Growing potatoes in a potato barrel

Yorky · Hawthorn Tree Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 83

Has anyone used one of these
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/POTATO-BARREL_W0QQitemZ150210870219QQihZ005QQcategoryZ20518QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
If so, would you recommend one?
I am keen to plant some seed potatoes in one of these ASAP as ideally I would like two crops -
would it be too early to plant 'first earlies' now in one of these? Can anyone recommend a 'first early' that would suit the climate of North East Ireland?

Thanks in advance.

BlackBird · Silver Birch Tree Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 165

Would not be a great fan of these, as I feel keeping enough water available for the swelling of the potatoes would be a problem. No such problem when the spuds are sown in drills or even raised beds with minimal irrigation.
The "first early" variety of potatoes I had great success with was Home Guards

medieval knievel · Rowan Tree Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 112

that's ain't cheap either.
woodies are currently doing a pack of three heavy duty bags for growing spuds in; each one is a few cubic foot in size, i'd say.

Yorky · Hawthorn Tree Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 83

I've planted some seed potatoes in two potato barrels and the idea is to add 6" layers of compost so only the tips of the shoots are showing . With mine, they are growing at different rates so I have actually covered the lower tips and left just the tallest tip exposed.

Will the other ones continue to grow through the compost? I can't see any way around this.

BlackBird · Silver Birch Tree Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 165

sevenstar · Hazel Tree Joined: 19 Apr 2008 Posts: 5 Location: Wicklow

I'm new to growing fruit & veg (2nd year) and have just tried spuds for the first time. I don't have much room so I sowed them the bags I got in Woodies, they were slow to start but now they are flying. Just took them out of the greenhouse (did I do right?) and earthed them up. I water them almost daily and am glad I live in Ireland where there is no hosepipe ban like England, Or is There? Looking forward to some contact on line with other veg heads and reading all your tips and suggestions. Laughing

Sb · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 12:47 pm Post subject:

sevenstar · Hazel Tree Joined: 19 Apr 2008 Posts: 5 Location: Wicklow

Thanks Sb. Will keep you up to date on how I get on. Plan to harvest as soon as they are ready and replant for later in the year. Any suggeations?

Yorky · Hawthorn Tree Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 83

I have just harvested my first ever crop of 'Orla first earlies' from my potato barrel. The yield was very small unfortunately- only 2.7kg.I chitted the seed potatoes for two weeks and planted them on 24th March. I added layers of compost as the foliage grew through the compost until the container was full. The compost I used was a Homebase organic one and I watered them regularly and fed with a liquid fertiliser once a week.

Does anyone know why the yield might have been so small? Could the compost have been to blame?

Also can the compost be used again next year or will it be 'spent' now? If so, is it possible to add old compost to a compost bin?

Any help would be appreciated.

medieval knievel · Rowan Tree Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 112

i had small yields too - same technique, but no potatoes grew above the original soil level, the plants didn't produce roots up the stems.

BlackBird · Silver Birch Tree Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 165

Jacqcat · Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 12:04 pm Post subject:

We just harvested one of our potato "sacks". The variety is sarpo mira (sp?) and the yield was about 5kg. We didn't do anything different from you, except we only fertilised with our own vermicompost/liquid and nothing else.

Perhaps it's the variety?

Blowin · Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 2:33 pm Post subject:

If it's any help (and I'm the novice's novice) I planted Epicure first earlies this year. It was my first attempt at growing spuds and this was what was on the shelf in the garden centre.

I'm lucky to have access to 'used' commercial growbags and planted the Epicures quite shallowly in stoney ground with bags on top to earth them up.

They cropped very well but, being virgin field that had never been cultivated before, it had all the slugs, wireworms etc in creation in it. I lost at least 75% of them as a result but, if you want a seed that you can put in in your artificial environment of the barrell, this is one that worked for me.
_________________
A novice gardener on newly cultivated, stoney ground.

Organicgrowingpains · Hazel Tree Joined: 24 Aug 2008 Posts: 40 Location: Cork

Hi, just read all the posts on growing potatoes in a barrel.We have grown carrots in barrels for the last 2 years.This year we are getting great returns from them. I read somewhere that the carrot fly cannot fly too high and barrels or containers were recommended. My grandchildren thought they were great! if anyone wants to visit the blog www.organicgrowingpains.blogspot.com there are photos etc. Anything grown in containers,bags etc needs constant watering and feeding.