[Grubbypaws]

I am going to be out of the country from March-May but cannot conceive of not having any potatoes planted. Last year I followed all the instructions regarding growing potatoes in containers and got a bumper crop. This year however I am not going to be present to earth up. Does anyone know what would happen if I placed the potatoes on a layer of growing medium and then just filled the pots to the top in one go? Would the shoots be able to make it to the top and to the light?

 

[arugula]

Would the shoots be able to make it to the top and to the light?

 

I should think they would.

[Ema]

I think they'd be fine providing we don't get a real dry spell. You could even pu a few inches of straw on top if you run out of soil

[fatcat1955]

Earthing up can be done in one go or in stages.

[SG6]

Mine have managed to make it to the top in the last 3 years.
Don't know the exact pots you use, mine have the little 2-3 inch cone like things at the bottom so they don't drain direct out of the base. I put the potatoes about 2/3 down and if concerned put some bark chips over the surface.

Pots I use are 18" across and 18" high. This years are going into some 22" dia and 16" high tubs I picked up last year.

[shoozie]

Yes.  Place an appropriate fertiliser when planting your potatoes before covering up.  Then feed and water as you would normally.

We grow quite a few bags and tried this double decker last year in a couple of bags of earlies ..
http://www.thompson-morgan.com/how-to-grow-potatoes-in-bags
It was a lot less hassle and the results were no more varied than the earthed up bags.  Frost could be your main problem if you are not on hand to fleece any showing tops - we got a few late frosts in May and though the potatoes recovered, it did set them back a bit. 

Ps, we don't plant until the end of first week of April here, at the earliest.  Generally I find the bags don't need watered until week 6, when we also begin using a liquid feed.

[Grubbypaws]

I have LadyC, Yukon gold, pink fir apple and sarpo mira.

I was thinking of planting out the LadyC and the Yukon gold just before I leave in March and then waiting until I return in June to plant out the more blight resistant Fir apple and Sarpo Mira. Does this sound like a good plan or is June just too late?

[Jamrock]

blight resistant Fir apple

Are you sure?  :blink:

[mumofstig]

Sarpo is a late main crop, and needs about 5 months in the ground so I'd get them in before you go if poss

[Grubbypaws]

blight resistant Fir apple

Are you sure?  :blink:

Last year they grew cheek to jowl with some horribly blighted vivaldi (I was away when it struck) and they were untouched. They did better than the Sarpo!

[Grubbypaws]

Sarpo is a late main crop, and needs about 5 months in the ground so I'd get them in before you go if poss

Any reason that I shouldn't harvest them in November ?

[DD.]

Because need that period of growth. They won't be growing in November!

You were very luck with PFA, they are noted for blight intolerance, mine were the first to go when I grew them, so don't rely on it.

This is what the European database says:

Resistance to late blight on foliage   Very low [9]
Resistance to late blight on foliage(Laboratory test)   Low [13]
Resistance to late blight on tubers   Very low [9]
Resistance to late blight on tubers(Laboratory test)   Low [13]

[Jamrock]

Because need that period of growth. They won't be growing in November!

You were very luck with PFA, they are noted for blight intolerance, mine were the first to go when I grew them, so don't rely on it.

Exactly what I thought, I lost about half my crop last year. Luck is a very good attribute to possess