By Dessert Queen

Re: Growing potatoes in a pot
28 Jul 2008 15:38

Well, my LOH dug our potatoes up that we'd grown in an old dustbin and I have to say, I don't think they were worth the effort. Taste wasn't as good as the Charlottes I buy in Waitrose nor did we get that many. Quite disappointing.
Think I'll stick to growing flowers from now on...
DQ xx

Replies

By Gravy Queen, Buckingham Pantry

Re: Growing potatoes in a pot
28 Jul 2008 16:04

Ah! I was thinking of doing this myself but don't think I'll bother now. I like flowers too!

By Crafty Cookie

Re: Growing potatoes in a pot
28 Jul 2008 19:56

DQ The best way of growing tatties with minimum effort and maximum pleasure is (now don;t laugh it is true).

Plant potatoes as normal. When the plants get to 18" high, place an old tyre over the top, top up with soil, water well.

Keep repeating this process until you have used 5 tyres.

You can achieve 40lbs per plant using this method, I got just over 25lbs!

I cannot take credit for this idea, but do blame the wonderful Bob Flowerdue off Gardeners Question Time.

By Pork Chop Norwich, Norfolk

Re: Growing potatoes in a pot
29 Jul 2008 09:38

DQ that is a shame. I had great success and am still "digging" out of my pots and bags. Did you get earlies, a named variety? I am now onto my pots containing second earlies and I think they are far superior to supermarket potatoes.
PC

By Jampling

Re: Growing potatoes in a pot
01 Aug 2008 16:50

DQ, I have you to thank for the most scrumptious dish of baby potatoes last night!

Your post made me worry about the time I'm lavishing on my own big dustbin load of potatoes, so I reached into the bottom of the bin and took out a good couple of handfuls (even though they haven't flowered yet). I steamed them and then served with parsley butter (parsley from the garden too), to accompany some fish.

They were the best potatoes we have ever tasted!! I'm so sorry yours didn't live up to expectations. The brand, perhaps?

By *Bramble

Re: Growing potatoes in a pot
02 Aug 2008 09:31

I don't think Charlottes have much flavour, try a different breed next year DQ, Maris Piper or Maris Bard, lovely :-)

By Gourmet Girl

Re: Growing potatoes in a pot
02 Aug 2008 13:21

or Red Duke of York...GG

By Sam, worthing west sussex, uk

Re: Growing potatoes in a pot
02 Aug 2008 17:04

we have got 8 containers with main crop pots in.....the containers are all various sizes form about 2 foot deep and 2 foot in circumference, to old bags that contained compost/manure, of varying sizes.

all the pots have flowered. sadly been a bit wind damaged, but still doing well....no watering has been done on our part since planting up after the chitting has taken place.

the pots we have unearthed have been fabulous, we are now down to 6 containers, and one has been delved into...purely by getting our hands in and having a feel.

one pot in particularly we have no intention of touching until december....for our xmas day tatties and hopefully into january.

we have had pots ranging in size from, egg sized and smaller (perfect for pot salad, or boiling/steaming to go with a salad) to satsuma size, which i have roasted in the skins......they are delicious...am waiting patiently for them to get bigger so i can make jacket spuds.

the name of our variety escapes me at the moment, but i am sure its listed earlier in growing your own pots previuos threads.

its defo worth doing.

shame about DQ's....did you water your spuds? that could be where you went wrong......they only need watering after a lenghty period of very hot dry weather, they are like onions, they take care of themselves with the help of mother nature.

Sammy

By Dessert Queen

Re: Growing potatoes in a pot
04 Aug 2008 11:19

We did water them every day but I think the main problem might have been the slugs. We dug them up as most of the foliage had been devastated so probably not enough nutrients were reaching them. It was an early variety but can't remember the name. The ones we harvested were long and knobbly, if anyone knows what they were-won't use them again!!
Might have another try next year with one of the varieties you've recommended, thanks.
DQ xx