The "Grow Your Own" Thread

[Hereford Wolf]

I'd like a constant supply of new potatoes this year.

I've no idea where to begin - any help or tips please?

Cheers

 

[PabloWolfo]

I'd like a constant supply of new potatoes this year.

I've no idea where to begin - any help or tips please?

Cheers

Go to gardenersworld.com and type in "growing potatoes in a container". There's a vid, etc.

I've done it twice now and it's pretty much a piece of piss.

 

[Doctor Doog]

Are you really planning to grow them in a container? If so I'm not sure I can help as I haven't grown spuds that way.

If you are going to put them in the ground the first step is to dig it over thoroughly and compost well. I use garden compost or rotted horse shit. The next step is to choose the right variety, some are more suitable for new potatoes than others. Plant the seed potatoes about a foot deep 18 inches apart in rows with about 2 feet between them. Some might say space them more than that but I've never had any problems. For a steady supply of new potatoes plant a few rows every couple of weeks. Keep the seed potatoes in the dark before you plant them to stop them sprouting. You'll need to keep them well watered and when the shoots are about a foot above the ground pile the soil around the base of the stem to prevent any of the spuds poking up through the ground which will make them go green. You can start to plant when the frosts have finished. Different varieties will take different times to grow but it should tell you on the bag when they will be ready. Carol Klein is the veg growing guru for me, so anything you can read of hers will be useful. Good luck and welcome to the world of grow your own!

Edit: Obviously Pablo's advice is much better than mine, but I'll leave this stuff up in case anyone else is interested.

 

[markb]

I'd like a constant supply of new potatoes this year.

I've no idea where to begin - any help or tips please?

Cheers

Go to the shops frequently and buy some.

 

[sellypark wolf]

I grow my new potatoes in a container and my maincrops at the allotment. Any container will do, I use small water butts but my mate uses the small recycling boxes. Put about six inch compost in the base and then put about 5 chitted seed potatoes evenly placed on this and cover with 18" compost. Leave and then when the growth comes through allow to get to about 5" and then top up with soil until only 2" growth shows. Continue with this (is called earthing up) until you reach just under the top of the container. The bigger the pot the more potatoes you will get, but you should get a decent harvest from a large plant pot / hessian sack. Kestrel are a good variety to grow.

Hope this makes sense

 

[Doctor Doog]

I grow my new potatoes in a container and my maincrops at the allotment. Any container will do, I use small water butts but my mate uses the small recycling boxes. Put about six inch compost in the base and then put about 5 chitted seed potatoes evenly placed on this and cover with 18" compost. Leave and then when the growth comes through allow to get to about 5" and then top up with soil until only 2" growth shows. Continue with this (is called earthing up) until you reach just under the top of the container. The bigger the pot the more potatoes you will get, but you should get a decent harvest from a large plant pot / hessian sack. Kestrel are a good variety to grow.

Hope this makes sense

Do you chit your main crop as well. I've never bothered, does it make a difference?

 

[Hereford Wolf]

This is great info - thanks.

We are going to grow them in containers. Mrs HW is very excited (I know how to please my wife!).

 

[sellypark wolf]

Do you chit your main crop as well. I've never bothered, does it make a difference?

Yeah, although not sure it matters too much but the old west indian boys at the allotment swear by it and they tend to know what they are on about

 

[lemonjelly]

Potatoes are, AIUI pretty straightforward to do.

I tend to grow stuff each year - tomatoes, cucumber, brocolli, sprouts, lettuce, carrots, beans etc.

As well as being phenomenally therapeutic, the stuff tastes so much better than shop bought stuff that is forced to grow too quickly.

 

[pavlosmacwolf]

Hereford, i make boxes out of spare tongue and grrove wood i have around. I make a box about 2' square, but i hinge the front piece so it opens like a door.
I start with two, one on top of the other, plant the spuds and then start earthing up, when they get full i add another one on top and so on.
Once i think the first of the spuds are ready, i open the hinge on the bottom box, and slide it out from under the others. before i aqllow the others to fall to the bottom, i scoop out the spuds that are ready, and whatever soil comes with them, then slide the remaining boxes down to ground level, and add the one i removed, back on top. Just keep going after that, til the plant has given it's all.

My soil is not good for spuds for some reason , so i grow them on concrete and slipp a black bin liner or some old carpet on the bottom to keep the grubs out that eat the fuckers.

 

[Hereford Wolf]

Thanks a lot folks - looking forward to a good crop later this year!

 

[Wolf Hunting]

Hereford, i make boxes out of spare tongue and grrove wood i have around. I make a box about 2' square, but i hinge the front piece so it opens like a door.
I start with two, one on top of the other, plant the spuds and then start earthing up, when they get full i add another one on top and so on.
Once i think the first of the spuds are ready, i open the hinge on the bottom box, and slide it out from under the others. before i aqllow the others to fall to the bottom, i scoop out the spuds that are ready, and whatever soil comes with them, then slide the remaining boxes down to ground level, and add the one i removed, back on top. Just keep going after that, til the plant has given it's all.

My soil is not good for spuds for some reason , so i grow them on concrete and slipp a black bin liner or some old carpet on the bottom to keep the grubs out that eat the fuckers.

That sounds deadly Pav, I've never heard of that neat system.

I've got about 20 Tesco home delivery boxes at the back, I've got some garlic, tomatoes, and oniond in a few of them, but they stack up brilliantly. I can try that.
Like you the soil is shite here. It's mostly sand and salty too so I have to use loads of Peat to grow stuff in.

Going to sort that in the spring... if the winter ever arrives!
Can't believe it's the end of January and it's 12' outside. Fucking rabbitts running around, little sappy buds crashing out on the trees and everything's fucking growing. I'm gonna have to cut the grass again and I did it last month too.
I've NEVER cut the grass in December before.

 

[pavlosmacwolf]

That sounds deadly Pav, I've never heard of that neat system.

I've got about 20 Tesco home delivery boxes at the back, I've got some garlic, tomatoes, and oniond in a few of them, but they stack up brilliantly. I can try that.
Like you the soil is shite here. It's mostly sand and salty too so I have to use loads of Peat to grow stuff in.

Going to sort that in the spring... if the winter ever arrives!
Can't believe it's the end of January and it's 12' outside. Fucking rabbitts running around, little sappy buds crashing out on the trees and everything's fucking growing. I'm gonna have to cut the grass again and I did it last month too.
I've NEVER cut the grass in December before.

Wolfy if you want to be really flash, then hinge all 4 corners and then instead of sliding them out they just peel away. If you want then to slide, leave the tongue on the two sides and snap it off front and back with some pliers. Runs out like a train on tracksm and you should know about that.

If the tesco delivery boxes are wooden or plastic, just take the bottom out and stack them,four of five per plant should do it, as the bottom one goes on top once you've slid it away.

You won't have heard of my neat little system before , because i invented it, a few years ago. There's a grub in the soil here that scoffs spuds faster than i do, and with the forest being pine it's very acidic soil. I've got the Big bird in Hamburg looking at plastics manufacturers with a view to producing them for sale. She's patenting them as well.

I'm getting too old for all this building shit, time for a more relaxing job.

 

[Wolf Hunting]

I've got the Big bird in Hamburg looking at plastics manufacturers with a view to producing them for sale. She's patenting them as well.

I'll look out for her on Dragon's Den then.
Deutsch, what's German for Dragon's Den?

 

[Newbridge Wolf]

Ze Dragonz Den?

 

[Masterpig]

You can have the potatoes in my bin bro

 

[pavlosmacwolf]

Der Dennen der Drakonfeuhrer

 

[Stan Hullis]

LJ is this the thread you were on about?

TWFs "Grow your own" thread

 

[Hereford Wolf]

Hope to plant first lot on Good Friday. Chitted and ready to go!

 

[lemonjelly]

LJ is this the thread you were on about?

TWFs "Grow your own" thread

This is the one!

I've did my planting 2 weeks ago. Planted lettuce, peas, tomatoes (1st batch), beetroot, peppers & cucumbers.
Weekend just gone I planted onions & carrots.
Over the next couple of weeks I'll plant out more tomatoes & lettuce.
I might plant extra peas too - I love peas!

Lettuce & peas are sprouting. I think the beetroot have just started sprouting too.

Yum!