Potatoe bags/tubs/sacks

[moggssue]

I did my first earthing up on Friday evening and by last night the stalks and leaves were again a good couple of inches out of the compost. How tall should they be before I earth up again? And how many times should I do it? They seem to be growing superfast, I'm worried that it's all leaf and no potato underneath!

[Cutecumber]

No need to panic. The foliage grows extremely quickly - it's normal.

Leave them a week, say, and the add compost to within a couple of inches of their tops. Don't worry about covering leaves - they will quickly come through (try not to break them, though).

I guess I add about four lots of compost on mine before they reach the top.

I seem to get potatoes throughout the containers - top to bottom - so it seems to work ok.

[moggssue]

Thanks Cutec, I'll give them a few more days then add more compost. I guess they won't need any additional feeding, with all the new compost they'll be getting (I'm using JI No 4)?

[Cutecumber]

Mine get a handful of this and that (seaweed meal, chicken manure pellets) as I am using mostly garden compost and it's variable. I no doubt over-feed as I get a lot of foliage, but I do get a fair crop.

Remember that maincrop tatties are in for longer - consider a liquid feed on flowering perhaps.

[moggssue]

I think I have a way to go before I see flowers, but I shall give them a treat when they do of some general liquid feed!

[dinkidoo]

Have always planted potatoes in old compost bags, fed bags from the farm. One per bag and added soil / compost as the plants grow. Easy to turn out and you dont miss any in the ground when digging up. Have also used the big 1 ton bags used for builders sand etc. Ask builders on sites for them, they used to get money back on them but no longer do so they are happy to give them to you. They are ideal fill them with soil / compost and add your potatoes, I use them for carrots as well as if you roll the sides up the carrot flies can't get in.

I find digging difficult as I have a back issue and so this avoids all the digging but loath paying for expensive pots etc.

Hi

was just wondering how the 1 ton bag worked out for you, how you went about it , how many tubers etc. We use a lot of potatos and this sounds like a useful solution.

Thanks

[Hermit]

I grew them in a barrel were you can get the potatoes from the bottom, only problem was they did not reach the bottom they were mostly in the middle. Im trying thease poly pots this year 40 litre ones of ebay ASG - 5 x 40L 18" POLY PLANT POT POLYPOTS FLOWER on eBay, also Plastic, Pots Window Boxes Baskets, Garden Plants, Home Garden (end time 06-Feb-09 19:18:16 GMT) he does 50 litres as well
or off the wholsealer if you want a 100 Black Polypot Plant Containers

[mogs]

Last year I used pop up garden refuse sacks - green plastic sacking type - £1.99 each Aldi (I think!)- few holes stabbed in the bottom, kept topping up with compost and had a great result .... and have the bags to use again this year - bargain!