Grow Your Own Magazine

Hi All

I have been looking at the B&Q orange buckets for growing spuds in this year and I was wondering if anyone used them or similar buckets last year, if so what varieties did u plant, how many seed potatoes to a bucket and how was your crop?

I am looking to grow charlotte's for definite and maybe pentland javelin as I grew them in polypots last year and had a great crop but had problems keeping the pots upright when they had loads of compost in.

Any info would be gratefully received.

Kim

I can't remember who it is but there is a HUGE fan of the b&q bucket on here!!
I think it is just one potato for a bucket like that. There are loads of pot solutions on here for spud growing.
Car tires are popular, I use the bags made of tarpuline ( spelling?!) which you can get loads of different sizes for. Some people use carrier bags.

where do you get your bags made from tarpauline (my spelling isnt so great)

Last year they were really cheap in woolies, and they were green which was nice. And my Dad also had one kicking around. I think some people have even used the ones from builders yards as I think they are not reused and they just get in the way.

I used the black flower buckets that Morrisons sell off at 99p for 8.

One spud to a bucket and each bucket provided enough spuds for a meal for 4 - brilliant value!!!

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Happy Gardening,
Shirley

http://www.honeyjukes.co.uk

I think a trip to my local Morrison's is in order

I used B&Q buckets Kimbo. 99p which is a real bargain. I put a bit of weed suppresant membrane in the bottom to stop undesirables crawling in and mixed some manure with the compost. I grew Charlotte, Nadine, Nicola and Rooster. They were all great but Charlotte had the best flavour and the Rooster were great roasters. The earlies I put 3 in bucket and got over 4lbs from each bucket. The Rooster I put 1 in a bucket and got over 6lbs. I was very pleased with the whole performance. I've got some Charlotte in buckets in the greenhouse now. Good luck with the project.

Wow that is some crop I love charlotte. Rooster sounds a great cropper will be looking out for some.

Not being near a B&Q - how big are the buckets Alice? And I assume they don't have a bottom if you had to put membrane on the bottom.

Hi Alice

Was fancying growing a few earlies in buckets this year!

I wonder, can you tell me, do you plant the potatoes in a full bucket or half fill it and add the rest of the growing medium when there is some top growth (earthing up)?

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My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

Snadger
I planted my earlies in buckets last year and just put in enough compost to get them going then topped up every time there was about 4-5" of growth showing. Strange really, considering I earthed up my maincrops at the time of planting and just left them to get on with it.

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Rat

British by birth
Scottish by the Grace of God

Blog updated Wednesday November 13th

Fill about third of bucket,then earth up as you go along.I used B&Q buckets for tatos,carrots,aubergines,peppers,and toms last year(carrots were better grown in the buckets than on the alottment!)

I just filled the bucket up at the time of planting. Seemed to do ok.

Hi,,another newbie here.
I have been lurking around on this forum for a while and fimnally decided to take the plunge!
Re potatoes in buckets..what kind of compost would be best..I have a couple of grow bags from last year, could I use those?
Thanks.

Welcome Peardrop! We look forward to you posting.

Potatoes are "hungry", so generally I try and use either my own compost or some from a new grow bag.

I did mine last year in general purpose compost with either horse manure or pelleted chicken manure - depending on which I had handy at the time. both were successful.

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Happy Gardening,
Shirley

http://www.honeyjukes.co.uk

I fancy giving some container veg a go, seeing as my lottie is quite small. I'm thinking about some salad potatoes, carrots, leeks etc. I think the B&Q buckets sound like the best plan, and hope to pick a few up later. I've got a couple of questions though...

1. Do you need to drill holes in the bottom of the bucket?

2. I have a good few bags of organic compost from my local council - will this be OK to use or will it be too rich? Would I need to put anything in it, like grit or something?? And if I do need to add some grit, where's the best place to get it??

Sorry to ask such basic questions, but I am completely clueless at the mo!

Thanks for your help

Sarah

Hi Sarah & welcome to the vine!

Yes you need to put holes in the bottom, how you do it is up to you, but I usually turn them upside down, punch holes in with an old screwdriver which I wiggle round to enlarge hole! Half a dozen is enough!
Without seeing the compost its hard to tell but I think I would mix a wee bit builders sand with it and a small handful of bone meal. You can always water with a liquid tomato fertiliser to give them a boost throughout the season!

Hope this helps, although more knowledgeable grapes may be along later and have other useful tips!

__________________
My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

Hello Snadger, I go for the earthing up method with the potatoes in buckets. It might make no difference but it makes me better when I can see them coming up.
Jennie, they were just ordinary buckets from B&Q. I put the membrane in the bottom to stop slugs ETC crawling in through the holes.

Hello Sarah and welcome to the Vine. Yes you need to put holes in the buckets. You can put them in the bottom, or on the outside walls near the bottom. I think this makes watering easier as you can see if water is getting to the bottom and running out. And potatoes like to be well fed, so use the best compost you've got and add some manure if you have it. I buy it in bags in B&Q. Well rotted and clean to handle.
If you want to grow carrorts you won't need buckets. 8" deep pots will be enough - I use the long toms roses came in. And don't give the manure to the carrots. They'll do well in quite poor stuff. Good luck and let's know how you get on.

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From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

Thanks a lot for the tips, guys - all noted and (hopefully!) absorbed.

I got my buckets in Wicks this afternoon, and will get my Da to sort the holes out for me next time I see him. Will start pondering on what exactly I'll put in them - I enjoy that sort of thing almost as much as the planting itself!

Will keep you guys updated as things toddle along

Sarah

when I was in wickes at the weekend I spied some plastic underbed storage containers. They were roundabout 100cm x 60cm and probably 15 cm deep and were in a set of 3 for £7.99. They looked ideal to use a portable mini raised beds for things like salad crops, radishes, parmex carrots and maybe beetroot for picking small or my basil in the greenhouse. Has anyone tried these before and if so what did you grow in them?

Muddy Sarah,
The compost from the council will probably not be sterile. So i would reccommend sowing your seed for leeks etc in some sterile compost and then transfer into the tubs/buckets later on .(leeks can be transfered when the size of a pencil)

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