Potatoes

8 comments

This year my sister and I both grew potatoes in a potato ‘tub’. Planting chitted potatoes at the bottom of the tub under an inch or so of soil. As the green appeared, we covered the new growth with another inch (or until completely covered) until the soil reached the top of the tub – ‘earthing up’ in conventional terms. I then left the plants to grow out of the top of the tub and now have tree like growth! The practice of earthing up is supposed to encourage the production of extra tubers (or potatoes). By growing the plants like this I hope to reveal a bumper crop any day now…. the tub opens at the bottom like many composters, and is reusable next year. I will keep you informed of the results!

15 Jun, 2007
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Comments

Genuisscuffy

I too grow potatoes in containers - old wheelie bins are a favourite because you can then just tip them out to harvest them, also old compost bags turned inside out work too just dont forget to add some holes for drainage! Let us know how you got on - it would be interesting to see how long the tub lasts - do they give you a guarantee?

16 Jun, 2007

Tussiemussie

i did the same with the largest garden tubs I could find and the 6 potatoes earthed up grew rapidly and look very healthy, now way above the pots, the disadvantage is that
I will have to tip them out to harvest. I have tried heritage varieties for flavour,, and next year will try some early Jersey Royals.

17 Jun, 2007

Joey

Old Wheelie bins are a fantastic idea - when the current purchase give up the ghost I might give them a whirl. I think there must be a way to cut a hole in the base and rig a cover until harvest time. Hmmm worth thinking on. I will dig out the box to see if there is a guarantee Genuisscuffy, and I will find the package for the chitted potatoes and let you know what I have got Tussiemussie.

21 Jun, 2007

Tussiemussie

Thought this might interest you Joey, read what it says about potato yields?
http://www.allotment.org.uk/vegetables_and_herbs/assets/comfrey.PDF

21 Jun, 2007

Joey

Thanks Tussiemussie, I am currently growing veg in pots but I am becoming more and more interested in green manures. I know that lupins can be really good at adding much needed nitrogen to the soil. This was a really interesting article - huge thanks

29 Jun, 2007

Joey

SO... I opened the hatch to have a tentative dig about and found a potato about the size of a gooseberry so I quickly shut the hatch before too much soil came out and walked away hastily. I am planning to return to excavate properly in the next few days.. if it stops hailing!

4 Jul, 2007

Joey

The water is boiling away and I cant wait to tuck into my potatoes! The little'n must have been the runt of the litter because the others are corkers... no baby new potatoes here!

7 Jul, 2007

Bellabella

Just joined this community, found it when googling a potato question. Any advice welcome. I planted potatoes at the end of March in three big plastic tubs. The growth is phenomenal - about 4ft high from the top of the compost. However, they haven't flowered yet and the lower leaves are turning yellow. The foliage looks a bit past it and has been eaten quite a lot. Should I hang on and see if they flower? Or should I dig in and see what's going on - I think there might be too many seed pots in there - 5.

Thanks for help

23 Jun, 2009

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