them why not try planting some now!!

possibly a stupid question from a total veg growing novice

but you know if you have a sprouting potato - could you plant that in a tub/ old dust bin/ wheelie bin - whatever container - and grow them from that?? provided the tub was big enough

would that work??

You have inspired me to try growing some potatoes in pots in my conservatory! If I put a first early tuber in a pot, will I need to fill the pot, or wait and then top up the compost as if earthing up, as the plant grows?

cj :)

Top up when earthing up, and yes Benjy it will grow but its too cold outside but rather than supermarket spuds buy some seeded spuds that are now available plant outside Feb/Mar  and check out potato threads.

The RHS have fairly detailed instructions here

http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0506/potatoespots.asp

Barnowl,

The RHS advice is good but the number of tubers seems high (unless you want very small tubers), the bit on watering before flowering is highly suspect - they will need lots of water - and don't use chemical fertilisers - use compost or FYM when planting and water (including the foliage) with seaweed extract based liquid feed eg Maxicrop.

And if there are flowers, pick them off - the energy that the plant puts into them is wasted.

The fertiliser and flower removal bits apply equally to garden planted spuds

Phil

Thanks Phil, very useful advice. :)

Dobies/Suttons (Look like to same catalogue) sell potato starter kits, which appear quite expensive, at £24.95, but I cannot work out the logic of their quantities.  The complete kits comprises of  5 tubers each of 3 different varieties (15 tubers) and 3 buckets. The instructions says you place 2-3 tubers per bucket. What do you do with the remaining tubers ???

The refill pack of 15 tubers is £4.95 which means they are charing £20 for 3 buckets 40cm high by 40cm dia.

I think I will have a look around the garden centres for small quantities

Morrisons are selling the black handleless buckets that they get flowers in for 99p for 6 in many stores. Now all you need Shirley are the spuds.

There are 2 Potato Days in Scotland this year, Kelso & Edinburg, see thewhitchurchweb.org/potatoday/potatodays.htm

Phil

Poundland are selling Unwins Desiree seed potaoes. !0 in a bag & obviously £1.
The co-op shops give away the black buckets that the flowers are kept in. Well our local one does.