Talkback: Seed potatoes and mice - Page 2 - Talkback

03/04/2008 at 11:10

I am a primary teacher getting ready to explore growing potatoes with my class of 4-5 year olds. Every time I research potato growing websites refer to 'seed potatoes'. What are these and why can't I use potatoes they bring into school from home? This project is going to be part of an eco week and I am keen to inform them that potatoes can be recycled to make new potatoes. Please advise. Any other information would be gratefully received.

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09/04/2008 at 22:17

I have grown potatoes in old dustbins and pots for the last three years and have found it very simple and have had very good crops. Just fill the bin/pot up about 2/3rds full, push in the seed potatoes, shoot upwards, to about two inches in depth and cover by another inch or so. I earth them up (add more compost) when the plants are a reasonable size. I usually put 5 - 6 seed potatoes in a dustbin and 3 in a pot. Keep them well watered and the resulting crop is plentiful and extremely tasty. I like small pots as I dont have to harvest them all at once but dustbins are great.

I have never chitted my potatoes and have had no problems. I also get annoyed with the size of bags of seed potatoes I have to buy just to get the ones I want ( and I do like a selection), however, I found a garden centre in Thorpe Arch, near Wetherby, which sells them by weight so I've got a few pink fir to try as well this year.

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17/04/2008 at 16:59

I always go to the same garden centre for my seed potatoes, Tyne Dale garden, Mickley near Gateshead. They sell them by weight so I can choose the number I require as they are loose in a box. This year I am trying a first early named Rocket.

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28/04/2008 at 12:32

Hi All , my first post! Is it too late to plant potatoes? I'm just preparing a plot in my back garden and wondering if i can put some spuds in? Many thanks for any good advice

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28/04/2008 at 20:00

Potatoes will grow anywhere only the soil condition determines your yield as for late planting try planting tubers three inches down and cover with straw and mulch saves time earthing up

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10/05/2008 at 09:52

I'm growing potatoes in bags this year, arran pilots and some others I forget the name, I've earthed them up once already but I'm unsure as to how much if at all I need to water them, any ideas?

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19/05/2008 at 19:40

I am trying to grow spuds for the first time in old 20lt pickeled ginger tubs and an old compost bag. could you tell me when i need to add more compost to build up the crop

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21/05/2008 at 17:43

I grew potatoes last year in tubs and in a dustbin,they all were a great success,this year I planted early (end of march)in 2 dustbins I live in the north east and to say the weather was a bit up and down is an under statement they got over wet for a few weeks then the got -5 /6 for a week.I really thought I had waisted my time,but to look at them now 1 bin is already up to the top Ive earthed these with a mix of compost out of our bin and multipurpose from the garden center.The other bin they are only approx 4" or so at the bottom of the bin,I never chitted any of them I didn't last year I do think this might have helped them when it froze because they had no shoots on them,im going to plant some singles in the tubs I used last year for later on.

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18/06/2008 at 15:33

What is the latest date that one can plant out seed potatoes ?

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24/06/2008 at 13:24

I am a novice in my first year with my allotment and have just harvested my first potatoes "Swift" and found many of them to be split. Could anyone tell me why this is and what can I do about it?

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26/06/2008 at 16:51

This is my first year of veg growing and my potatoes have done well. I grew them from a bag of seed potatoes bought from a shop what is the process once they are ready to harvest because I want to grow more next year but don't want to buy the seed potatoes again.

Gardeners' World Web User

09/07/2008 at 11:09

I think I've got the dreaded Potato Blight. Black spots on loads of the leaves. First time I've grown potatoes (and in containers) - so not really sure of the consequences of blight. Will the potatoes still be alright to eat when lifted - or should I destroy the whole lot. Please say they'll still be edible after all the hard work!!!!

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13/07/2008 at 15:39

Just wondering if i have something special starting, i share my time between here and my holiday home in spain where i have a few orange trees this year i have a branch on one of them that has turned out to be variegated with a variegated orange on it?just the one branch,and it has made me wonder,any help please

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27/08/2008 at 21:50

I buy my potatoes from JBA seed potatoes in Scotland.They have a selection of vintage potatoes that taste like nothing I've ever had before. Very happy with the quality and always nice people to deal with. I will be planting Dark red Norlands this year.

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15/03/2009 at 10:38

hi i am a first time potatoe grower. i have started chitting my pots but they seem to have fur growing on the shoots. any ideas what this could be? or how i could stop it? could really do with some advice? carla_levermore@hotmail.co.uk thanks

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21/10/2011 at 10:13

Your indeed right with this one!!!

Gardeners' World Web User

21/11/2011 at 17:43

What a well executed article!

Gardeners' World Web User

28/11/2011 at 18:31

Hi can anyone tell me what type of potatoes that i can plant now so that i can have some home grown potatoes for my xmas dinner. Please we like roast and boiled any help would be great a great big thanks and happy xmas to all. Thanks Marc

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