Thread: Potatoes.
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Old 14-09-2012, 05:16 AM posted to rec.gardens.edible
David Hare-Scott[_2_] David Hare-Scott[_2_] is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Sep 2008
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Default Potatoes.

Chris Reardon wrote:
Hi All. New here. Have tried now 3 times to grow potatoes in bags.
Plants grow, they die, I empty the bag and .... a small handful of
small potatoes. The bags are in the garden and the sun hits them for
about 4 - 5 hours a day. I used new compost from the garden centre. I
expected to have a bag full.
What am I doing wrong ?
Thanks.
Chris.


How big do the tops get? You can get big tops and small taters (too much
nitrogen) but small tops will never give big taters.

Do you mean compost or potting mix? If potting mix it needs to be enriched
with manure or similar.

4-5 hours a day of sun is not enough, double that at least for a heavy
feeding, heavy producing crop.

To grow big tubers you need much starch. To make that starch the plant has
to photosynthesise all day for weeks without being limited by sun, water or
nutrients.

D