Tatties

Hi GG,

Calm down a bit Lol, I only bought them the week before last. They are getting some nice little shoots on them now though so I reckon I'll probably put them in in about 2 or 3 weeks time.
We're quite lucky here as we haven't had a frost since the first week of January ( and only 3 all Winter ) so I can't see us having many more ( if any ), so I'm hoping they'll be ok. The containers they're going into are like wide hard plastic buckets with handles on about 2' wide and 2' deep.

 

Ah, seems like I'm either ahead of the pack or have foolishly jumped the gun
Did I read somewhere that for potatoes to test the soil, just shove your hand into the soil up to the heft and if you can keep it there without discomfort, then it is time to plant? Or is that just a pile of chit?

 

I'll be growing mine in growbags emptied into the containers. Ain't got any soil, everything's under 6" of gravel.

 

Kondor spuds for giant potatoes have had their eyes/sprouts reduced to just one, and as soon as their 'wounds' heal they'll get planted.

@"M" I've just planted a 3 shooted KE seed spud in a cardboard pot that'll get transplanted into a 10" pot with a holed bottom sitting in a 42L bag of enriched compost.

Time to get my Charlottes into their bags in polytunnels.

 

Thanks @Scrungee mine is still in the egg box

I've got my Morri bucket ready (holes along the sides near the base and also in the base) and the compost is being bought at the weekend (should have been yesterday, but I had emergency car troubles ). I've got bamboo canes at the ready for attaching to the outside of the bucket.

Just taken a picture of how its looking at the moment:


Is it still viable? Are the white parts roots?

Do I need to put it in a cardboard pot before it graduates to "Big Pot"?

 

It looks ready to be planted. My 2 KE tubers appeared to be resisting putting out shoots, so I'm pursuing my plan of doing everything I can for one of them, and nothing special for the other.

 

Just a bit of info for a bit later in the month. My potatoes are in as mentioned above. I shall be away for a month soonish. I'm wondering if I need to do anything before I go or just leave as they are?
For instance, would it be a good idea to 'mound-up' the rows a bit before the shoots appear (I know normally you would wait till there is sufficent growth before doing it) or would that prevent or damage them underground? Or ....

Any advice welcome.
Thanks
GG

 

Well, I'm quite astonished really. I planted that spud after posting and I've earthed it up a couple of times but now it has taken off at a rate of knots! I don't think I will be able to "earth up" any more than one last time now Will that be an issue, do you think?

I haven't put the pot on top of the bag of compost yet, but, obviously now is the time to do it. I just want to make certain I'm doing it right really

 

I have some growing in bags, they are shooting like rockets with the good weather the last couple of days. But what height do you start building up a bit? They are seconds

 

You could use something like thin Correx as a temporary 'raising piece' to enable continued earthing up well above the top of the pot, just remove it + the extra soil (but not any spuds in it!) before the weigh off.

Keep an eye on watering as the leaves will cause rain to be shed beyond the pot, the warning sign is when the leaves start to darken.

Bury the pot several inches into the compost rather than just placing it on top.

 

@Scrungee