Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú

Grow your own  permalink

GROWING POTATOES IN CONTAINERS YEAR 2

• Message 1. 

  Posted by scorebook (U12098114) on Tuesday, 29th March 2011

  Hi,
  
  I grew some potatoes last year in container bags for the first time, I grew Pentland Javelin, Maris Peer and Desiree to varying degrees of success and used a mixture of multi-purpose compost, farmyard manure and topsoil.
  
  When each bag was emptied, I put the compost mixture into some empty compost bags and have stored them through the winter. What I would like to know is:
  
  Can I use this compost mixture again this year for growing new crops of potatoes or do I always have to buy fresh quantities of multi-purpose, farmyard manure and topsoil each year? I have read elsewhere that when people use vegetable patches, allotments etc they have to move their potato crops around their plots each year due to risk of disease and have wondered whether this applies to container growing as well.
  
  This year, I am planting Rocket and Arran Pilot (first earlies), Kestrel (second early) and Albert Bartlett Roosters (maincrop). I have a large quantity of this compost mixture and if I could re-use this mixture this year, I would add some organic potato fertilizer pellets.
  
  Many thanks
  
  Jeff

  Link to this forum: GROWING POTATOES IN CONTAINERS YEAR 2

  Report message1

• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by zoomer44 (U14019069) on Tuesday, 29th March 2011

  This is a dilema most container growers have, surplus compost or soil after a harvest and what to do with it. You can either bite the bullet and use it again or get fresh. I think you take your chances, it will have little or no nutrients in so if it is going to be used again I would mix it with fresh compost and add fertiliser. Using it again you risk there being pests in the compost. I had vine weevil in one bag I hadn't seived before using again.
  
  I found there are roots in the soil and you find the original spud which was chitted plus tiny little spuds missed when harvesting so seiving is a good idea before mixing or using it again helps.
  
  I plan to recylce my old compost from christmas spud bags and will be interested in any replies to your thread as to whether that's the best way to go. I'm adding home grown compost and seaweed. I'll also feed the bags weekly when the spuds start showing.

  Link to this forum: GROWING POTATOES IN CONTAINERS YEAR 2

  Report message2

• Message 3

  , in reply to message 2.

  Posted by madeleineR (U14451255) on Tuesday, 29th March 2011

  After harvest, I usually tip my potato compost on my compost heap to help boost the bulk there and re-cycle. I used potting mix/grow bag compost mixed with garden soil to grow them in pots. Have thought about using garden soil mixed with well rotted compost to save the expense but grow bags are not too expensive anyway. Would be interested to hear more comments
  
  Madeleine

  Link to this forum: GROWING POTATOES IN CONTAINERS YEAR 2

  Report message3

• Message 4

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Niblet (U14438752) on Thursday, 31st March 2011

  Hi Jeff
  Yes, rotation definitely applies to container culture so make sure you don't use last year's spud compost for this years crop or you might end up with nasties damaging your crop.

  Link to this forum: GROWING POTATOES IN CONTAINERS YEAR 2

  Report message4

• Message 5

  , in reply to message 4.

  Posted by netherfield (U3897706) on Thursday, 31st March 2011

  I always throw mine on to the compost heap and start afresh.
  
  I would not want to take the risk.

  Link to this forum: GROWING POTATOES IN CONTAINERS YEAR 2

  Report message5

• Message 6

  , in reply to message 5.

  Posted by Vixxihibiscus (U13865184) on Friday, 1st April 2011

  I read a Which gardening article last year on compost and their tests showed that things grew fine in it for many years, The trial was over 3 or 4 if I remember rightly.
  
  They compared plant size and some in the subsiquent years even grew better. I have saved all my compost for this year and have rotated everything. I even scooped out my potato bags into seed trays and planted out my salads. A bit of manure or some miracle gro will perk it up a bit!
  
  If it's good enough for Which!
  
  Each crop uses different nutrients too so where it may be depleted in one from the previous crop, they may not have needed another that could be used up by something else. I wouldn't however re-use the same compost for the same crop. That sounds like a bad idea. Always rotate.
  
  

  Link to this forum: GROWING POTATOES IN CONTAINERS YEAR 2

  Report message6

• Message 7

  , in reply to message 6.

  Posted by scorebook (U12098114) on Friday, 1st April 2011

  Hi,
  
  Many thanks for your responses so far, I have decided to buy some fresh compost (B&Q Multipurpose 125L for about £7 per bag). I noted that seaweed seems a popular addition, so I am also considering buying a Levington's grow bag with added seaweed and mixing that to the multipurpose and organic potato fertilizer.
  
  Would this combination be beneficial or would the Levington's bag not be needed?
  
  Many thanks
  
  Jeff

  Link to this forum: GROWING POTATOES IN CONTAINERS YEAR 2

  Report message7

• Message 8

  , in reply to message 7.

  Posted by John L (U10162566) on Saturday, 2nd April 2011

  I had my first real go at container growing last year and in early winter looked at all my containers (which cost me a few bob) full of compost (ditto) and thought am I really going to throw this stuff out ? (I grew a wide range of things not just spuds)
  
  What I did was tip all the compost on the lawn, mixed it all up, threw in a big box and a half of blood/fish/bone and bagged it up. Covered the bags and stuck the behind the shed. Three weeks ago I re filled all my containers, and planted my spuds - which are racing on.
  
  I think I will do this in future, maybe freshening up with a couple of bags of new stuff. Whilst cost isn't everything, its a big part these days, and this might help.

  Link to this forum: GROWING POTATOES IN CONTAINERS YEAR 2

  Report message8

• Message 9

  , in reply to message 8.

  Posted by tattiebogle (U11728394) on Saturday, 2nd April 2011

  There is a product called Potting Base by Chempak which is designed to convert pure peat into potting compost. Very non-pc these days, but I've used it successfully to reuse compost from hanging baskets and containers.

  Link to this forum: GROWING POTATOES IN CONTAINERS YEAR 2

  Report message9

Back to top