has anyone else got a ...

[agrifabs 0]

potato barrel? if so what is it like? any good?

[kevegg 0]

I'm kind of potato barrel shaped.

 

Kev.

[Ratman2 2]

Not worth the hassle unless you are really tight on space. I use cheap plastic buckets, just drill some drainage holes, fill with growing medium and off you go, keep a few in the greenhouse and you'll have fresh home grown potato's through the cold months. I also use a plant tier made from scrap wood, this way you can stand three or more buckets in the floor space of one.

Rob

[Jim Grant 4]

I use 20ltr black poly Exhibitor bags and also converted 25ltr containers with the top cut off and holes drilled through the base to grow tatties in. I have converted a couple of raised beds to hold the black bags. The converted containers are used in the poly tunnel and the greenhouse, where I have 2nd cropping tatties growing just now. Willl be ready for Christmas.

 

The only drawback with barrels, bags or containers is that you have to water them every two days at least. Never had to do it every day as it has never been hot enough to justify it.

 

Nice clean tatties and easy the harvest, just tip the bag into 3/4" riddle inside a barrow. Couple of shakes and you have a couple of boilings.

 

Wee trick from a Scotsman. When you lift your 1st early tatties do it gently, remove the decent ones and then put the plant back into the bag, give it a good shake to get the medium in and around the roots. Water hard for a couple of days. Month later you have another crop of tatties.

 

Here is one of the beds of black bags. Pink Fir Apple.

 

Edited November 25, 2008 by Jim Grant

[The one 8,497]

My back gardens mostly slabed with a little bit of grass due to the dogs and i half filled some dog food bags with manure then topped them up with compost we got a good few potatoes and it was nicebecause they where home grown and we wouldn't have got them otherwise

[Jim Grant 4]

The One

Get along to the local Rug Wash. They are always trying to get rid of 25Ltr containers. Top off, holes in base and you have containers which wil last more than a few years. Give them a good steam wash first.

 

If you are near the water, silly question all of Fife is near the sea. Get yourself some seaweed from the High Water mark . Use that to mulch the tatties. In containers you will have to water them every second day.