davie mac Posted February 24, 2011 Report Share Posted February 24, 2011 I'm going to grow potatoes this year,and im looking for a few pointers,i have a space in the back garden roughly 10ft by 10ft thats never used what im looking to know is, what are the best variates to grow? do you need to use seed potatoes or can you grow any old spud you might have in the cupboard? and to save my back,could you use grow-bags and barrels instead of having to do a lot of digging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webber Posted February 24, 2011 Report Share Posted February 24, 2011 I'm no gardener, and can't offer any advice; but as you don't have a large area, I remembered that my brother grows his spuds in a barrel, gets quite a high yield, and it doesn't take up much space. webber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_R Posted February 24, 2011 Report Share Posted February 24, 2011 Someone I know stacks up car tyres, adding them as he earths up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artschool Posted February 24, 2011 Report Share Posted February 24, 2011 my wife dumped some old potatoes in the composting bin. when i moved the bin the next year there were a load of potato plants with tonnes of massive spuds beneath. so doesnt seem to require much effort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apache Posted February 24, 2011 Report Share Posted February 24, 2011 We have some plastic bags that were bought from a garden supplier. This will be their 4th year and they are going strong. But proper seed potatoes and get at least 2 varieties or you have one hell of a glut of potatoes! If you grow them in the soil you WILL leave one behind and you WILL get odd potatoes forever more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalconFN Posted February 24, 2011 Report Share Posted February 24, 2011 Firstly you do need seed potatoes, put them on the windowsill until they sprout and plant them in March/April. You could plant a couple of rows of new potatoes (normally waxy texture and very tasty boiled)and 4 rows of lates (you can get waxy or floury but both will keep well). Which variety is up to you as each has their own flavour and uses but we grow Foremost as new and Kestral as lates and we haven't had any blight or eel worm problems so far. You will need loads of organic matter in the soil - well rotted horse manure is good, and they need to be planted in rows 18" apart so you can build the soil up around the shoots of the new plants. You can plant in tubs, or fill piled up tyres with soil but that sounds like hard work filling and emptying them to me. Nothing beats digging up your own potatoes, well actually loads of things are better.....but it's still good. Also you shouldn't plant them in the same place every year as it can promote disease. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaxiDriver Posted February 24, 2011 Report Share Posted February 24, 2011 I'm going to grow potatoes this year,and im looking for a few pointers,i have a space in the back garden roughly 10ft by 10ft thats never used what im looking to know is, what are the best variates to grow? do you need to use seed potatoes or can you grow any old spud you might have in the cupboard? and to save my back,could you use grow-bags and barrels instead of having to do a lot of digging. From my experience last year with 3 allotments on the go.........hardly worth the bother You can buy sacks (theyre kinda woven nylon type stuff,) plant your seed pots on a layer of soil cover to a few inches, as they shoot, cover with more earth/compost and so on and so on, One thing that seems REALLY important is Water and regular to keep damp not drying out then watering then drying out. the other method as mentioned, is to stack car tyes and fill in with soil/compost but this may not be so aesthetically pleasing From an area roughly 10' x 10' we harvested a mixed sack of earlies, mids and main crop. I can buy a sack of spuds from the local farm shop between £5 - £7.50 round here, So by the time you've dug trenches and earthed up and done all the water carrying it does make you wonder why you bother, Then you look at them on the plate, "I grew those, I did Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooky Posted February 24, 2011 Report Share Posted February 24, 2011 We have some plastic bags that were bought from a garden supplier. This will be their 4th year and they are going strong. But proper seed potatoes and get at least 2 varieties or you have one hell of a glut of potatoes! my neighbour grew his in bags last year much easier when it comes to getting at them he just tipped the bags out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highseas Posted February 24, 2011 Report Share Posted February 24, 2011 i grow them on a wee plot near my house. all i do is buy normal spuds from supermarket let them sprout then plant them with muck and your sorted! ive even cut a spud in half to get two planters from one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted February 24, 2011 Report Share Posted February 24, 2011 I've grown mine in strong black bags. As the shoots grow, just add more earth/compost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted February 24, 2011 Report Share Posted February 24, 2011 (edited) I grow spuds on my allotment I dig a trench and put them in the bottom of it late March early April with some potato fertiliser and earth them up straight away rather than waiting for the leaves to push through the soil and doing it as they grow. I grow International Kidney as a First early which is basically the Jersey Royal, Kestrel as a second Early and Cara as a maincrop. Four things to be wary of is 1. Frost...if frost is forecast make sure you cover the potaoes with fleece. 2. Slugs..they can be a real pain especially on maincrop potatoes. 3. Potato blight. 4. Lack of water, make sure when the tubers are swelling they have plenty of water or you will get a very poor yield. When you taste that first early, hot with a k n o b of butter..there is no other vegetable that can compare Edited February 24, 2011 by Fisherman Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Holliday Posted February 25, 2011 Report Share Posted February 25, 2011 (edited) We have some plastic bags that were bought from a garden supplier. This will be their 4th year and they are going strong. But proper seed potatoes and get at least 2 varieties or you have one hell of a glut of potatoes! If you grow them in the soil you WILL leave one behind and you WILL get odd potatoes forever more. Been there. Done that. We tried bags last year for spuds seeing as we hadn't grown any for a while and there were ok. As is said, when in bags they'll need regular watering to prevent drying out. My advice, as Apache says, don't grow them in the ground as you'll regret it the next 2 - 3 years when spuds are sprouting in the middle of something else. Try growing a courgette plant. They're very easy to grow, prolofic even. Or maybe a bush type tomato plant like Roma. Good size tomatoes and no need for pinching out side shoots, etc. Loads of toms to boot. Maybe even a short row of beetroot or radishes. They're other easy ones to grow. The possibilities are endless, just need to give some thought as to what you want to grow and how you want to grow it. Sweetcorn, grow vertically so saving space but yielding crop on the rise. Climbing beans like runners ( ) or french beans. A small bed of mixed salad leaves of the cut & come again variety or perpetual spinach beet are good very easy crops to grow. Hope that gives you some ideas. Edited February 25, 2011 by Doc Holliday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davie mac Posted February 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2011 Thanks for the advice lads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berettaman Posted February 25, 2011 Report Share Posted February 25, 2011 Id say sod the potates and stay in and play with your avatar!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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