potatoes in bags

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shankers

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potatoes in bags
« on: February 17, 2011, 18:45 »
has anybody had any success growing early potatoes in bags?. I have tried for the last two years starting them off in greenhouse then standing outside when it warms up and the results have been yery nice spuds but very small amount. I am giving it another go this year and if no improvement back to Sainsburys. I would appreciate any suggestions of how to improve cropping.

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VirginVegGrower

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Re: potatoes in bags
« Reply #1 on: February 17, 2011, 18:55 »
Yes, last year I had great success if you are restricted on space, but you have to water them more. I fed mine too.
Good luck if you try them.
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iggyboy60

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Re: potatoes in bags
« Reply #2 on: February 17, 2011, 20:07 »
Container growing is an art form and watering is the vital key. Moving the bags around may not be helping matters,so I'd plant your potatoes and leave them in situ. Just make sure your growing medium does not dry out and you should get good results. VVG makes a good point when mentioning feeding....you can buy potato fertiliser and it works a treat.
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Ma and Pa Snip

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Re: potatoes in bags
« Reply #3 on: February 17, 2011, 20:59 »
Agree with VVG,

however I dont think you can ever expect to get the same yield as ground grown. We certainly never have but still find using them to be satisfying and worthwhile.

Unless otherwise stated it can be assumed ALL posts are by Pa Snip

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Plot3B

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Re: potatoes in bags
« Reply #4 on: February 17, 2011, 21:08 »
Agree with VVG,

however I dont think you can ever expect to get the same yield as ground grown. We certainly never have but still find using them to be satisfying and worthwhile.


I agree too. Tried the same last year but devoting a third of my allotment to potatoes this year.

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solway cropper

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Re: potatoes in bags
« Reply #5 on: February 17, 2011, 22:14 »
The normal green grow sacks have insufficient drain holes and I always add extra ones or the compost can get waterlogged at the bottom.

Yields are lower in containers but I would only grow earlies that way so it doesn't matter. You are going for taste rather than quantity. The great advantage is starting them off in the greenhouse to get an early crop. I've already got 12 tatties away and am hoping for the first picking around mid May. Unless we get some severe frosts, which is always possible. Still, nothing ventured, nothing gained

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joyfull

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Re: potatoes in bags
« Reply #6 on: February 17, 2011, 22:45 »
I have tried growing in tyres but was very dissapointed.
Staffies are softer than you think.

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rhysdad

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Re: potatoes in bags
« Reply #7 on: February 18, 2011, 06:11 »
I got very excited when I had 9 ( yes 9!!)  bags of spuds on the go last year. I found that although they were very nice, the amount of compost needed etc rendered it a very expensive way of growing them. I only got spuds in the bottom of the bag, it wasn't worth adding the extra compost and potato feed after filling the bag halfway so if you are going to grow them, bear that in mind!!
« Last Edit: February 18, 2011, 06:21 by rhysdad »

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kezlou

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Re: potatoes in bags
« Reply #8 on: February 18, 2011, 09:21 »
I've grown potatoes for the past couple of years in pots and bags with success.

All i ever do is get a grow bag, cut off the top , place a spud in the top bit.
Then half down the grow bag, make another slit and place a potato in that.

Within four months the bag was,bulging i just split it to get them out. Literally the entire bag will filled with them.

The main of advice i can give is make sure you water the regularly as the compost dries out quite quickly.
I've had the problem with containers too, as i'm what you call a container gardener.

HTH
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bigben

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Re: potatoes in bags
« Reply #9 on: February 18, 2011, 14:25 »
As others have said watering is key - I have lost some because the drainage holes were not big enough and I have also seen poor yeilds when I was too busy to water regularly. Last year I had my best yeild by always keeping the compost moist and once a week

The other issue is that of the limited amount of nutrients in the soil. You need to start with a fairly rich mix and keep topping up. Last year I dissolved a few chicken pellets and a small amount of tomato feed into a full watering can and used it to "feed" the bags once a week.

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shankers

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Re: potatoes in bags
« Reply #10 on: February 23, 2011, 12:39 »
thanks everybody for good suggestions if I dont get a good crop this year there`s something wrong.

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kermit

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Re: potatoes in bags
« Reply #11 on: February 23, 2011, 22:22 »
I've grown potatoes for the past couple of years in pots and bags with success.

All i ever do is get a grow bag, cut off the top , place a spud in the top bit.
Then half down the grow bag, make another slit and place a potato in that.

Within four months the bag was,bulging i just split it to get them out. Literally the entire bag will filled with them.

The main of advice i can give is make sure you water the regularly as the compost dries out quite quickly.
I've had the problem with containers too, as i'm what you call a container gardener.

HTH

Thats interesting - most advice seems to be plant in bottom and earth up to top of bag.  I do this and get a decent, but not massive crop.  I might try adding seed halfway up as an experiment to try and avoid the empty compost at the top half that rhysdad alludes to.

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Kristen

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Re: potatoes in bags
« Reply #12 on: February 23, 2011, 22:41 »
I think I read that when you harvest Potatoes once you find the original (now rotten!) seed potato there won't be any more any lower down - if that's right it makes me a bit sceptical about surface planting - maybe the bulk of the harvest was from the seed Potato planted through the slit in the side of the bag?

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JayG

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Re: potatoes in bags
« Reply #13 on: February 24, 2011, 10:23 »
I have tried growing in tyres but was very dissapointed.

Perhaps you should have taken them off the car first?
Sow your seeds, plant your plants. What's the difference? A couple of weeks or more when answering possible queries!

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Ma and Pa Snip

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Re: potatoes in bags
« Reply #14 on: February 24, 2011, 13:36 »
But isnt that what crop rotation is about.  Might have been working on a Tricycle system  :D



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