Having a few seed potatoes left earlier this year, I thought I'd try
some in a year old compost heap.
They sprouted quite spectacularly - some had a bush sized foilage until
recently.
So tonight was crop time. The garden pots were reasonable, though a
little small.
Then onto the compost heap, which, frankly were an embarassment, there
were 2 or 3 of around a inch round, the vast majority were half an inch
round.
So they have obviously put their energies into growing tall, yet not
developing the potatoes beneath them.
Why is this - soil too rich?
Ta
Alan.
--
To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'.

"A.Lee" wrote in message
.. .
Having a few seed potatoes left earlier this year, I thought I'd try
some in a year old compost heap.
They sprouted quite spectacularly - some had a bush sized foilage
until
recently.
So tonight was crop time. The garden pots were reasonable, though a
little small.
Then onto the compost heap, which, frankly were an embarassment, there
were 2 or 3 of around a inch round, the vast majority were half an
inch
round.
So they have obviously put their energies into growing tall, yet not
developing the potatoes beneath them.
Why is this - soil too rich?
Ta
Alan.

You say "Soil too rich". What soil? You cannot fool nature. Potatoes
need to be grown in soil which has been suitably enriched with manure
and then earthed-up to ensure that the developing tubers are not exposed
to the light.

Your next experiment could well be the growing of potatoes on a farmyard
manure heap and the result would be similar to that which you have just
reported-a failure.

Regards,
Emrys Davies.

"Emrys Davies" wrote in message
...
"A.Lee" wrote in message
.. .

Having a few seed potatoes left earlier this year, I thought I'd try
some in a year old compost heap.
[...]
soil too rich?

You say "Soil too rich". What soil? You cannot fool nature. Potatoes
need to be grown in soil which has been suitably enriched with manure
and then earthed-up to ensure that the developing tubers are not exposed
to the light.

Your next experiment could well be the growing of potatoes on a farmyard
manure heap and the result would be similar to that which you have just
reported-a failure.


Lots of us grow potatoes in compost in buckets without a problem.

Tim w

Emrys Davies wrote:
"A.Lee" wrote in message..

Having a few seed potatoes left earlier this year, I thought I'd try
some in a year old compost heap.
They sprouted quite spectacularly - some had a bush sized foilage
until recently.
So tonight was crop time. The garden pots were reasonable, though a
little small.
Then onto the compost heap, which, frankly were an embarassment, there
were 2 or 3 of around a inch round, the vast majority were half an
inchround.

You say "Soil too rich". What soil? You cannot fool nature. Potatoes
need to be grown in soil which has been suitably enriched with manure
and then earthed-up to ensure that the developing tubers are not exposed
to the light.

Yes, but why is that?
I would have thought a compost heap would be ideal growing ground, yet
they put all their energy into growing a large plant, but the potatoes
were tiny.
They were well buried, so light shouldnt have reached them, but as in
most compost heaps, the compost was very lightweight and 'fluffy',unlike
my soil, which was very hard and heavy when I dug up the garden grown
ones.
Also, the compost heap would have been warmer, and better drained, so
they are more factors which may have contributed.
Alan.

--
To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'.

A.Lee wrote:
Emrys Davies wrote:
"A.Lee" wrote in message..

Having a few seed potatoes left earlier this year, I thought I'd try
some in a year old compost heap.
They sprouted quite spectacularly - some had a bush sized foilage
until recently.
So tonight was crop time. The garden pots were reasonable, though a
little small.
Then onto the compost heap, which, frankly were an embarassment, there
were 2 or 3 of around a inch round, the vast majority were half an
inchround.

You say "Soil too rich". What soil? You cannot fool nature. Potatoes
need to be grown in soil which has been suitably enriched with manure
and then earthed-up to ensure that the developing tubers are not exposed
to the light.

Yes, but why is that?
I would have thought a compost heap would be ideal growing ground, yet
they put all their energy into growing a large plant, but the potatoes
were tiny.
They were well buried, so light shouldnt have reached them, but as in
most compost heaps, the compost was very lightweight and 'fluffy',unlike
my soil, which was very hard and heavy when I dug up the garden grown
ones.
Also, the compost heap would have been warmer, and better drained, so
they are more factors which may have contributed.
Alan.

Well, coincidentally, yesterday I went down the bottom of my garden
where the compost heap (a very informal affair) is to collect a
wheelbarrow of the stuff to spread over a bed ready for Autumn planting
of onions. While digging it out I came across a "wild" potato plant, the
spuds were large, numerous and in great condition.

"Tim W" wrote in message
...

"Emrys Davies" wrote in message
...
"A.Lee" wrote in message
.. .

Having a few seed potatoes left earlier this year, I thought I'd try
some in a year old compost heap.
[...]
soil too rich?

You say "Soil too rich". What soil? You cannot fool nature. Potatoes
need to be grown in soil which has been suitably enriched with manure
and then earthed-up to ensure that the developing tubers are not exposed
to the light.

Your next experiment could well be the growing of potatoes on a farmyard
manure heap and the result would be similar to that which you have just
reported-a failure.


Lots of us grow potatoes in compost in buckets without a problem.

Tim w

I always seem to have bag upon bag of woody shreddings. For two years I've
put them in buckets or other containers and planted left-over seed potatoes
in them. The yield isn't huge but there IS a yield and the potatoes are
always sound. There's no manure in the shreddings, unless the odd creature
has died or deposited in there.

There's no point in wasting expensive, heritage seed potatoes.

Mary

In article ,
(A.Lee) writes:
| Having a few seed potatoes left earlier this year, I thought I'd try
| some in a year old compost heap.

I tried some in a large bag in a polytunnel, to get some extra early
ones. Not merely were they later, they were exactly like yours!


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

A.Lee wrote:
Having a few seed potatoes left earlier this year, I thought I'd try
some in a year old compost heap.
They sprouted quite spectacularly - some had a bush sized foilage until
recently.
So tonight was crop time. The garden pots were reasonable, though a
little small.
Then onto the compost heap, which, frankly were an embarassment, there
were 2 or 3 of around a inch round, the vast majority were half an inch
round.
So they have obviously put their energies into growing tall, yet not
developing the potatoes beneath them.
Why is this - soil too rich?
Ta
Alan.

I also would be interested. For the first year, I tried potatoes. I
prepared the soil with manure and bone meal. The plants develop enormous
foliage (as yours). They really looked very healthy, then within a few
weeks, the foliage died down. Since there was no sign of obvious
disease, I thought it was the "normal" end of their life, although I was
surprised that they just started flowering. I dug out a few and....
nothing! Except some very very small ones (which were quite good)... I
really don't know what I did wrong, except that this part of the garden
is relatively shady (?)

In article ,
Philippe Gautier writes:
|
| I also would be interested. For the first year, I tried potatoes. I
| prepared the soil with manure and bone meal. The plants develop enormous
| foliage (as yours). They really looked very healthy, then within a few
| weeks, the foliage died down. Since there was no sign of obvious
| disease, I thought it was the "normal" end of their life, although I was
| surprised that they just started flowering. I dug out a few and....
| nothing! Except some very very small ones (which were quite good)... I
| really don't know what I did wrong, except that this part of the garden
| is relatively shady (?)

Blight. It's been terrible this year - mine got hit in late May.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On Aug 13, 8:14 pm, (A.Lee) wrote:
Having a few seed potatoes left earlier this year, I thought I'd try
some in a year old compost heap.
They sprouted quite spectacularly - some had a bush sized foilage until
recently.
So tonight was crop time. The garden pots were reasonable, though a
little small.
Then onto the compost heap, which, frankly were an embarassment, there
were 2 or 3 of around a inch round, the vast majority were half an inch
round.
So they have obviously put their energies into growing tall, yet not
developing the potatoes beneath them.
Why is this - soil too rich?

I doubt it is that. I always have some sporadic spuds growing in my
year old compost heap. There are even a couple of them growing at the
base of the active heap. I have never noticed much difference apart
from not bothering to earth up the ones growing accidentally in those
locations. Courgettes and marrows seem to really like it.

Seems a bit early to be harvesting spuds unless you want them for
salads. The only ones I have harvested so far are the ones that were
growing in the way of other old raspberry canes that I wanted to grub
out. Looks like blight may have got a hold - not surprising given the
manky summer.

Regards,
Martin Brown

g'day alan,

waht process do you use to determine that the potato's needed to be
harvested? did they get full sun?

for me it is when the tops have died off, at that time there can be no
more growth happening so the spuds are going to be as big as they are
ever going to be.

growing them in a medium that might have been too rich could have an
impact on spud size as too rich a medium for many vegetables will have
them growing foliage and little else. i would still have expected a
resonable result.

check on our site go to our instant potato patch page, all we do is
put the seed spuds on the ground and cover with mulch basically,
except for this year to a degree where an unseasonal black frost
killed off the mature plants we do well enough for us using not much
energy or resources as can be seen on our site.


On Mon, 13 Aug 2007 20:14:14 +0100, (A.Lee) wrote:

snipped
With peace and brightest of blessings,

len & bev

--
"Be Content With What You Have And
May You Find Serenity and Tranquillity In
A World That You May Not Understand."

http://www.lensgarden.com.au/

"len garden" wrote in message
...

....

check on our site go to our instant potato patch page,

Do you use capital letters on it? If you don't it will be too difficult to
read so not worth visiting.

Mary

"Tim W" wrote in message
...

"Emrys Davies" wrote in message
...
"A.Lee" wrote in message
.. .

Having a few seed potatoes left earlier this year, I thought I'd try
some in a year old compost heap.
[...]
soil too rich?

You say "Soil too rich". What soil? You cannot fool nature. Potatoes
need to be grown in soil which has been suitably enriched with manure
and then earthed-up to ensure that the developing tubers are not exposed
to the light.

Your next experiment could well be the growing of potatoes on a farmyard
manure heap and the result would be similar to that which you have just
reported-a failure.


Lots of us grow potatoes in compost in buckets without a problem.

I have just dug some out of my compost heap which grew from potato peelings,
and some of them were HUGE!

"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
et...

"Tim W" wrote in message
...

"Emrys Davies" wrote in message
...
"A.Lee" wrote in message
.. .

Having a few seed potatoes left earlier this year, I thought I'd try
some in a year old compost heap.
[...]
soil too rich?

You say "Soil too rich". What soil? You cannot fool nature. Potatoes
need to be grown in soil which has been suitably enriched with manure
and then earthed-up to ensure that the developing tubers are not exposed
to the light.

Your next experiment could well be the growing of potatoes on a farmyard
manure heap and the result would be similar to that which you have just
reported-a failure.


Lots of us grow potatoes in compost in buckets without a problem.

Tim w

I always seem to have bag upon bag of woody shreddings. For two years I've
put them in buckets or other containers and planted left-over seed
potatoes in them. The yield isn't huge but there IS a yield and the
potatoes are always sound. There's no manure in the shreddings, unless the
odd creature has died or deposited in there.

There's no point in wasting expensive, heritage seed potatoes.

What potatoes come under the heading of 'heritage'?

And, where can I get some?

Do you just keep some of the tubers from last year to plant again?

Alan

"Alan Holmes" wrote in message
...



There's no point in wasting expensive, heritage seed potatoes.

What potatoes come under the heading of 'heritage'?

A lot.

And, where can I get some?

T&M or other good seed/plant/vegetable suppliers.

Do you just keep some of the tubers from last year to plant again?

Never, deliberately. But I don't always manage to get every tuber out of the
ground so we have volunteers coming up all over. And there are always
peelings which grow round the compost bin.

Tonight we had Salad Blue - blue potatoes which are blue all through (unlike
Edzell Blue which re only blue on the outside, but they taste very good) and
if you steam them or boil them in a small amount of water (I always do) the
water is green ... beautiful!

The potatoes taste good too.

Mary