Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: Sadgit on January 06, 2009, 13:21
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Where is the best place to buy them from??
Cheers
SG
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Potato Day or local independant garden centre if you've got one. You can usually find all sorts of varieties and buy them by the tuber rather than by the kg.
(now you're going to ask me about Potato Days aren't you? I'll look for a link.)
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http://www.potatoday.org/
The worst way to buy them (imho) is mail order because of the high cost of postage - due to weight.
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I'm going to a Potato day on the 25th at Ryton Organic Gardens, in Coventry.
I'm a complete newbie to all this so thought it'd be an interesting day out!!
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Thanks for this topic everyone. I'll now be going to Swindon on 31st Jan to buy our seed potatoes!! We met Pennard Plants at the Frome gardening show in the summer and bought some cheap seeds back then. Looking forward to seeing what bargains can be picked up at the potato day!
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I have a 25kg sack of Maris Bard coming for the end of Jan. I spent under £24 (including postage) AND THEY ARE ORGANIC!
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i always get mine at the local potato day [whitchurch hants end off the month ] you get a great veriaty and exelent quality as well as outher local growres and supliers of veges and stuff
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We haven't got a potato day near us unfortunately, I am still trying to decide on varieties to choose for my first earlies. I grew rocket last year and they were nice but I fancy trying something new this time.
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independant garden centre for me, support the locals.
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i order mine through the local allotment association, seems a very reasonable price, though i think i may have gotten carried away aw i have have ordered in the region of 40kg of seed potatoes. though the bed they are going in is 8m x 10m so will hopefully be able to squeeze them all in.
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i order mine through the local allotment association, seems a very reasonable price, though i think i may have gotten carried away aw i have have ordered in the region of 40kg of seed potatoes. though the bed they are going in is 8m x 10m so will hopefully be able to squeeze them all in.
You're going to have a job!
At about 25 to the kilo, that's 1,000 spuds.
Let's say 15 x 8m rows.
That's 67 to a row of 315 inches.
That's one every 4.7 inches.
Depending on whether they are earlies or lates, I think you've got at least 3 times too many.
At least that's what the back of my envelope says.
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i order mine through the local allotment association, seems a very reasonable price, though i think i may have gotten carried away aw i have have ordered in the region of 40kg of seed potatoes. though the bed they are going in is 8m x 10m so will hopefully be able to squeeze them all in.
You're going to have a job!
At about 25 to the kilo, that's 1,000 spuds.
Let's say 15 x 8m rows.
That's 67 to a row of 315 inches.
That's one every 4.7 inches.
Depending on whether they are earlies or lates, I think you've got at least 3 times too many.
At least that's what the back of my envelope says.
perhaps a good idea is scrounge some old compost bags and put the extra in them.
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40 Kg :shock:
I buy about 6 Kg of potatoes and usually have at least a kilo left over after planting my aprox 5 x 5 metre patch.
So by my reconing with 40 Kilos youd be able to plant up at least 200 squ metres and your plot is only 80.
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With 2/3 rds left over, where are you going to put all these bags? I reckon you need about 160 sq m for them!
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hmmm oh well live and learn, got a bit carried away with all the differnt varietys, i think i will probably donate the left overs to my some of my nebhbouring plot holders, but i do have a fair few compost bags kicking around so i can put some in there, they are a mix of earlys, 2nd earlies and mains. still i think i will hopefully have plenty of spuds in the coming year.
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blowing my own trumpet, but please support your local INDEPENDANT garden centre
as they not only carry a wide range but will store them in the right conditions for you.
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I popped into my local nursery back in October and ordered my seed potatoes.
They phoned me yesterday, just to let me know that they are now in stock. Would I get that service from Wyv&le? - I don't think so!.... Please support your local independant specialists, whilst they are still about!
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I agree with the above sentiments and will check out my local garden centres as well. However, if they don't stock the right variety in the right amount I'll go somewhere that does! Maybe kill two birds with one stone and take the family for a day out :D
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Seed potatoes in Ipswich from B&Q Europark seem truly mistreated. They are outside in the cold with no shelter from this frost and awful weather!
Go local - you'll feel better doing so.
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Ive just purchased picaso, kestral ,maris piper, and rocket, from my local garden centre £3.50 for a 3kg bag aprox,but does any one know what to do with them until its time to start chitting,
if you don't by them as soon as they come in, they have gone,i missed out last year :)
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This post by Salmo is very useful.
Chitting seed is in essence advancing the potato lifecycle.
Buy the potatoes any time now and store them in a cool and frost free place. Many shops keep them too warm and they start to sprout. Do not buy them. A garage or shedis ok, they are fine in the dark at this stage. The important thing is to keep them cool so they do not start to sprout.
About 6 week before the expected planting date bring them into a warm and light place. After about a week the potatoes dormancy will break and sprouts, called chits, will appear in the eyes. They think it is Spring.
Once you can see the chits move the potatoes to a cool, light and frost free place. A cool geenhouse or shed window is fine but they may need covering or bringing inside if a frost is forecast.
They will hold like this until you are ready to plant. The chits will grow and become miniature potato plants. Around the base of each you will observe small baubles. These are the roots waiting to grow as soon as they go into the soil.
To get really early potatoes you will need to be prepared to protect tops against frost. I would aim to plant in early March which should give you the first taste in early June. To achieve this you will need to start off the chiting process at the start of February.
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Wilkos. About 8 varieties, £3 for approx. 3kg. Further varieties available in smaller packs. Usually in stores around end of Jan. Tried Pentland Javelin last year, very successful.