POTATOES IN CONTAINERS

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Using 40 gall drums cut in half and bottoms removed ,fork ground over where drums are going to stand and rake in a handful of potato fertiliser every sq yd. Put a 6in /15cm of compost in the bottom of the drum and use a hand fork to mix in a good handful of potato fertiliser Add just one seed potato per barrel then use a bucket to fill the barrel with compost. To each bucket of compost add a small hand full of potato fertiliser and the same of rock dust. Leave space at the top to add more compost if the potatoes start to show above the surface. 4in or 10cm is enough .Space four canes equally round the inside edge of the drum. being inside prevents them being pushed over as the tops grow. The canes keep the foliage upright and the longer time the foliage stays upright the more the potatoes grow. Before the tops get too high add a top dressing of potato fertiliser Watering is critical as the drums dry out quickly plus as they grow the canopy of leaves keeps the rain out. Every other time I water I add a feed , keep a little water and feed chart in your shed its easy to forget, also I alternate the liquid feed between half strength high Nitrogen [chempak] and a Potash liquid feed I use mainly liquid comfrey for this but tomato feed at half strength if no comfrey. The nitrogen delays the plant maturing allowing the potatoes more time to bulk up ,while the potash helps make bigger potatoes.

This uses a lot of compost so you need to make your own ,for a large amount I mix horse manure ,spent hops and grass cutting between each layer I add Sulphate of Ammonia as an accelerator

• 3 Feb, 2014
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