Growing potatoes in containers

[Oldgreybeard]

Thanks, I've just been and measured up the pots I've got to try and get an idea of their volume. Looks like I have three 50 litre pots (about 550mm diameter, 400mm high) and the monster 150 litre pot the tree has just arrived in, which is about 700mm diameter and 550mm high.

There's only the two of us most of the time, so I might have a go at phasing the planting so we have a reasonable supply from summer onwards. Good tip about planting as late as August, hadn't thought that would be a goer, but as you say, we are in a mild part of the world, a latitude of almost smack on 51°, plus we're down in the bottom of a valley, so pretty well sheltered.

[Edited as I got the sizes wrong]

[Bugtownboy]

I’ve done it the last few years - bit later this year. We’ve been away for the last month, so it was pleasing to have the first feed yesterday, plus Turnip’s planted about the same time - roasted the root and wilted then waited the tops with garlic and chillie.

Excellent crop - worth doing for some late fresh veg.

Still concerned about the amount of rain there’s been, but the bed is well drained. I’ll do a bit of harvesting in the next couple of days. There’s about 25-30 plants to pull.

[Oldgreybeard]

I’ve done it the last few years - bit later this year. We’ve been away for the last month, so it was pleasing to have the first feed yesterday, plus Turnip’s planted about the same time - roasted the root and wilted then waited the tops with garlic and chillie.

Excellent crop - worth doing for some late fresh veg.

Still concerned about the amount of rain there’s been, but the bed is well drained. I’ll do a bit of harvesting in the next couple of days. There’s about 25-30 plants to pull.

As we're in a similar climate zone, do you have any suggestions as to varieties, please?

It's decades since I've had a proper veggie plot, and presumably things have moved on a bit. I'm after some earlies for summer new potatoes with salads etc, plus some main crop varieties that are good for baking. We don't often have mashed spuds, so really just two varieties would be fine.

[Bugtownboy]

Sorry OGB, we’ve grown stuff all over the place and we’re only just getting to the point of having proper veg areas in the garden (house was the priority). I can’t remember all of the types we’ve tried

I’ve always like Desiree, but haven’t grown them for years.

We grew some first early’s this year, but I left it late and just got what the local hardware/garden shop had left and I can’t remember the variety - Doh !

I like any of the Maris spuds too.

If you like a salad type potato, do try Alexandra - lovely tasting, waxy potato. Slapped wrist time - couldn’t find any seed potatoes, so let some supermarket bought ones sprit. Done absolutely fine.

Basically, we’ve never been settled enough to have an established routine with planting - also, I like trying different things

[Oldgreybeard]

Many thanks, good to hear Maris Piper's still going strong, probably the best roasting potato ever, IMHO. I'll give Alexandra a try too, as there's nothing better than the first salad potatoes, always seems to me to be associated with summer.

[AE-NMidlands]

+1 for Desiree from us... it's our absolute favourite. Just had some (scrubbed and pressure-cooked) with chicken and leek pie. Pull off the thin skin before eating if you wish! They are delicious, I can eat them just with butter and salt and pepper. (They are even better baked, when the flavour of the skin makes them better still.)

Thanks for the recommendation of Alexandra too, we'll look out for it, and have no problem saving some to try out of a bag from a supermarket bought mainly for eating. Wilja and Charlotte are our other regulars.

Not having a conservatory I haven't followed up on tub-planting now (or earlier in the autumn) but we do have several sacks of spuds in the cool store. In the spring we do have to buy though, also eat even more rice and pasta than usual!

[nowty]

This years potatoes (Maris Peer), they went in very late at the end of April and are now in full bloom, along with the second crop planted about 10 days ago.




One of my neighbours approached me the other day to ask what they were because she had never seen similar flowers in the garden centre and the foliage was lovely.

She was shocked with my answer.

[Joeboy]

Looks good, flower phase is great as you know it's all happening subsurface. I enjoy my lorning ritual giving them a good soak before the sun is too fierce. These are about 6th generation Charlotte I think.

Gave a load to a mate as he is just getting into it all, will have to ask if he's got signs of growth.

This is us this afternoon. No flowers yet but excellent solar collectors.

[nowty]

Its about a million degrees where mine are, on the driveway against a south facing wall, I am watering mine 2 or 3 times a day presently. And of course with harvested underground river water.

Which reminds me I promised to write up my the water harvesting project, just the plumbing into the house part and not the suicidal digging bit.

[nowty]

1st bag harvest after only two months.