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potatoes for 2012

• Message 1.Ìý

  Posted by StaffordshireMags (U1624415) on Wednesday, 4th January 2012

  I see lots of seed potatoes on the shelves in my local garden centre. When is the right time to start sprouting them, and what sort? I am going to grow a few in potato growing bags. Last year I just used ones which were sprouting in the kitchen cupboard and was pleased with the result - variety unknown. Advice appreciated, thanks Maggie

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• Message 3

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  Posted by StaffordshireMags (U1624415) on Thursday, 5th January 2012

  can no one help me? Maggie

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  Posted by Tee Gee (U10012255) on Thursday, 5th January 2012

  When is the right time to start sprouting them,Ìý
  
  At this time of the year the answer is "as soon as you have purchased them."
  
  
  and what sort? I am going to grow a few in potato growing bags. Ìý
  
  I don't like to go into the naming varieties as peoples tastes can vary.
  
  Having said that I would suggest you purchase a few 1st earles, 2nd earlies and and a few maincrop varieties.
  
  This will give you better continuity.
  
  If it is of any use to you I will be growing Rocket, (1stE) Kestrel(2nd E) Pink Fir apple (mc) and I am giving Charlotte a try for the first time this year and I will be treating them as 1st early / 2nd early.
  
  And as always........further details can be found on my website under the letter "P"
  
  I hope that answers your questions..Tg

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  Posted by David K (U14115317) on Thursday, 5th January 2012

  It takes about six weeks to chit potatoes from scratch. The consensus of opinion these days (and from my own experience) seems to be that there is little to be gained by chitting any other than early varieties i.e. second early & maincrop.
  
  My recommendation for container growing would be Arran Pilot or Swift.
  

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  Posted by David K (U14115317) on Thursday, 5th January 2012

  My recommendation for container growing would be Arran Pilot or Swift.
  Ìý
  
  Oh yes...and Rocket of course!

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• Message 7

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  Posted by BigDave (U3975543) on Thursday, 5th January 2012

  I grow King Edwards as my chip, mash or roaster and Charlotte as my boil, salad (hot or cold) but they also make good mash and chips if they get a little big at the end of there cropping......
  
  I then grow something new.Only 5-10 of each kind sometimes I go made and end up with 10 new kinds, one year it was 13 and then king ed and Charlotte....Its just to try something new....I tell the wife.
  
  If you want a good tatty for use for boiling, hot salad or cold salad then you can't beat Charlotte in my eyes they fit the bill and I think they sould do well in a spud bag too.
  
  Tg...try Anya they are a cross with pinkfur and Charlottle (I think with out looking I'm not sure)....all the taste of pinkfur but next to no nobbles a good cropper too.
  
  Whatsthemarrow...
  
  
  
  

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  Posted by Tee Gee (U10012255) on Thursday, 5th January 2012

  I tend to agree with you DaveK about chitting them in terms of harvesting them as I tend to harvest my crop as I need them,or at least until the first frost so chitting is not really any advantage to me.
  
  Earlies are a different matter I want to harvest those as early as I can to avoid eating those insipid wrinkled blobs of pulp that are sold as " potatoes" at that time of the year, so I see the advantage of purposely chitting these!
  
  Having said all that; with seed potatoes being on the shelves so early in the year I find that chitting is the best way of storing them till planting out time, and if they mature any earlier then this is a bonus.
  
  
  So I chit all my potatoes as soon as I get them.
  
  Regarding Anya Big Dave ........not this year I'm afraid ......no space for them, but I will keep the thought in mind for 2013, but thanks for the tip.
  
  
  
  

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  Posted by StaffordshireMags (U1624415) on Friday, 6th January 2012

  Thanks everyone, your replies are very much appreeciated. Maggie

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• Message 10

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  Posted by zoomer44 (U14019069) on Saturday, 7th January 2012

  Hi,
  
  I grow spuds in bags and have tried a few different varieties.
  
  If you plan to purchase your seed potatoes from the GC it's is better to get them now, to wait means you will be purchasing todays stock next week or the week after and the seed potatoes will have been kept in a warm enviroment so are likely to start chitting regardless.
  
  I chit mine in the back bedroom, which is unheated, placed in egg boxes to keep them stood up.
  
  If growing in bags I'd advise starting with 1st or 2nd earliers. These mature alot sooner than main crop potatoes.
  
  As regards which sort, the choice is yours, there is such a huge variety. If you like what you grow chances are you will grow them again next year or go for different one's.
  
  
  

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• Message 11

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  Posted by Global_Worming (U14532104) on Monday, 9th January 2012

  Poundland are selling Pentland Javelin and Swift for yes you guessed it £1 a bag.

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• Message 12

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  Posted by ladynovicegardener (U5368058) on Monday, 9th January 2012

  I grow both in bags and in the ground. I chit my 1st and 2nd earlies but not the main crop as I agree with the others, there's nothing to show they do any better. A word of warning 'tho. I'd only grow 1st or 2nd earlies or salad potatoes in bags. I'd only ever grow main crop in the ground as they're not really suitable for growing in potato bags in my opinion as they would'nt really have enough room. Best of luck.

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• Message 13

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  Posted by netherfield (U3897706) on Monday, 9th January 2012

  This year I'm growing Sharpes Express,Juliette,Casablanca(new to me this year) Kestrel( which can be second early or left as a maincrop) and King Edwards.
  
  All but the K.E are grown in bags or containers.
  
  Although I don't intentionally chit the K.E. they will do anyway.
  
  One thing to do is remove any spuds from the mesh bags they come in as soon as you get them,or the chits will grow through the holes and can then break off.
  
  I say every year I will grow less first earlies,because we end up giving half of them away, but once you get the bug it's hard to stop.

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  Posted by also (U14824616) on Tuesday, 10th January 2012

  A litle tip you may want to try if you are new to growing spuds in bags is.
  Instead of placing your seed potatoes about 6 inches from the bottom of the bag and topping up the compost as they grow, which is the normal tried and tested method.
  Last year I started off the same way as above, but then filled the bags to the top or as high as required straight away.
  I also did the normal method as a comparison, and found by filling them up straight away they produced a slightly bigger crop and took no longer than the normal method. The only difference being that it took longer for the leaves to poke through the compost.
  I posted this suggestion on this site some time last year and several others replied that they had done the same with great success.
  It's worth a try, and will save a lot of time and effort.

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• Message 15

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  Posted by ladynovicegardener (U5368058) on Thursday, 12th January 2012

  That's exactly what I did last year as well and will do the same again this year. It stops all that faffing around topping up every few weeks when they're growing strong. It has the added bonus of protecting the new shoots from a late frost.

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• Message 16

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  Posted by StaffordshireMags (U1624415) on Friday, 13th January 2012

  Thanks everyone - how helpfull you have all been.
  £ shop seems worth a visit when I am in town on Monday and thge idea of filling up with compost straight away is very helpfull. Thanks you all. Maggie

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