growing potatoes in an empty compost bag? (Merged Thread)

babyblooz

Hello all, I am going to grow some spuds in growbags by the back door. Our garden is south facing, and I figured that growing 'em by the french windows would leech a bit more heat for the potatoes, as any sun would be radiated out by the glass (does that sound reasonable?) anyway, I have some potatoes from supermarket that were extremely tasty so decided to use some of those that were going a bit sprouty. They are enjoying a couple of days on the kitchen windowsill to encourage them on a bit more before going into the growbags. Question is, how many to put in each bag, and when will they be ready to eat? I would have hoped they might be ready in time for Xmas dinner, but how would I know. Do I wait until after the flowers have died off, whenever they flower? Also, as I have chickens, could I use some of the manure to give them a boost, or is there everything they need in the growbag?

Any advice more than welcome!!!!

MissMuppet

Don't quote me on this as I am a new gardener and only started this year, but I thought you had to grow potatoes in deep soil. I did mine in a couple of tubs one on top of the other... Also I don't know whether it's too late to start them off now?

As for harvesting I was told to wait a few weeks after it started flowering before you get them out, mine turned out all ok... I did charlotte's, planted 4 and got about 2.5lbs in total... would have had more if I'd not pulled the plants out and rummaged around instead.

Farway

MissMuppet is correct, you need deep soil for spuds, a grow bag will not do because you need to earth the spud plants up as thye grow, and this would not be possible in grow bags

You could try and stand bags upright instead of flat, but I still doubt if you would have enough soil

Spuds make large plants, so large bucket, pot or dustbin is best

You are still in time for Christmas, takes about 3 months to harvest

babyblooz

Sorry, should have said that I was growing them on end, so to speak, like the idea on Jamie Oliver, or some other programme. You partially empty the grow bag, and roll down the sides, then plant, and as they grow, you use the remaining soil from the growbag to earth them up, bit by bit.

Zazen999

Actually, you don't need deep soil for spuds. In their natural state the roots grow outwards. The reason that they look like they need deep soil is that to increase yields they are earthed up. In pots and bags, the roots will just turn in on themselves and the tubers will still grow under the soil.

So, as you are using an old grow bag on its end, and roll down sides and fill it 1/3 with compost. Put 2 seed pots in about a potato depth. Add some of your chicken manure and water it. Once the shoots start showing - either earth up every few days or wait until they are a decent size and earth up in one or two goes. If you add a handful of manure each time you won't go far wrong.

Keep the soil moist but not saturated, and don't let it dry out.

Come christmas, tip out and hopefully you should have xmas day spuds.

tenuissent

I came across this thread by a Google accident, but thought I'd comment on the fact that Bob Flowerdew in Gardener's Question Time said today (yes, 4th November) that we should be planting some potatoes now.

He points out what we have all noticed, that volunteers lie in the ground all winter and come up in spring in the wrong places. So why not plant them now in the right place, deeper than usual, covered with insulation such as grass cuttings and so on, and get new potatoes 3 or 4 weeks earlier than usual next year. He's done it for years.

I am going to try this.

sb44

I have a few rubble sacks (the blue ones from Poundland) that I have never used.

Can someone tell me how I go about using these to plant potatoes in please?

Do I have to make holes in the bottom of them for drainage and if I use potatoes from the supermarket that have started sprouting, how long do the sprouts have to be before I plant the potatoes in the bag?

Sorry for all the questions but I have never grown spuds before.

:rolleyes:

A._Badger

Yes, you do need holes for drainage.

Put a few inches of soil less compost in the bottom of the bag, Place the sprouted potatoes (sprouts pointing up) on the top and then cover them with more compost, a few inches deep.

As the stems begin to grow, just keep adding compost, filling the bag as you go. Keep it well watered and fed, using a good liquid feed, like Phostrogen.

Hope that helps and good luck!

tanith

But not now , its way too early and too cold.... March is about right...

sb44

A._Badger wrote: »

Yes, you do need holes for drainage.

Put a few inches of soil less compost in the bottom of the bag, Place the sprouted potatoes (sprouts pointing up) on the top and then cover them with more compost, a few inches deep.

As the stems begin to grow, just keep adding compost, filling the bag as you go. Keep it well watered and fed, using a good liquid feed, like Phostrogen.

Hope that helps and good luck!

Will thick blue rubble bags be ok or do I need to use something with a black lining?