Sacks for growing spuds

NormandyLiz · February 2023

Has anyone experience of growing potatoes in hessian bags? Potato bags seem to be expensive here and I don't find them very attractive. There are some hessian bags in the classifieds for a couple of euros each that look lovely.

The first question is how long they might last - a couple of seasons, more? Or would I be better trying to source affordable potato grow bags (maybe from the UK)?

The second is whether growing spuds in bags is actually worth it at all. Seed potatoes at the GC seem to be aimed at those who want rows of them in an allotment, so you have to buy 15€ worth, then there's a bag of compost per bag... I get my potatoes from the chaps at the market who do lovely permaculture veg, so I am wondering if I'd be better off sticking with them.

Your thoughts?

Slow-worm · February 2023

They should last a couple of seasons Liz, then you can compost them.
Have you tried asking a local coffee house if they can sell you their empty sacks? You might get a good supply there for not much money.

Uff · February 2023

My thoughts are why not grow them in used compost bags turned inside out so that they are black and not multicoloured and free if you really want to grow them. Hessian would rot away pretty quickly and you would have to pay for them.
Again my thoughts, if you get good potatoes locally support the grower and don't bother growing them in bags because in my experience it isn't worth the bother both in time and expense.

NormandyLiz · February 2023

Thanks, @Uff, that's what I was wondering. I've only ever grown potatoes in the ground before I they don't fit the plan at the moment. The boys at the market are struggling at the moment, so I'm more than happy to keep buying some things from them.

Thanks for the thought, @Slow-worm, but we're talking rural France, we have a small pizza restaurant in the nearby town and a café, but that's it. Rouen, which is 45 minutes, may have one. Bit far for a spud bag, though! (Extraordinarily beautiful place, Rouen, by the way.)

LG_ · February 2023

I grow potatoes in bags, really enjoy it and relish them... but they cost me MUCH more to grow than to buy so it doesn't make any economic sense to do it! I still do though 🤣

AnniD · February 2023

I have grown potatoes in bags before, and the inside out compost bags as @Uff suggests.
Both successful, but l would be inclined to reuse old compost bags rather than splash out on hessian ones.
There's something about that moment of tipping the bag out and seeing what treasure lies within, will it be feast or famine ? 🙂

Joyce Goldenlily · February 2023

I have just harvested about a kilo of new potatoes from an old potato barrel which is slowly expiring. I left some tiny pea-sized potatoes in the compost in the autumn, topped up the compost a bit, and left them to it. I have had the barrels for years, they are made of plastic corrugated cardboard-type material with a sliding sleeve for access to the bottom of the barrel. Not cheap but they have lasted me around 15 years so I feel were worth the outlay, I am about to order some replacements, and I hope they are still made. I like them because you can plant 4 layers of 4/5 potatoes in each barrel.

NormandyLiz · February 2023

Thanks, all. My veg growing is aimed at 3 main things: 1) growing unusual things I can't find here, 2) growing food more cheaply than I could buy it and 3) creating an attractive mixed flower/veg kitchen garden. Potatoes don't really fall into any of those three, hence the hesitation.

LG_ said:

I grow potatoes in bags, really enjoy it and relish them... but they cost me MUCH more to grow than to buy so it doesn't make any economic sense to do it! I still do though 🤣

But of course there is the pleasure aspect as well... on balance though I have enough to get on with for now. I may revisit the idea next year but for now, no spuds.

Joyce Goldenlily · February 2023

There are lots of foreign fruit and veg. for you to experiment with, especially if you have a polytunnel or greenhouse to back you up. In England, there seems to be a movement of people from India and Asia, etc who are successfully growing many strange, to us, veg. and fruit from their home countries, and doing very well.
I am sure there must be some websites covering growing unusual fruit and veg. Monty Don managed to grow loofahs last year, and in their viewers gardens snap shot bites, they showed all sorts of weird and wonderful things growing quite happily in allotments, etc,.If they grow in the UK they should grow in France. The problem may be knowing the correct names.

NormandyLiz · February 2023

Indeed, @Joyce Goldenlily. I've got a few this year - celtuce, walking stick cabbage, kiwano - and have spent many happy an hour drooling over a couple of online French seed merchants' sites. I'm being restrained this year, having only just dug the beds, but next year intend to go wild! And loofah is already in my favourites folder.

I've also got the boys ('les garçons, a friend calls them) at the market possibly interested in some more unusual things. I've given them some seeds of the above 3 to try, to see what the reaction is. Nothing to loose in them trying free seeds, is there?

war garden 572 · February 2023

i tried potato in bags once the bag were to small
the soil got to hot and dried out to quickly.

I use the bowcock method growing spud
usually get over 80 lbs of spud from each plant since
I don't use the method to the fullest extent.
If was doing it correctly ; I should be getting 200-300lbs
of potatoes from one plant.
if anyone wants me to post the info on bowcock method let me know.

Sacks for growing spuds

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