Tatties

[Arzosah]

Is it now that we put the tatties out to do their thing sprouting? Yikes ... I've got some biiiiig containers set up ready for soil - two feet across, and I swore this would be the year I took growing stuff seriously. Better get some tatties in.

[12mp82]

Is it now that we put the tatties out to do their thing sprouting? Yikes ... I've got some biiiiig containers set up ready for soil - two feet across, and I swore this would be the year I took growing stuff seriously. Better get some tatties in.

Don't worry about it too much, I didn't get my first ever crop in until April a few years back, still got over a half hundred weight.

[redskies]

We've got two four by eight foot containers to build in the front garden. They're not going to be pretty - using pallett wood - but they will work! Ordered living willow today, to create a windbreak for the fenceline, and around the containers. Those will have tatties in the middle with carrot, onion, turnip and leeks around the outside.

After those are built, it's polytunnel time (built from 'bits'), and containers for the back garden - it's a bit windier round there, since that's where the prevailing wind hits, hence the willow windbreaks. Containers will have herbs and garlic and all sorts of things in em.

[12mp82]

Old polythene water pipes are good for making polytunnel hoops

[redskies]

Old polythene water pipes are good for making polytunnel hoops

That's what we plan to use. With old scaffolding poles sunk into the ground as far as we can get em. Hopefully without hitting anything significant - or too much building rubble. If they won't go down as far as we'd like, I've got an eyelet machine thingy here and will put some in the cover, so we can peg it down. Might do that anyway, tbh, along with some nice sized rocks; average windspeed here is about 20mph and it's not classed as windy til it gets over about 70mph!

I'm going to have a bash at building a strawberry barrel to put into the polytunnel. That won't be pretty either, but it'll work

[gandelff99]

Have you tried grow bag tatties?
Turn a standard tomatoes grow bag long side up.lop off the top and bury your tat sprouters about 6 inches deep.couple of drainage holes in the bottom and place somewhere not too extreme,give em plenty of water and light and wait.
When the stems start growing cut a hand hole at the base of the bag and when the spuds are ready (couple of months) put your hand into the hole and pull away the new grown seeds.
This method is good cost you don't kill off the plant straight away ,you pick what you need whilst the other remaining spuds are still growing and by using the compost bag you keep it nice and tidy ,and can be protected easily.also its a boon for peeps short on space as the root structure is kept inside the bag.
Only real draw back is spud size tends to be a. Bit smaller due to the smaller growing space,but that's the trade off.other plants work well using the grow bag method too.

[poppypiesdad]

Steven across the back to us tried the shopping bag tatties, kinda looked like a large square bag two carry handles , had a alright crop from them , but yes very small , but this year a total failure , didn't grow at all , thought they were a good idea especially if only got a balcony or small patio

Jamie

[Erinlouiser]

This year I will be growing Maris Piper for main crop and Hunter for second earlies, I found a good deal from marshalls seeds for 3 potato grow bags with 15 hunter seed potatoes for £10.95, I haven't used grow bags before but it's worth a try and if I don't get a good enough crop I will just use the bags for something else next year. I plan to grow my Maris Pipers in Large Burlap Sacks after a lot of potato growing research online! I have 4 sacks 60cm by 110cms and i'm looking forward to seeing how well they do.
The main reason I am trying growing in bags this year is they can be moved if needs be as the wet weather last year left my potato crop grown in giant pots pretty pants, the soil was so wet in the pots and they were too big and heavy to move, so this year they can be moved into my greenhouse or poly tunnel if the weather is bad.

so eager for the weather to improve so I can get started, was lucky to have quite a bit of time off over christmas so my green house, poly tunnel and raised beds have all been prepared before the ground froze just a waiting game now.....

[junmist]

for those of you who want to grow veg in rasied beds look for someone who has had gravel delevered people are quite happy to give you the large bags that it is delevered in as they are rubbish that they have to get ride off

[hazzy]

I grew tatties in two builders bags a couple of years ago, the crop only yielded about 20kgs so have never done it since. I have grown peas and other veg in 50 litre compost bags with good success, beetroots (wonder food) in their own pots etc. most veg and herbs can be grow in pots if you don't have much room. Also you can buy or make grow bags that hang on a wall to grow flowers or crops in, I think its called a green wall. Also fruit trees can be trained against a wall or fence, they are fanned to get as much of a crop as possible in a small space. I am sure they need to be grown on a south to easterly facing wall or fence for best results. I've never had much success with tomatoes, they keep getting infected with blight, really you need a green house or poly tunnel.

You can grow alot of produce in a small space if you use your imagination.