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compost enrichment for spuds
in Fruit & veg
I intend to grow some potatoes in a large pot or growing bag using John Innes No2. I've never grown spuds at all before and have read they are greedy feeders. Will I need to add further enrichment to the compost in the form of manure or garden compost, or will the John Innes be rich enough. Thank you.
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I grow my potatoes in pots too or large tomato bags with grow bag compost in them. I generally do not add additional feed etc.. I wait until the foliage is about a foot high then earthing up to encourage a better yeild.. They are thirsty.... I will earth up a secod time until the tub or container is full..
I find I get a good clean crop and practically bo soil pests or disease..I have been doing this every year..
You cannot beat the taste of home grown... I grow maincrop types, currently Kimg Edward type and Maris Piper.. This year I am experimenting with sowing save chitted tubers instead of certifued seed potatoes and as a control I have plante dcertified seed potatoes in the ground as they are good to clean up a patch of ground..Its a bit of a gamble... but so am I .
I have seen a box of so called Potatoe fertilizer in the Pound shops, might be worth a go... You have to experiment now and then..
Good luck..
Last edited: 23 May 2016 22:23:31
I am using grow bags, cut in half then stood on their ends for the first time this year, I did add some "potato fertilizer" too, they seem to be growing ok. I am watering to keep the compost moist(don't forget to punch a couple of holes in the bottom for drainage) and will maybe add fertilizer if the leaves look like they are changing colour and are deficient in nutrients later.
I mixed JI no 2 with garden soil and garden compost, in a large pot, potatoes are growing well, covered with garden soil as the haulm grew, flower buds forming.