[Cake Lady]

I picked up 4 tubers of pink fir apple when I got the rest of my seed potatoes.  Wanted to try them as I'd tasted them at my aunts and they were delicious, but as they weren't part of the plan for this year I only picked 4.

Since coming home and googling... I now realise that they are maincrop potatoes.  Our site does get blight, and many fellow allotmenteers swear by only growing first and second earlies because of this.  My dilema now is, do I risk putting them in and them succumbing to blight or do I try and grow at home in pots?  I've tried potatoes in pots a few times before i had an allotment and they never really did that well, although i only grew in compost so could make a change there.  They are currently sitting on the windowsill producing chits after 2 weeks!!  Apparently they're slow / difficult to chit?

Just wondering if anyone has any advice either way?
Thanks.

[compostqueen]

I would do them at home in pots as you've only got four tubers, which will be fine in a big tub filled with growbag compost 

[mumofstig]

I grew some in big pots/tubs and used half and half mix of soil and compost and they did quite well   

You have to make sure you water them enough - an inch of water at the top only gets down 8 inches so deep tubs take a lot of watering 

[Jamrock]

I've grown them in large pots, trugs and tyre stacks and they did very well. They are very susceptible to blight so I would try and eliminate as much risk as possible

They are as you say delicious so best of luck!

[devonbarmygardener]

Worth any blight risk They're soo yummy. I put mine in bags and they've done ok.

[sunshineband]

They are quite a lte maturing maincrop, well worth the wait though  

The plants are very tall, so if you are going to grow them in bags or large pots, think ahead to how you will support the foliage to stop it dragging down onto the ground.

And as MoS said, they need a lot of water and plenty of feed in containers.

[boldondig]

Grew them last year - taste was fabulous. yes they got blight and the tubers did not keep, so could not store any ( i tried but the tubers rotted )- but the one eaten early were worth it - if you only have 4 tubers and are not planning to store any - I would give it a go...

[Jamrock]

I have never fed them after planting and have been more than happy with output.

I used multi-purpose compost mixed with sieved soil about 60/40 ratio, decent amount of stones/gravel in the bottom for drainage (about 5cm above your pots drainage holes) and a handful of manure directly under the seed potato upon planting. From that point on they were just watered.

[Salmo]

They are usually the first to get blight.

As soon as blight is seen on the leaves cut off the tops to stop it spreading to the tubers.

You are not after huge bakers so stopping them a little early will just mean a few less. As mentioned by someone else they are very vigorous and produce lots of potatoes anyway.

[Cake Lady]

Thanks for the replies.  i think i'll give them a go in pots then and make a better mix for growing in.  I have a small amount of rotted manure left that I haven't used yet and then will use a mix of home made compost and soil. 

I love the idea of stones at the bottom - i usually put broken up pieces of polystyrene in the bottom as I don't have any broken pot, but not sure why i've never thought of stones.  I should also remember to water as i've usually got hanging baskets & other bits in the garden that i water frequently.

I'm now quite glad I realised they're a maincrop and not stuck them in blindly!

[Hamani]

I grew them last year, didn't get any blight like some of the more popular variaties. They tasted great but was a small crop.

[devonbarmygardener]

had a look at my Pink Fir Apple tubers tonight and some of them are massive!

I've never had the actual potatoes get that big!