Growing Charlotte Potatoes advice

[Marb67]

I got some very reduced charlotte potatoes in Wilko that I haven't got round to plating in containers due to lack of compost. I have some but not enough to grow them all, unless I just put them all in a large container (old council waste recycle box) to get a huge crop ? Can I just put some garden soil mixed with compost or even leaf mold, grass cuttings, old compost which I have ? Again, they only cost me 60p so its not that I will lose out if they don't grow that much. I just think it defeats the object buying compost (and spuds need a lot in each container) to get a crop of something that you can buy significantly cheaper in the supermarket.

[quanglewangle]

They don't have to be in containers. Just plant them in the ground.

[Marb67]

Sorry, I should have said I don't have any space in the ground. Small garden.

[quanglewangle]

Sorry, I should have said I don't have any space in the ground. Small garden.

My bad. I should have realised from your post.

[ameno]

Garden soil is actually a better option than compost, as long as you have enough to spare. It holds nutrient and water better than compost does. If you need to bulk it out a bit, any of those things you mentioned ought to be just fine (although make sure it's mixed well), but if you use a significant proportion of used compost or leaf mould (both low in nutrients), add a bit of general fertiliser if you can (Growmore, poultry manure, blood, fish & bone, something like that).

As for containers, you can put several at once into a large container and still get a good crop. And at the other end, Which Gardening have found you can get a surprisingly good crop from a container as small as 1 gallon in volume, with a single tuber planted in it. But if you use such a small container, you do need to give it a lot of water (twice a day, maybe even three times if it gets really hot), and also feed it a bit (either put slow release fertiliser in the potting mix or use liquid tomato feed).

[bazzaboy]

Marb, If you go toYouTube and Search "Home Grown Veg" you'll discover "Jim" who grows just about everything (including potatoes) in 10 inch buckets with amazing results..... An example is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nLiTU8XwhQ
bb.

[Mr Bones]

You can use old compost bags or rubble sacks as containers too. Roll the tops down and stab plenty of drainage holes near the bottom.

[bikermike]

I wouldn't worry too much about a huge crop, Charlottes are always on the lower yield for me. But they are lovely, so worth it.

[Marb67]

Thanks folks, some good advice there.

[Marb67]

Well some weeks on and I planted them in containers, fed with blood fish and bone and keep well watered. Had a furtle round inside the compost and not a single spud. Nothing. A complete waste of compost!

[Nicos]

They will take around 4 months (16wks) marb.
it’s only just over 7 weeks since your first post in this thread.

Those plants look very healthy. You need to sit on your hands for a few more weeks! Difficult I know when other people ( who planted out earlier than you) are now digging up their crop.

[Marb67]

Ok, thanks. I’ll leave it and keep watering etc.

[ameno]

I would try to get as little water as possible on the foliage when you water them, if I were you. Damp leaves will only encourage blight, which is a major risk with late crops of potatoes, anyway (it's also just a waste of water, as water hanging around on the leaves won't be taken up by the plants).

They will take around 4 months (16wks) marb.
it’s only just over 7 weeks since your first post in this thread.

They shouldn't take that long, should they? 120 days is maincrop potato growth time. Second earlies should be ready in 90-100 days.
Either way, still over a month too soon.

[Nicos]

Ah…thanks ….^^^^…..we tend to leave some of our Charlottes to grow to Jacket potato size so I was thinking of that.

[Marb67]

Well, having a furtle around in the big containers I am very disappointed to find hardly anything months on after regular watering and feeding. The plants are dying off so that is that I suppose. Another waste of compost