[1st time veg grower]

I have several containers of potatoes on the go and today decided to 'harvest' my new potatoes as the plants had started flopping over (not dying off) and they had been in since St Patricks day. Variety 'Rocket'. I bought the seed potatoes from Suttons in a pack meant to be specifically for containers.

In the previous 2 years of growing potatoes I haven't had much success, I must admitt, (except the year I planted in the ground) but thought that was because I basically lost track of which container was which and harvested them at the wrong time. This year I have kept close track.

And, it seems that isn't the case, I must be doing something wrong - out of two bags (5 seed potatoes) of new potatoes came 6 large potatoes double the size of an ordinary 'new' potato and then 7 small potatoes about the size of a bantam egg and then a small handful of marble/pea sized potatoes. Personally, I don't think that is very many and I am disappointed they weren't 'new' potatoes how I had imagined them.

Each time I earthed them up I put in a handful of chicken manure pellets, and they have been watered when its been warm etc but I haven't given them any extra feed.

I have some 2nd earlies and some salad potatoes also in tubs and patio bags planted around the same time and now flowering and just wonder if I should be doing something else to make sure they crop better than my 'new' potatoes?

[ACatCalledElvis]

hi

I have tried these - I dont do them now, not worth it - I have always reckoned its because they say put 4-6 seed potatoes in the bags - when really 2-3 would be more appropriate - more growing room. Not put this to the scientific test though!!

[SG6]

I get on best with potato's in containers, usually plant 3 in a pot of 48cm dia, at first with the pot about half full of compost and , like yourself, some chicken pellets (quite a few). When they sprout and get big enough they get more compost and more pellets.

Always kept damp as they get scab if too dry, and the tuber needs moisture.

Potato's need feeding, potting compost will not last long, and not sure how much pelleted manure you used. I used to put on the surface a full pot that of about 3-4 inch dia. Full scoop and on it went, twice over the time they are in the pot.

Notice that people are saying they have flowered so I harvested. What is the connection? Only started hearing this over the last few years and last year I drove daily past a large field of potato's. They were not harvested when in flower nor any time soon after. Same for the field that I walked alongside at lunchtime. Just if commerical growers leave them I suspect there is a reason, like size and/or yield.

I would have thought that the process was sprout, grow, flower, create seed, then create tubers for the next year. As the tuber is the potato? (all guesswork ) Would removing the flowers cause them to create more tubers? Their chance of passing on their genetics via seed is plucked so making more tubers means a bigger chance of managing it the next year.

Anyway my guess is slightly insufficent water and food. Maybe's not by much but it wouldn't take much. Also last years posts like this, are your expectations realistic. Last year it seemed that one person planted a potato and expected sufficent to feed them for the rest of the year. Think they expected about 5kg. I would estimate 4-5 from a plant and one or two of them would be smaller then the others.

[mumofstig]

Notice that people are saying they have flowered so I harvested. What is the connection? Only started hearing this over the last few years and last year I drove daily past a large field of potato's. They were not harvested when in flower nor any time soon after. Same for the field that I walked alongside at lunchtime. Just if commerical growers leave them I suspect there is a reason, like size and/or yield.

I would have thought that the process was sprout, grow, flower, create seed, then create tubers for the next year. As the tuber is the potato? (all guesswork ) Would removing the flowers cause them to create more tubers?

main crop potatoes are left until the leaves die down, that way the farmers and us get the highest yield.
As for flowering, it is a sign that the tubers are forming, so gives a rough guide for when to lift as new potatoes, if you want a higher yield leave a bit longer, but then they wont taste like new potatoes so much, so the choice is yours Removing flowers does nothing to increase yields, so it's not worth removing them.
It is a good idea to up the watering at flowering time to help swell the tubers and increase yield

[1st time veg grower]

SG6 - I earthed my potatoes up in their bags 3 times and added a handful of chicken manure pellets each time. Sorry I wasn't clear -one bag had 2 seed potatoes in it, the other 3 - 5 in total between the two bags. From what you have said my yeild was about half what you would ordinarily have expected and that actually probably matches the only expectations I had. I was simply imagining more than 13 edible potatoes from 2 bags. I wasn't hoping to feed myself for the rest of the year from these two bags but I was expecting more than about 4 meals!

Thanks MOS, if you think more food and water is in order for the 2nd earlies, that's what I'll do!

[boldondig]

To give you some data for comparison - not sure whether this is a good or bad yield  ?
Grew 4 x rocket seed potatoes in black tub 50cm diameter and about the same depth. Grew them in MP compost - kept them in for 12 weeks - didn't really see any flowers. Harvested them last weekend and got a good bowlful - about 3KG. They were smallish - hens egg average - but my view is they are new potatoes so you you don't want the too big. I probably harvested a little early but I have more pots to go at ....

[pigeonpie]

We always mix our own soil for the potato pots using 3 parts muck and home made compost to 1 part soil.  Potatoes love a rich fairly heavy soil that keeps its moisture but not so much that the seeds rot.  You might find that the multi purpose compost just isn't strong enough to produce a bumper crop.  They also need plenty of water, it's surprising how quickly they dry out in pots.