Planting Early Potatoes

sussexrmd

Hi. So, I 've got some early potatoes, sprouted ('chitted'..?) and ready to plant in bags. I read two different methods - one where you plant in the bottom of the bag, and progressively add compost, rolling the back up as you go, etc. The other method, fill up the bag, plonk the potatoes in the top, and leave them it. So, which is best? Does it really matter which method to use? I am new to planting and haven't planted them before, so some experienced advice would be appreciated!

MikeOxgreen

Neither is any good.
What variety are they and have you got somewhere under cover to put them until the weather warms enough?

StephenSouthwest

sussexrmd said:

Hi. So, I 've got some early potatoes, sprouted ('chitted'..?) and ready to plant in bags. I read two different methods - one where you plant in the bottom of the bag, and progressively add compost, rolling the back up as you go, etc. The other method, fill up the bag, plonk the potatoes in the top, and leave them it. So, which is best? Does it really matter which method to use? I am new to planting and haven't planted them before, so some experienced advice would be appreciated!

I think the first method is likely to produce more potatoes...

There is a third method which I have used successfully:

-plant potatoes in containers in midsummer to produce spuds for midwinter in the greenhouse

-Get sad when the potatoes seem to all get blight and die

-reuse the compost to grow winter lettuce in a big pot

-be delighted when the potatoes plants magically reappear after the lettuce are eaten the following spring

-Enjoy the early potatoes

Sheps

The first earthing up method sounds similar to what I do in my 30L and 40L containers.

All my Second Earlies are still chitting and will be for another 5 weeks and will be planted out in the second week of April to coincide with the last frost date for my area, though you have to be a little flexible with that.

Once planted, if there is going to be another frost all the containers are put in the greenhouse and covered with fleece to protect them.

Whichever method you go for, good luck with them.

nick615

As a trial, I planted a couple of rows 2 weeks back.  I 'dibbed' largeish holes in my deep soil, dropped a seed potato into each and lightly covered with compost.  My plan is to continue covering any foliage that shows, thus 'earthing up' in reverse.  May be a disaster.