[Yana]

At the end of last season I was 'persuaded' to buy potato plant bags and now wondering when I can plant them up. They are not the black plastic ones, but the green ones that look like tarpaulin.
I have a greenhouse but it has no heating. The seed potatoes are beginning to chit in a cold room indoors so do I have to wait until the chits are better formed or until the temperature rises? Still getting cold nights here.
Is there particular type of potato- specific named variety that is - that is better for this method of growing than others? Last year my potato harvest was really poor so thought I would give a different method a go.

[grendel]

not sure but we are in the planting 'zone' so I filled 2 planters yesterday (6" in the bottom, about 8 seed pots in each and then another 4" of compost (from last years bean pots)) will top up as they shoot up.
Grendel

[Yana]

And they are in a cold greenhouse Grendel?

[DD.]

I've got some that are.

[Yana]

Good enough for me then.

[grendel]

And they are in a cold greenhouse Grendel?

No - Front Garden...
Grendel

[homegrown]

Im in kent also have planted 2 in bags but are under a small polytunnel atm as frost at night
They've not shot up yet tho

[Wiltshire Worms]

that is how i grow most of my potatoes...its the one thing i can be patient with and will wait until end of march..then any cold nights, keep the car company in the garage

[solway cropper]

All of my spuds are container grown and the first of the earlies in the greenhouse now have their shoots poking above the compost. They normally give me a crop by end of April/early May.

[Yana]

All of my spuds are container grown and the first of the earlies in the greenhouse now have their shoots poking above the compost. They normally give me a crop by end of April/early May.

Are the containers in a cold greenhouse? If so, what did you do so they survived the cold spells when the temp. fell below freezing?

[solway cropper]

They are in an unheated greenhouse but it's a large lean-to attached to the south facing wall of the house and rarely gets down to freezing once we are into March. If we do get a prolonged cold spell I have plenty of fleece available and can actually put a heater in there if required.

[devonbarmygardener]

Mine will go out on the plot in jute planters mid march after the next full moon

[Robster]

I've grown most of our potatoes in bags, boxes, builders merchants bags etc for a couple of years.  The earlier are in the green house in bags to get a head start.  My method is pretty much the way Grendel does it.  An added bonus I reckon of doing it this way is that they all seem to grow about the same size which is useful in the kitchen and you never miss any when you harvest.

[Kirpi]

How do you make container planted potatoes pay for themselves - are you filling containers with new bagged compost or with your own bin produced compost each year?

I tried some container grown with my homegrown compost last year and they were nice potatoes but a lower yield and the compost was then spent for another potato crop but was just right for carrots this year; being well broken down and nutrient-poor.

Basically, can you make it cost effective or is it taste and quality that overrides?

[Armleywhite]

For several years, prior to me getting my plot I grew all my spuds in bags.  If there was still a risk of frost I just made sure the shoots were all covered with soil and if the frost was predicted to be severe I covered them with shredded paper, several inches thick.  Once said frost was passed I would remove the paper and allow them to go their own way.