Potatoes - where to start? (Merged Thread)

charlies_mum

Pitlanepiglet wrote: »

I've bought five cheap black plastic buckets,

If you go into Asda and ask in the flower section, they will give you black plastic buckets free - or they did last year :T

Pitlanepiglet

charlies_mum wrote: »

If you go into Asda and ask in the flower section, they will give you black plastic buckets free - or they did last year :T

Thanks, co-incidentally, I've just read that on another forum as well - typical, just when I've bought buckets!

Still I'll know for the next lot!

mardatha

my neighbour says we need to leave potatoes until may up here. He is doing a load of veg and says I can help myself

Pitlanepiglet

I've planted three buckets of potatoes, one of onions and garlic and I've planted the courgette seeds inside so that they can go out when the weather gets better.

Fingers crossed for a good crop

ystalyfera

GreenNotM wrote: »

Hi Soba

When you come to plant the seed potatoes have the chits upwards, rub off the ones on the bottom - the chits form the shoots/green tops, not the tubers/potatoes, which form on the roots.

As you earth up ( bury the green shoots with soil ) more roots will form and hence more tubers aka potatoes ..... that is the traditional method ( more here http://www.rhs.org.uk/vegetables/crops/potato.asp)

HTH but they will grow if you plant them upside down anyway

i always dig down as deep has the spade/shovel which ever you use then fill in and make nice pile of soil which looks like rows of Roof'sso:rotfl: i dont earth up,always have tons of spuds and because teyare nice and deep i've even dug some up around Christmas Time nice and small/tiny ones and i've never bought seed ones always get a sack form the local store down the road which have gone to seed(only pay a couple of quid) and there's tons in the bag too:money:

ystalyfera

i remember watching Bob Flowerdew growing spuds in car tyre's about 4/5 high filled with paper/straw then as they grew covered them with compost until they get to the height you want them then tuck in:money:

absfabs

My seed potatoes aren't chitting, been sitting in the green-house for at least 3 weeks now.
Should I plant them anyway, or wait or get new ones?

ystalyfera

absfabs wrote: »

My seed potatoes aren't chitting, been sitting in the green-house for at least 3 weeks now.
Should I plant them anyway, or wait or get new ones?

i don't have to leave mine long in the cupboard in the kitchen before mine start sprouting:mad::mad::rotfl:

maximus0983

I have just tried a method i saw on mr jamie olivers tv show. i put a potato that had spouts growing out of it into a plant pot and covered it with soil and watered it hoping this works.

how often should you water potatoes? this is my first attempt at anything in the garden so its probably going to be beginners luck if they grow.

ps: i love chips - hence the potatoes.

noonesperfect

I'm trying my hand at growing spuds in planters for the 1st time. Just planted them today.
As they're in moveable containers should I put them under cover if there is a threatened frost?