Allotment Diary : How to grow potatoes in containers for an earlier crop

Tips, Tricks

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Growing some very early potatoes in containers for hopefully a super early crop in about 80 days. I grow them in 30 litre container pots with about 15 litres of compost, into which 4 oz of blood fish & bone fertilizer is mixed. Then I push 2 seed potatoes, these are Rocket to within 3" of the bottom and cover with compost. Hopefully these should send shoots out of the soil within a few weeks in the relative warmth of a greenhouse or at home. Then as the leaves grow, slowly fill up the pot with more compost leaving some leaves showing above the surface. Then protect from frost using fleece or bubble wrap and hopefully in about 80 days there should be a few early new potatoes much earlier than the normal outside planted ones.

Comments

Hello,
When you say 'compost' for a growing medium - what is it exactly?

can i chit the potatoes that i buy say from morrisons, just normal spuds, and then grow them, sorry im new to this ive never grown anything before but was watching your video and thought hmm growing spuds in pots seems like a place to start

dan are we getting a bit ahead of our sens,,i got some sarpo,s, and im in two mind weather to start them chitting, as you know up here in yorkshire we can have some bad weather , like last year we had a yard of snow in april.advise please old lad,,cheers dean

Good luck with those. Here we have had 60 days of drought and about 80 F or 27 C all winter. It will be interesting to see what the fruit trees do. I have been looking for some seed potatoes this year but haven't found any and usually the big box stores bring them in too late for us to grow them.

Been thinking if i can get away with starting a few off my self in containers. Don't have a greenhouse unfortunately. Looks like it will be a late start on the allotment again this year, its so bloody bogged down right now.

See you have your onions on the sill Dan.

I have to wait on a load of compost to be delivered first (around mid-week) before I can get mine potted up. They are chitted and ready to go.

I'll put 2 Swift potatoes in a poly pot for now (outside) and maybe the rest in 2-3 weeks when we have a better idea of the weather!

Getting manure is proving to be nigh on impossible. Would chicken pellets be a suitable enough alternative?

Got some swift in the polytunnel too. Will plant some rocket and charlotte in the coming weeks. Like you say it's been so mild, that it's got to be worth a try.

Got limited space so planned to try some potatoes in containers this year. Two to 30 litre container? I was planning four in a 40 litre container... is that over doing it? XD May buy another and try three to a container.

Also I heard the bonemeal in BFB takes three months to break down? Won't that limit the nutrients available to the plant for the majority of their time in the compost?

You've beat me to it Dan lol I'm thinking starting some off in the greenhouse on Tuesday (Payday) need to pick some compost up first. Started some carrots a couple of weeks ago in the coal house. Moved them into the greenhouse today as I'd noticed they've germinated.

You know the compost I'm using to grow potatoes in the pots with this year. Do you think it be OK if i saved it and use it next year to grow carrots in containers? I could add a little fertiliser.

Best Wishes, Chris.

Did mine today as well. Have you ever tried 3 in one pot?

Hi Dan
nice one i started my rocket off last week i'm trying a fertiliser called spuds galore from elixir. i'll see how it fairs with you on fish blood and bone.

I've been looking putside at what looks very much like Spring and trying to decide whether I dare plant anything in the greenhouse yet, but keep reminding myself that it is still only February and March could have some surprises for us. Seeing this is making me wonder whether I have been too cautious. Only time will tell I guess. All the best and thanks for the tips. Can I ask where you buy the pots from, I've looked around but cannot find them.

I was thinking of getting some spuds going at the end of the month so I'll see if the ones still in growbags in the greenhouse are starting to sprout and decide from that. There will, obviously, be a video.