Potato Patio Planters -CHEAP

skipton

Last year on River Cottage I'm sure Hugh got freebie wooden boxes/crates(from oranges?) and planted a new potato in each corner. They cropped well.
It might be worth asking for them at a market or greengrocers.

shirlgirl2004

alanobrien wrote: »

Yes, just drill some drainage holes in the bottom, put no more than 5 seed spuds in it and no do not use the lid as that will omit light. Put a couple of inches of compost over the spuds and wait. Once the green shoots appear add more compost and wait again until green shoots appear. Repeat until the bin is close to full. Water and fertilise frequently. I use two such bins each year and get a good crop. Good luck.

Can I ask how much compost you would put in to start off? Surely you wouldn't put the potatoes on the bottom on the bin

alanobrien

shirlgirl2004 wrote: »

Can I ask how much compost you would put in to start off? Surely you wouldn't put the potatoes on the bottom on the bin

I put and inch or so of compost in the bottom of the bin, put the spuds in then cover with a couple of inches of compost.....

sobie

Don't bother buying any bags. Just buy a sack of compost. tip the compost out and turn the compost bag inside out (so the black liner is outside). Peirce a few drainage holes in the bottom and roll the bag down so it is about 1/4 of its size, add a layer of about 2" of compost back into the bag. Put in your chitted potatoes (in a frost free place of course). As the potatoes grow, roll the compost bag back up and add more compost. When they flower and are ready to havest just cut open the compost sack.... so easy!
J Authur Bowers now do a veggie/ potatoes specialist compost. :T

joan_brennan

Dont forget those of you with dogs. The sack that the dog food comes in (or horse feed) is also the right size to follow the advice from the above thread . ie turn inside out and roll it down

savemoney

I got a few decent size tatties from potatoes peeling thrown in the composter. Retrieved it, shoved some compost into those cheap black plastic flower pots from Morrison's, and planted the rooted potato peeling so only costs was the pot at about 10 for £1 I think

katskorner

Make sure you 'earth up' potatoes as they grow to shield them from the light and increase their yield.

sb44

Yategirl wrote: »

you don't have to buy the planters - you can use a builders bucket or a rubble sack (etc).. I have used florist buckets which I got free from a supermarket. You can also use sprouting potatoes from your supermarket pack rather than buy specific seed potatoes. Compost - wickes usually sell 4 x 80l bags for £10 - the offer should be out very soon.

Potatoes are one of those vegetables that you can buy very cheaply so isn't always worth growing for price factor, however... the taste of fresh homegrown potatoes is wonderful and it is a real treasure hunt for children (if you have them) to "dig" the potatoes up! I try and grow 1-4 pots worth at some point during the year (and often for christmas dinner!) just for the taste, for new potatoes on christmas day and for the children to enjoy 'digging' them up for me!

Hi

Do I take it you mean the black buckets that you can get from Morrisons?

If so, can you please tell me how many chitted potatoes do you put in each and how much compost?

Ta!

sb44

Does anyone use the flexible tubs that you can get at diy stores?

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9414987&fh_view_size=6&fh_start_index=12&fh_location=%2f%2fcatal!!!1%2fen_GB&fh_search=tub&fh_eds=%c3%9f&fh_refview=search&ts=1234979312679&isSearch=true

alanobrien

sb44 wrote: »

Does anyone use the flexible tubs that you can get at diy stores?

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9414987&fh_view_size=6&fh_start_index=12&fh_location=%2f%2fcatal!!!1%2fen_GB&fh_search=tub&fh_eds=%c3%9f&fh_refview=search&ts=1234979312679&isSearch=true

I have used them for planting bamboo in the ground to contain the roots from spreading but not for spuds. They should be fine but you would need to drill some holes in the bottom for drainage