(DaveDay34) wrote:

There have been some good suggestions about potatoes, but no-one has suggested
that you grow in containers, or tires, or anything similar.

I've done this with a number of varieties, using old 80L compost bags;
initially rolled down, then unrolled and composted up as the haulms
grow.

Results have been mixed. Fir Apple, Ratte and earlies don't respond
particularly well, as they don't really benefit from that treatment
anyway. (Grow earlies in large flowerpots instead; you can even treat
them as unorthodox houseplants over Christmas if you want really early
earlies!)

I've had good crops from maincrops, particularly lates, but they've
often been massacred by slugs and and snails that slip down between the
bag and the compost. Other than that, pest and disease issues have been
almost nonexistent. I never did find a solution to the gastropod
problem, as they get so deep into the bag that they're difficult to
hand-pick out.

For a couple of years, I did have significant scab problems, and also
chlorosis, both of which I had to correct with a lot of seaweed solution
(I'm growing organically). This was caused because I'd been using
organic mushroom compost, which was very limey: I should have known
better. I had much more success with experiments using home-made
compost, provided the compost didn't get overwet.

If you go for this method, do make sure you punch drainage holes in the
bottom of the bags, and also a few further up! There's little more
dispiriting than losing your "keeper" and early haulms to waterlogging
after heavy rain or overenthusiastic watering. Remember that holes can
clog and seal up, so check the bottoms of the bags for pooled water by
hand every now and again, and punch more holes as needed.

Oh, and make sure you remember to water profusely and regularly during
dry, hot spells. If you overwater, the drainage holes take care of the
excess; if you don't water enough, that's it for the spuds.


Jon
--
SPAM BLOCK IN USE! Replace 'deadspam' with 'green-lines' to reply in email.
Want a free solution to email spam? Try http://www.deadspam.com/
(Declaration of interest: I own/run the domain.)