Can used compost be used for potato growing

Hi,

I've put 6 potatoes in a egg box to start chitting and I'm just using a bag to grow them in. My question is, I've a dustbin full of old compost that I emptied from my hanging baskets and pots. Can I use this compost for potato growing or do I need to use new compost. I think it will be well rotted by now.

Cheers

Calum

 

Provided the compost wasn't used for Tomatoes or Potatoes last year it should be fine. It won't have any food though, so you will have to feed the spuds.

I put 4" rotted manure, then 4" compost, sprinkle on some Slow Release Potato Fertilizer, and then push the spuds into that, then another 4" compost and then I add more as the spuds grow until the bag is full.

I will also use a liquid feed after about 6 weeks - mine will be harvested at about 8 - 10 weeks.

 

Hi Kristen,

Thanks for the reply. I haven't grown tomatoes for 3 years now and never grown potatoes at my place before, so the compost in this purely from flowers. I was thinking about mixing old & new compost as I went with potatoes, just to give the old compost something.

I don't have potato fertilizer as yet, but would FBB be any use? By the way, can fish, blood & bone be made into a liquid feed, as I've read it takes ages to break down naturally when applied into soil?

Cheers

Calum

 

The Vitax Potato Fertiliser I use has an NPK of 4 : 2.5 : 8, whereas FBB's NPK is flat at 6 : 6 : 6 - so not really quite the same thing.

An NPK of 4 : 2.5 : 8 is similar to Comfrey, Tomato Fertilisers (which I doubt are long-season!), Phostrogen, Rose Fertiliser, and Sheep manure

http://www.vitax.co.uk/index.php/area/home-garden/organic-plant-feeding/vitax-organic-potato-fertiliser/

 

Thanks Kristen for that, I'll get some potato fertilizer when I'm out next

Sheep Manure??? Never realised you could get that. Horse manure is bad enough, goodness knows what sheep manure spells like. Mint scented

Cheers

Calum

 

I am using a nice and old horse manure and good topsoil at a ratio of 1 part manure to 2 parts topsoil and I put some bone meal in it also I am going to try growing first earlies both reds and whites the bags are the same ones my horse manure was delivered in I am just putting a few drainage holes in them I am not sure when to plant them I know tradition was where I used to live up north not to plant until Easter but I hope I can try the bags system a bit earlier. Has anyone got any thoughts on when its best to sow the seed? I live in the west Midlands now

 

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Ignore the tradition! As I understand it folk used to plant spuds on Good Friday because the merciless bosses made them work 7 days a week and Good Friday was the first opportunity they had to prepare the plot.

There are FIVE WHOLE WEEKS between the first possible date for Easter, and the last possible date - better to plant by the calendar, taking into account how the weather is looking

I have already planted my first two bags. They are in the cool, but not cold, utility room. Once they are "up" I will put them in the unheated conservatory - and I will bring them in at night if we get a chilly spell.

I will plant more bags every fortnight until the first sowing outdoors - probably 1st April - (the bags will be a couple of weeks quicker).

I reckon you have a month from planting First Earlies before they will be too big to earth up any more (to keep the frost off them), so planting a month before last frost is a good metric. Second's and Main's will grow more slowly, so (planted at the same time) its easier to keep them frost-proof.

 

Thanks Kristen That has spoken volumes to me Its my first time for growing in bags so this information will help no end my seeds are chitting along lovely so I am pretty much ready for the off I am meeting up with a wise old person tomorrow evening and I shall be asking him if he thinks we are near a good time locally :thumb: