Potatoes

Hi, I want to grow potatoes this year. As the tubers are normally sold in packs of 20, could I start chitting say five of the tubers and keep the other 15 to plant successionally four weeks apart? How long will the tubers keep before going off? I would like to try growing new potatoes as well as general purpose ones. Also, will all potatoes grow happily in potato sacks or even an old plastic bin? Many thanks.

keep them dark and cool

Reply from Cris

Hi there - it would be a nice idea to be able to plant them out successionally in this way- it all depends on how the seed potatoes were treated before you got them. If they have already been exposed to light they may already be waking up. If they have been kept cool and in the dark up until now than you could carry this treatment on and try to chit them a few weeks apart. Keep an eye on them - and if you see them starting to shoot you need to get them in the soil.

You could use a compost bag - starting out with the bag rolled half way down - and topping the soil up ("earthing them up") while slowly unrolling the bag. They need earthing up by about 30cm or so. You could do the same in a bin - starting lwith soil in half the bin - topping up the soil to cover the shoots as they grow.

Best to share/swap with friends and neighbours so that you can have some different varieties that all go in at different times. In case you didn't know, you can get early- mid- and late season potatoes.

All the best!

Potatoes

Reply from Wendy

Thanks for your advice Chris

Potatoes

Reply from Joanne 9919

Do you know that Wilkinson's sell seed potatoes in packs of 5 for the gardener with the smaller plot?

I have started chitting mine now, but have kept some back and put them in the salad drawer in the fridge. If they store there ok I will plant them out later in the year to hopefully have new potatoes with Christmas dinner.

I grow my potatoes in containers, three tubers to each container and earth up as they grow.

Jo.

Potatoes

Reply from Wendy

Thanks for your advice Jo. I bought small packs of Duke of York, Jerseys and King Eddies a few weeks ago and they are now sitting happily chitting away! I also bought some potato sacks to plant them in and am going to put the King Edwards in an old dust bin so will be interested to see what the outcome is.

Potatoes

Reply from Joanne 9919

Hi Wendy,

Keep us informed. It will be interesting to see if you find any differences in growing the different varieties.

Jo.

Potatoes

Reply from Wendy

Will do.

Potatoe containers

Reply from Diane

As our council issued us with new wheelie recycling bins we used the old 'square' ones last year for spuds - we planted the potatoes in the first box and continued to earth up to the top. Then we cut out the base of the second box, turned it upside down on the first, screwed them together and carried on - true recycling perhaps :)

Potato containers

Reply from Wendy

Hi Diane, great idea.