This pot is a 24 inch pot with 2 very small seed potatoes in it. Clearly one of them has sprouted 3 new plants. The rest of my potatoes are in deep 18 inch pots, with 1 big or 2 small potatoes in them.
They are only filled a bit, leaving about a foot of space for me to fill in dirt for the potatoes. My plan is to fill them in as they grow and then use rigid plastic to fill in higher than the top of the pot for max potatoes per pot.
So my question is: Do you thin them when you get more sprouts like this? I can't imagine there is a lot of room for growing nice big juicy potatoes with 4 vines in this pot, 2 yes but more?
What do you think?
11 comments:
I do know they need lots of room to make potatoes. I really need to get mine started! I'm so behind.
Hi.
When I bought my seed potatoes, the expert at the nusery said yes you can separate them when this happens. She suggested doing that. I however decided to not mess around with them, and just left 2 or 3 grow in one container. Time will tell what happens, but in my opinion either way will work out ok in the end. A definate maybe.. They look great. If you want to check mine out, there are some photos on my blog. vegetable123.blogspot.com
One plant per pot otherwise all the potatoes will be too little to make it worthwhile. Potatoes will grow in straw or wood shavings. You are much better off to use a full size garbage pail (with holes punched in) - the bigger the better is best for potatoes. Potatoes have the most beautiful flower and foliage, i would grow this purple one even if i didn't get yummy spuds. Peace
Don't prune them, they will need all the help they get to form potatoes underground. Hill them when they get 4 inches high though.
I never started them in a pot. Only directly in mounds in the garden. I am no help at all.
I've thought about growing in pots but have never tried it. Maybe you could experiment this year. Leave this pot as is & just have one plant in another. Then when you harvest you can decide. You might even use that pot as early potatoes, thinning as you need them.
I am an inpatient gardener so I dig around and harvest tiny potatoes all season long and what's left grows pretty big. But were you wondering if you should remove the smaller shoots? I wouldn't. But then again, I've never grown them in a container either. Geesh, I'm no help! Sorry.
Hi I found a good link for potatoes, works in tires or bales or garbage pails. http://www.gardencityseeds.net/growers1.php
peace
I don't thin ours. Just plant, mulch and forget...then harvest.
WOW Christy!! They look great! Im in the same boat as you, I have my vines shooting out and I think I am just going to let em lay. Isn't amazing how strong those vines shoot out?
Thin the plants once well established with sharp knife at the base. One plant every six inches minimum. Feed by positing well-composted soil on top of the hills, the hill meathod being most beneficial.
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