For the last three years I have been trialling with plots side by side for my maincrop potatoes.
One plot planting 12-15 inches apart in rows and 25-30 inch between rows I have grown the traditional method of planting potatoes in rows in a six inch deep by six inch wide trench and earthing up in ridges of about two inches about three times as shoots appear.
They crop well, that being Sarpo Mira, Desiree, Rooster and Maris Piper. One row each of 12 seed potatoes with Maris in two rows each of 12 seed potatoes.
Put plenty of homegrown nematodes down pre season and during the earth ups and get little slug damage.
See some slugs moving around the plot late night and early morning that I pick off, so they are closeby.
Each row generally gives me about 60 lbs of potatoes. But about a quarter of the crop are small, with the rest being medium to large.
The Sarpo Mira is a larger potato and are a mixture of medium to large, with about a fifth smaller ones.
In the other plot, roughly 7 foot square I have grown maincrop in potato bags, just two seed potatoes in each bag, six bags in each row.
I get 12lbs of perfect potatoes (nil slug damage) in each bag and are all medium to large for the Maris Piper and Rooster.
The Desiree yield has been 18lb per bag.
The Sarpo Mira yield is about 23-25lb of potatoes per bag and are all very large. The bag is bulging by end of September.
Sarpo Mira foilage never seems to die down and is now still green and vigorous, but have last weekend picked them all as the colder nights are setting in.
Have not suffered any potato blight, they just naturally die, Maris Piper first, then Desiree/Rooster. Sarpo Mira as above.
Pots do keep the foliage tidier to look after and stay stronger and upright longer, which I think is what gives the crop that extra yield.
They both are grown with a mixture of late autumn and spring dug garden soil from the patch they grow on, B&Q verve, potato fertiliser and a seaweed mix form my local beach.
Over the winter veg peelings are thrown over the soil and left to rot down. In the spring dig I add about 10 spadefuls of my compost to each plot.
From now on, I am moving to a potato bag only method, the yield and size is so much better.
Bags also give your back a rest as I do find earthing up rows more awkward and harder work.
I store my potatoes in hessian bags in a small shed from August/September to late spring and early Summer.
I do also freeze a load of the potatoes as mash, roast and chips for use during those summer months when we have no maincrop.
Have not bought any shop potatoes for six years or more.
I also encouraged my dad last year to grow his maincrop in bags, he does not grow anywhere near as many as me, but he did notice a big gain in yield and size.
Have always grown my first and second earlies in potato bags and large pots around the plot and get a 10-12lb yield from them. Always grow Charlotte, Pentland Javelin and International Kidney.
But often pick a few new ones each year.
Grew Duke of York for the first time this year and were very tasty, a 12lb yield in bags, they will be on my regular list now.
Have tried Aaron Pilot, Sharpes Express, Rocket and Kestrel over the years.
Have used these suppliers for my seed potatoes from a local garden centre for the last five years.
Taylors Sarpo Mira and International Kidney.
Albert Bartlett Rooster.
Unwins for the rest.
I did also this year plant six Charlotte seed potatoes in a two foot square raised bed, six inch deep and 10 inch deep once earthed up this year. The yield was 40lb. They were all mostly medium size, not your normal expected Charlotte salad potato size. Will do that again.
Be good to hear what other methods you all use and if anyone else now uses pots or bags for maincrop.
Would say a 30-50 litre pot would be the equivalent of using a potato bag.