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Tattie Planters

• Message 1. 

  Posted by gardeningbill (U14348766) on Tuesday, 15th March 2011

  I am going to try and grow potatoes in some planters on the patio. Its still pretty cold up North so when is the best time to put them in?
  
  Also does anyone have any tips on the best planters to buy?

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by jamie01 (U14066574) on Tuesday, 15th March 2011

  Wilkinsons stock a range of growing bags with 42 Litre capacity and they are re-usable, Quite cheaply priced too.

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• Message 3

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by cufcskim (U14483815) on Tuesday, 15th March 2011

  I just used my empty compost bags (70/125l) turned inside out.
  
  Stick a knife through a few times in the bottom/lower sides, fill about a 3rd full, pop in 3 tatties, 'earth up' as the grow until bag is full. Feed
  
  Though they taste much better grown in the ground.

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• Message 4

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by zoomer44 (U14019069) on Tuesday, 15th March 2011

  Firstly good luck with your growing. I've grown spuds in bags for a couple of years now and wonder why I didn't start sooner, you can't beat the taste of home grown and theres such a huge choice.
  
  I'd agree the bags from Wilkinsons, are reasonably priced and can be reused, they can also be folded up after use and stored till the following year.
  
  Depends how far North you are as to when to plant out, I'm sure people will tell you different times, I'm in the NW and whilst I've spuds chitting will try to hold off planting out till at least mid April. If planted out earlier they'll need bringing into shelter if there's likely to be a frost and I've found these don't get much of a head start on those planted out later.

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• Message 5

  , in reply to message 4.

  Posted by madeleineR (U14451255) on Tuesday, 15th March 2011

  Hi zoomer
  
  You say you have grown spuds in bags the last couple of years. How was the harvest size compared to in ground planting and did you get any scabs on the skin? I grew a few (Desiree) in a very large pot last year to try out and I have to admit was disappointed in the the numbers I turned out in autumn. Did you use any potato fertiliser? I might also have not watered them often enough
  
  madeleine

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• Message 6

  , in reply to message 5.

  Posted by respectedponydriver (U13905235) on Tuesday, 15th March 2011

  Hi Everyone,
  I am going to have a go at growing pots in a plastic coal sack,but do you think I should put in well rotted manure in it as well as earth.also what do you feed pots with?
  Thanks

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• Message 7

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by rokerman73 (U14575575) on Wednesday, 16th March 2011

  Hi,
  
  I've tried growing potatoes in bags, twice, but won't be trying it again.
  Can't remember exactly where I got the bags and potatoes but they were from one of the well known seed/plant companies that advertise in the national press.
  I had about 10 bags with a selection of potato types.
  
  The reason I was most dissapointed was that the yeild despite feeding with potato fertiliser and watering regularly and well was very poor indeed.
  
  Also I find it is an expensive way of growing them, granted if you have little or no growing space it may be useful. You have the intial purchase of the bags, yes they can be re-used, the cost of the seed potatoes and then the price of the compost to fill the bags.
  
  I'm fortunate to have an allotment, although it is only a half an allotment, 5 rods they say. I managed with the prudent use of space and the use of my vegetable garden at home I was able to plant around 100 seed potatoes in one third of my plot. A much better way to do it. I still have over a full potato sack to go although they are starting to sprout now.
  
  Apologies for my negativity, but they were very dissapointing.
  
  Al

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• Message 8

  , in reply to message 5.

  Posted by zoomer44 (U14019069) on Wednesday, 16th March 2011

  Hi, madeleine51
  
  I got between 3 and 5lb from each bag with 5 chitted spuds in each bag, can't remember the exact yield. There was a spud trial in one of the gardening mags and I remember thinking the yield was comparable.
  
  I'm gonna put 6 spuds in each bag this year as there seemed to be alot of growing room left when they were dug up.
  
  Grew Charlotte the first year along with another which I can't remember the name of. Last year grew Charlotte, Rocket and Maris piper. There was scab on some of the Charlotte but Rocket and Maris Piper did alot better. They were fed with tom feed and I mixed seaweed with the compost, let them die back and left them in their bags until needed. The main crop, harvested later, were alot bigger.
  
  I'm trying pentland javelin, red duke of york, edzell blue and ambo this year. The taste for me outways the cost although I'm going to mix new and recycled grow bag compost with home made compost to keep the cost down.
  
  
  

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• Message 9

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  Posted by madeleineR (U14451255) on Wednesday, 16th March 2011

  3-5lbs for 5 seeds in a bag, zoomer seems very little harvest and I am sure I had more than that with my Desirees but then they are maincrops. Have never grown 1sts in bags. Am going to try Duke of Yorks (the picture on the packet looked scrummy!!) - will plant them in the ground on my home veggie patch as well as in a container and see how yields and quality compare. I will try to remember to weigh my crops of container/bag grown potatoes to see just how much I get becasue like you, Al, the cost is quite high for small yields by the time you have included potting compost. Will follow zoomers idea and use a mixture of used growbag and home grown compost and see if the harvest is better.
  Agreed - can't beat own-grown spuds for variety and new varieties to try are always coming on the market. Now aint that exciting stuff!
  
  Good spudding!

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• Message 10

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  Posted by Bill (U13794806) on Thursday, 17th March 2011

  I grew Pentland Javelin in a container & in the ground last year . In the container I used a mixture of the previous years grow bags & well rotted horse muck. I got more per plant from the ground but the container grown ones were thinner skinned & more regular shaped. .

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• Message 11

  , in reply to message 10.

  Posted by respectedponydriver (U13905235) on Thursday, 17th March 2011

  Well today I mixed together 6yo horse manure and earth put some in the bottom of a big plastic sack folded down the top made some holes in the bottom and put on 3 potatos,I am also going to plant some directly into the muck heap with some straw,

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• Message 12

  , in reply to message 11.

  Posted by Vixxihibiscus (U13865184) on Friday, 18th March 2011

  I have an allotment but a teenie garden at home, I grow mine at home in big Ikea blue bags. At 40p they're a bargain and you get a good couple of kilos per bag.
  
  For small growing spaces they're fab for new potatoes!

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• Message 13

  , in reply to message 9.

  Posted by Sue58 (U14442036) on Monday, 21st March 2011

  I used pots and bags to grow rooster potatoes and did a lot better than that. I had scab on one potato which I was glad about and though they did not last me all winter I enjoyed every one of them.
  I only have a small yard so this year the potatoes are not being grown but I`ll be growing some other veg and salad of course..
  

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