'Bag for Life' Early potatoes

[fruitylou]

I've used those builders bags that you often see discarded on sites. They've worked really well, but if space is a problem they might not be very good as they are massive.

Fantastic idea, I shall have a go with these aswell, how many seed pots did you put in? My dads a builder so I should have a ready supply yay

[Jono]

Fantastic idea, I shall have a go with these aswell, how many seed pots did you put in? My dads a builder so I should have a ready supply yay

I put all the potatoes I got in a standard seed potato bag, so nothing scientific I'm afraid.

No doubt you could get more in one.

[francesbean]

I've used those builders bags that you often see discarded on sites. They've worked really well, but if space is a problem they might not be very good as they are massive.

I once saw a gardening programme on tv where a group of inner city gardeners took over an old infill site near their homes, and used these big builders bags to get started - they must have had about 50 and just filled them with soil/compo and started planting.

It set them up whilst they began clearing the site properly - I thought it was a brilliant idea - if you've got the space.

francesbean

[LewaK]

I like the old compost bag idea - makes me regret buying the potato bags from Asda a little. The bags are about 35L, so big-ish but I guess the bonus is they have velcro side panels which is meant to make harvesting easier. Having never done it before I will have to keep you updated on my Arran Pilots!

[Jono]

I once saw a gardening programme on tv where a group of inner city gardeners took over an old infill site near their homes, and used these big builders bags to get started - they must have had about 50 and just filled them with soil/compo and started planting.

It set them up whilst they began clearing the site properly - I thought it was a brilliant idea - if you've got the space.

francesbean

They're really flexible too, so you can plant and roll up when earthing up. I'd definitely use them again if I didn't have my plot or needed to leave a disused one a year to get the weeds down. They'd be really good to just leave on top of a black plastic sheet.

[fruitylou]

I put all the potatoes I got in a standard seed potato bag, so nothing scientific I'm afraid.

No doubt you could get more in one.

Thanks, it gives me a rough idea, I haven't grown pots before so have no idea on spacing or crop sizes yet, I will probably try some jerusalem artichokes in one aswell

[francesbean]

Quick update - I put 3 seeds in each bag (they were quite small potatoes) Lined bags with dark leftover plastic bags cut up. Filled them about a quarter with compost. Cut drainage holes. |Left them in a corner of the garden and forgot about them. Had a peek today and they all seem to be sprouting little green leaves - Ill leave them a bit longer and then earth up with more compost. Havent watered them yet - will do when I earth them - we've had a bit of rain so that must have sufficed so far.

So far so good

francesbean

[Potstubsdustbins]

Just be careful if you get a frost it will damage the foliage.

Colin

[solway cropper]

All my potatoes will be container-grown this year. Here's a pic of progress so far with some in the greenhouse.


The left pic shows 5 plants in a fish box and the right one has 3 in a 40 litre polypot

I'm aiming for around 100 plants to give us a decent supply but I might run out of space before I get that far!!

what I've been up to in the garden
the recycled gardener

[Croila]

Left them in a corner of the garden and forgot about them. Had a peek today and they all seem to be sprouting little green leaves - Ill leave them a bit longer and then earth up with more compost. Havent watered them yet - will do when I earth them - we've had a bit of rain so that must have sufficed so far.
francesbean

Can I ask ... How light/dark is it in your garage? And what sort of temperatures does it have? I'm thinking of planting some tatties in bags tomorrow and wondering where to put them cause it's still pretty cold up here. Just wondering if my garage would be a good place to keep them for a few weeks, but it's not it's not terrifically bright in there is all.

[francesbean]

Sorry croila they're not in garage but in sheltered corner of my garden surrounded by wall and deep foliage. So they are getting quite a lot of light.

francesbean

[Croila]

Thanks francesbean ...

Though I'd hesitate to put tatties outside yet cause our last frost isn't generally till the first or second week of May. *sigh* That just seems sooooo far away!

[francesbean]

Yeah we're a few weeks ahead down here in Somerset - although I've only just started sowing a few bits inside as my new beds aren't finished yet. But everyone says even if planted later things 'catch up'.

Weather has been lovely spring showers and a hailstorm at weekend but only the very lightest touch of frost - today was lovely sunny and bracing.

francesbean

[morverngirl]

I used Morrison bags last year before I got my plot and results OK, best with Earlies. I have just planted 1 this year to have in my conservatory for a real early crop, problem is that the bags are not that firm so when the green bits show and i add more compost it just falls down the sides instead of staying on top and therefore uses lots more compost than i anticipated. The 10 bags I had outside last year needed lots of watering.