Help! In B&Q what compost for potatoes?

HappyIdiotTalk

I'm on B&Q looking for compost bags for growing potatos? They have 125 & 75L bags of multi purpose, is this suitable? And what difference is there I'm the bags with and without peat? The assistant is useless!

ariba10

If you have a garden with any type of soil just dig a small trench put the seed potatoes in and cover them up.

Potatoes are usually the first thing to plant in new ground, the digging as you plant and then harvest breaks the ground up

jabba4

If you are wanting to grow in pots and bags, then the B&Q multipurpose compost is fine. I've used it for the last 4 years and had great results. Just remember to never let them dry out.

annie123

look for a peat free one if poss, our peat bogs are vanishing quickly

HappyIdiotTalk

jabba4 wrote: »

If you are wanting to grow in pots and bags, then the B&Q multipurpose compost is fine. I've used it for the last 4 years and had great results. Just remember to never let them dry out.

Thanks Jabba4, I'll pop back today and grab a couple of the big bags.

blackcoffee

what are you growing your potatos in? directly in the grow bag ? or in some sort of tub/bag ?

kelloggs36

Manure is supposed to be good - although I can't promise as it's my first time!

nabber

i have been growing six large plastic bags bought from a seed company since march 3 of them had drooopy leaves so decided to unearth them from 3 bags i got grand total of 3lbs. after bying potato kit and koads of compost ,I could have bought them cheaperin a supermarket:mad:

HappyIdiotTalk

Are you sure you gave them enough water? I water mine a minimum of once a day with loads of water, and now the sun is out twice a day. Once first thing in the morning, and once in the late afternoon or evening. I give them a really good drenching to make sure the compost is moist all the way through, and they seem to be thriving. I have no idea how many potatoes I'll get out of this experiment, or whether I'll have saved money... But its great fun, and I'm looking forward to proper tasty home grown organic spuds!

Here they are the little beauties!

rhiwfield

Nabber, HappyIdiot is right, if in containers dont let them dry out and water them well and regularly to get a decent yield. From a 15 litre "builders" bucket I'd expect about 700g of earlies picked at 10-11weeks after sowing. If you wait a bit longer it should go up to a kg per bucket In a much larger potato bin/sack you should get several kgs so 3lb from 3 sacks is way way too little.

HappyIdiotTalk

rhiwfield, dont you have to wait until the leaves on top turn yellow and wilt before picking?

That said I only have these three Poundland pop up garden bins (with 3 plants each) growing so want to maximise the yield.