The Dogmother Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 My pots always grow so much that the tops of the plants grow way out of the bag and are now about 4' long! Is it ok to chop them shorter? I don't want them puttting all their energy into lovely long plants, when they should be growing potatoes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helly Welly Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 I've never grown potatoes in bags but wouldn't they need to flower? If you chop them shorter then they won't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 Clare ours have all flowered, they are in link-a-bord beds, and Dan chopped them all off the other day as they had all collapsed, they were really tall. They had yellowed at the bottom and a lot of the leaves and stems had snapped and started to rot and there were slugs and things in there We have, so far, had 2 really good meals from them and we still have loads in the ground I'm not sure we did the right thing but they seem to be okay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 27, 2007 Author Share Posted June 27, 2007 I've got two bags of earlies and one of lates, I haven't seen any flowers on them yet. I didn't want to chop then all down, just prune them a bit. Every year, they take over the bottom of the garden Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helly Welly Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 I'd give it a go Clare, some potatoes will have developed by now anyway, so the worst that will happen is you'll get a few less. Got this from the web; As the potato plant grows, do not remove or 'stop' the foliage, it is supplying food to the tubers. However, remove any flower heads or buds which appear because these will produce potato seeds which will divert energy from the potato tubers. I've never removed the flowers on mine, are you supposed to? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 27, 2007 Author Share Posted June 27, 2007 Neither have I Helly, I thought you were supposed to leave them It makes sense to take them off though. I wil go and make a detailed examination this evening - so far I've just been tripping over them and cussing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 I'm growing spuds too - 12 bags to be precise! They stalks are really tall and have now fallen over, they have not flowered yet. Do they have to flower before you pick them or does it not matter really? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 29, 2007 Author Share Posted June 29, 2007 You're supposed to let them flower and die down first Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happymama Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 I have spuds in pots, bags and the ground. The ground is very soggy, and I've had both baking-size spuds and nice new potato size ones, and lots of baby ones still in the making, so grub with my hands for the big uns then put the lot back with my boot for further development. A couple are just coming into flower now. The ground is so wet that the spuds are beginning to rot in the ground, and there are quite a few signs of infestation one way or another, I have to scrub them out and soak them before I can eat them. Slugs eggs, someone elses eggs and little red worms abound. The Bags are doing brilliantly, have all flopped over and some are just coming into flower. The spuds from these are perfect in every way, probably due to them being well watered (!), well drained as they are in proper potato bags that are well ventilated at the bottom, and against a south facing fence. The pots in Pots are also doing well, and get the sun all day, and are not anywhere close to flowering, but are at the opposite end of the garden to the other two types, which are growing where the Eglu and chickens spent last winter. I know the bags and pots are doing well cos I can stick my hand in and find a nice spud straight away. But , moving soon, so need the ones from the ground first, and then can take the others with me. I have six chitted and three bags left still to do. Basically, I'll grow them in bags evermore, it's much easier to regulate the water they get, a leakypipe system will take care of hot spells, and the bags themselves take care of the rainy ones. BTW, my bags and pots are filled with a 50/50 mix of home compost and growbag compost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 25, 2007 Author Share Posted July 25, 2007 I'm giving up on growing taters - I emptied two bags of earlies - the tops had died down - and managed to find about a dozen tiny new potatoes. I'll buy them from the farmers' market in future Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 Sorry to hear that Clare The weather is just ruining everything at the moment My pots are okay we have had a really good crop, they are in raised beds though, so haven't got too saturated My broccoli is the thing, that has just gone to seed. Beautiful yellow flowers Persevere with the spuds they might cost you a fortune later in the year as the farmers are having terrible problems harvesting things I am going to re-do most of my beds next week (and put stuff in the greenhouse)and have another go and hopefully we will have a late summer and things will have chance to grow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickpea Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 Ooh thanks for reminding me...I need to start some pots off for crimbo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainboarddude Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 i pulled up a load of spuds yesterday which were of a good size, the foliage had been eaten before it had a chance to flower but the seemed fine. just one problem and that was the red ants which have been breeding and eating holes in my spuds so the biggest ones had to go in the compost bin . sweetcorns doing well but we will give up with growing veg after that because we never seem to have any luck. maybe i can have the veggy patch for the chooks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 Ooh thanks for reminding me...I need to start some pots off for crimbo! Um, Lucy said the C word! I'm telling!!!!! My potato plants are really tall and lanky! I have had a little rummage under the soil and they seem to be doing well! They are 'king edward' tatties which i think are main crop. Still a while to go before i harvest them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 Ooh thanks for reminding me...I need to start some pots off for crimbo! Um, Lucy said the C word! I'm telling!!!!! I think it started in the Good Life thread where i mentioned we'd bought 4 turkeys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 Yep Lesley, i've been away for a week and a bit and just seen that! It'll be a Christmas ideas thread soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 Someone mentioned knitted egg cosies as Christmas presents a day or so ago. Mentioning no names................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickpea Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 Ooh thanks for reminding me...I need to start some pots off for crimbo! Um, Lucy said the C word! I'm telling!!!!! I think it started in the Good Life thread where i mentioned we'd bought 4 turkeys Yeah I kinda hoped/thought I wasn't the first! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Licken Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 Can I put a second crop of spuds in to harvest in the autumn? do such things exist? I have done really well with my first and second earlies - well I have lots of spuds!! I still have main crop in the ground. Also how do I know when jerusalem artichokes are ready to harves (currently about 7 ft tall! Any ideas anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickpea Posted July 27, 2007 Share Posted July 27, 2007 I did see in a catalogue you can put some in now for christmas time harvest but I forgot the variety, am gonna pop down garden centre and look later... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted July 27, 2007 Share Posted July 27, 2007 has anyone ever grown spugs for C&*^$£"£&? when do I need to put them in? is it any different to growing them in the summer? should I run away for mentioning the C word? are these questions getting silly? Cathy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happymama Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 Apparently next month is a good time to put pots in for Chrimbo, but you may need to find somewhere a bit warmer than your back garden if it gets frosty, so bags or pots would seem a good idea. Expect maincrop would be a good idea, although you can get lates. I've lost my Thompson and Morgan catalogue, it told me in there, but they do have a website which is a MINE of info. http://potatoes.thompson-morgan.com/list/late-maincrop Edited to say: All online sales are sold out, as far as I can see, but at least T&M give you an idea of what varieties you need to go looking for, and how they will behave. Some Late (as any) spuds don't do well in containers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
