Mel (& Paul) Posted February 15, 2006 Share Posted February 15, 2006 You're braver than me. I get a terrible fit of schoolgirl giggles with chitting over here and chitting over there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 15, 2006 Share Posted February 15, 2006 You're braver than me.I get a terrible fit of schoolgirl giggles with chitting over here and chitting over there Don't start me off again Mel - I am having trouble enough duelling with you on 'I saw this and thought of you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 15, 2006 Share Posted February 15, 2006 You two! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted February 15, 2006 Share Posted February 15, 2006 I know I know "What are we like" Well Clare, If I've told you before I've told you a million times. A little short and more than a little plump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 15, 2006 Share Posted February 15, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Becka Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 I saw this on another forum and wondered if this would be of interest? One of my main concerns is space and I like the idea od being able to dispose of the 'containers' without the need to store them! Potatoes can be grown in black bin bags. Start with some garden compost, preferably lime free. Purchase some seed potatoes - early variety is best. Suggested method - roll down the sides of the bag to about half, start your bag with about 6 inches of growing medium, put about 5 seeds, 'eyes up' and cover. When they are about 5 inches tall cover them with more compost and unroll the bag to 3/4. repeat this again, then leave the plants to flower. After they have flowered, the potatoes will start to swell and you can take out what you need as they grow. Potatoes are prone to frost, and the bags should be in semi-shade, and kept just moist - not wet. Suttons Foremost is a good variety for this method and a very tasty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 It sounds as though Karen and Trish had good results using this method. (I especially liked the 'despite poor attention from me' comment, Trish!) I'll be giving it a go this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N&J Posted February 17, 2006 Author Share Posted February 17, 2006 So no chitting unless we want some earlies - I know what i will be doing at the weekend then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_smeeeths Posted February 21, 2006 Share Posted February 21, 2006 Oh this sounds good only problem is I have no idea what "chitting" is? Do you just get any old puds from the supermarket or do I need to get seeds or tubars(not sure of the difference) and just pop them in. Is there a right way round as knowing me if theres an upside down I'd find it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahJo Posted February 22, 2006 Share Posted February 22, 2006 Bought some early and maincrop spuds today .... for 3 pence (Had a £2.95) voucher for the garden centre ). Anyway, am going to do the "bag" method ...... got early "Rocket" spuds and Maincrop "Desiree". Will report on progress and results. Am planning to do 2 bags of each. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 22, 2006 Share Posted February 22, 2006 Desiree are yummy sarahjo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahJo Posted February 23, 2006 Share Posted February 23, 2006 Desiree are yummy sarahjo ... I know thats what swayed my choice. The closest I ever came to spud harvesting, was in the October break from school, when we all used to pick the spuds for a local farmer. . £10 a day ... real back breaking work. I can still hear the Aberdonian farmer yelling "Get your Totties picked noo". . The rotton ones really STANK ....... so hope theres not many of those in my crop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carolinep Posted February 23, 2006 Share Posted February 23, 2006 Desiree are wonderful, great all round spud. I've got some "Swift" earlies that have been chitting to go in the potato barrel and some Desiree for main crop to go in elsewhere. I'm getting so excited about growing my own spuds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barnabydaisy Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Oh this sounds good only problem is I have no idea what "chitting" is? Do you just get any old puds from the supermarket or do I need to get seeds or tubars(not sure of the difference) and just pop them in. Is there a right way round as knowing me if theres an upside down I'd find it! No one else has replied so here goes. "chitting" is placing your seed potatoes in some egg trays with the end with the most eyes upwards so the shoots grow and give you a head start. This should be done in the light but not in full sunlight. So a shaded window sill is good. As to what potatoes to use. You need seed potatoes from any garden centre also places like woolies and wikensons sell them. They come in four types 1st earlies, 2nd earlies, Maincrop and late crop So all you need to do is pick when you want yours ready and away you go. Earlies are your "new" or salad potatoes and Man and late are your bigger ones. Hope this helps Jason and Miriam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SusannenoZ Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 Have decided to turn over a large part of our garden this year into a veggie patch, and love the idea of growing potatoes in bags/containers. I am really new at this gardening lark and have found the info on here just brilliant. Any way I got some seed potatoes pentland javelin which are happy chitting away, sprouting well ready to be planted mid March, ok so far, at the same time I got some pink fir apple seed potatoes and set them off to "chit" and nothing! been in egg boxes in a light but not sunny windowsill and after 4 weeks not a single sprout on any of them, does this mean that they wont now and therefore not grow when of if I plant them out? Should I just throw them out and get some more or are they worth planting even if they haven't sprouted during the attempt to "chit" them?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 As long as they're not soft and mushy, they should be fine. They will probably start to chit soon. You've got plenty of time yet before you need to worry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penny Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 I've got some tatoes and plan to chit them a bit while I figure out what to do next. I'm going to try that barrel / bag method - could anyone advise me: how deep should the barrel / bag be? when should I put the potatoes in the barrel / bag? It was frosty this weekend - would they mind being outside in the frost? I am in Edinburgh. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 I got some sprouting atters out of the veggie rack and put them on the windowsill, they are now happily sprouting away. My mother says that I should cut them up so that there is a sprout per piece before I plant them, is this right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellcat Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 I've heard that Clare, but be aware that the yield might not be as good as from a seed potato. I've not done it myself mind so only going by what I read in some gardening mag of the Big Boy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N&J Posted March 7, 2006 Author Share Posted March 7, 2006 I read the instruction with the proper potato barrel - the one that cost £27.00 is the shops and this is what they tell you to do. Put in 4 inches of compost in a large black bin bag, roll down the egdes so the light can get - It has to be compost not soil. Then put in 5 tubers one in the middle and 4 round the edges. and cover with 2 more inches of compost. Then leave them until the shoots start to poke through and when they do cover with a few more inches of compost and roll the bag up a little. Basically you continue this process until the bag is full of compost. Then once the plant has flowered you lilterally split the bag open. The only risk is that in the ealry days the compost is not watered too much as it can rot the tubers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berkshire hens Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 chit, chit, chit, chit, chittin .... lay a little spud for me! This thread has got me inspired - I'm definitely in a thrifty/space saving mood (you have to be when your garden is small) I grew 3 rows of potatoes last year (Maris Peer, 2nd early) and they took up quite a bit of space. The potatoes tasted fantastic - lovely and creamy, but I was a bit disappointed at the yield (especially after I had devoted so much of my vegetable patch to them!) If I can grow in bags/bins/barrels that will be great (and the chicken protection would be great too!) Jim P.S. If you are a bit behind like me, you often find that you can get the seed potatoes cheap at the garden centres as they have started to chit themselves! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N&J Posted March 7, 2006 Author Share Posted March 7, 2006 The great thing about growingin bags is that you get a decent yiedd and it doesn't take over your entire veg patch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellcat Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 chit, chit, chit, chit, chittin .... lay a little spud for me! Spuds are great for turning over the soil and cleaning it. If you want something a bit different, try pink fir apple potatoes. an old english type, look red and k"Ooops, word censored!"bly, cook like new potatoes, taste gorgeous. Tyre stacks are great cheap way to do spuds. then you can add a tyre when its time to earth up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 Thanks Helen, but should I cut them up or not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
