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Maximum number of potatoes per litre of compost
November Member
Posts: 139
in Talkback
A very recent National Newspaper advert for growing potatoes in containers show that a 20 litre pot will hold six seed potatoes, these supplied with the pots,
The advert is for three sorts supplied ,an early, a second early ,and a maincrop.
I have never put this number into a bag or container. which has been much larger than this , but if they were earlies would it matter? Space would be saved so it is tempting if the results were worth it.
Has anyone got practical knowledge of the maximum numbers for earlies to obtain eating size crop and did the compost require amending.
I am using mostly two year old worm compost this year .
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I am new to growing potatoes this year, but I bought a kit which provided 5 8 litre bags and you pop one 'Charlotte' seed potato in each if that's any help to you?
Sounds a bit of a squeeze to me. I once planted 4 Pink Fir Apple potatoes in a tyre and gradually built up the compost layers to 4 tyres deep. Got a good crop but considerably more than 20 litres of compost was needed.
Another year I grew 5 Charlottes in an old dustbin with drainage holes drilled at an inch or so above the base. They cropped well too but was more like 40 litres of compost by the time the spuds were at eating size.
You do have to keep them watered to get a good crop too.
Tried potatoes in bags last year and disasterous, I am going to revert back to pots growing 2 tubers in each. I pop tubers together on top of 6inches compost then cover with compost, once growth showing through, I cover with compost again and so on until it reaches 2 inches from top of pot. I use 40litres over all for 5 pots which I don't think is too bad, and the crops are tipped out into the wheelbarrow, and the spent compost popped on flower borders. Only works really well for me with early potatoes,
Thanks for feedback folks.
Will try out my earlies putting four into 14 inch square tubs holds about 30 litres, with some extra fertiliser, and also six into same size and conduct a trial.
Wonder whether anyone bothers with reducing shoots on chitted earlies ?
Advice seems to be( on the net ) to just leave a maximum of three chitted shoots per tuber to obtain less, but much larger spuds.