Hello I need some help!! I want to grow potatos in containers I have been told to use buckets made of plastic Also what will be a good product name ?
I live in zone 6 If you guys can give me a hand will for ever in your debt
Henryj
Henryj, I can only say what I have used to container grow potatoes here in the UK.
I. black plastic sacks/bags - these are fine but a little ungainly when it comes to gradually adding more compost as the tops grow
2. Plastic dust bins. These were everywhere before the 'wheely bins' came into use and are about 60cm diameter by 100 cm tall.
Almost any container may be utilised that is of reasonable size bearing in mind that compost has to be placed beneath the seed potatoes and also to be added as the potato tops grow. Whatever you use be sure that the drainage is good. Place some rubble over plenty of holes in the base and stand rigid containers on 3 bricks just to raise them off the ground. If you use plastic bags/sacks puncture the base and be very careful not to overwater.
Being in the UK I can't of course suggest a product name.
I. black plastic sacks/bags - these are fine but a little ungainly when it comes to gradually adding more compost as the tops grow
2. Plastic dust bins. These were everywhere before the 'wheely bins' came into use and are about 60cm diameter by 100 cm tall.
Almost any container may be utilised that is of reasonable size bearing in mind that compost has to be placed beneath the seed potatoes and also to be added as the potato tops grow. Whatever you use be sure that the drainage is good. Place some rubble over plenty of holes in the base and stand rigid containers on 3 bricks just to raise them off the ground. If you use plastic bags/sacks puncture the base and be very careful not to overwater.
Being in the UK I can't of course suggest a product name.
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planterlady
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- Joined: Mon Feb 02, 2009 1:37 pm
Here's a book which takes container gardening seriously:
The Bountiful Container, by Rose Marie Nichols McGee and Maggie Stuckey. It provides minimum soil depths & ideal container sizes for veggies/herbs/some fruit shrubs, vines, dwarf trees; sun requirements; discussion of different soils for different container crops--it's great!
We have very limited growing space in the ground (I *finally* have 96 or so square feet under cultivation) and so use many containers as well. This book really helped me w/my tomatoes last season, and I hope it will help me with other crops this year. (I only found the book in July/August or so.)
Happy gardening!
Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9
The Bountiful Container, by Rose Marie Nichols McGee and Maggie Stuckey. It provides minimum soil depths & ideal container sizes for veggies/herbs/some fruit shrubs, vines, dwarf trees; sun requirements; discussion of different soils for different container crops--it's great!
We have very limited growing space in the ground (I *finally* have 96 or so square feet under cultivation) and so use many containers as well. This book really helped me w/my tomatoes last season, and I hope it will help me with other crops this year. (I only found the book in July/August or so.)
Happy gardening!
Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9
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planterlady
- Newly Registered
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Mon Feb 02, 2009 1:37 pm
Ordinary fertile garden soil with added garden compost or well rotted cow manure will be fine. Also add a balanced granular fertiliser or, preferably one with a slightly higher phosphate content, say a ratio of 1-2-1 NPK.
If you have to use heavy loam add some grit sand to aid swift drainage.
Fill your container to about 40cm from the top, stir in the fertiliser (a good handful per container will suffice, place your tubers and then cover with around 12cm of the soil mix, keeping some back to add a couple of times as the stems grow, eventually leaving around 7cm at the rim for watering.
If you are planting first earlies and the containers are exposed have some hessian or old carpeting handy to cover in the likely event of hard frost.
If you have to use heavy loam add some grit sand to aid swift drainage.
Fill your container to about 40cm from the top, stir in the fertiliser (a good handful per container will suffice, place your tubers and then cover with around 12cm of the soil mix, keeping some back to add a couple of times as the stems grow, eventually leaving around 7cm at the rim for watering.
If you are planting first earlies and the containers are exposed have some hessian or old carpeting handy to cover in the likely event of hard frost.