The Potato Method You're Probably Not Using
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- Опубликовано: 26 дек 2024
- The humble spud can be grown pretty much anywhere, and with a little planning and careful storage, you could be enjoying garden-grown potatoes from early summer right the way through to winter.
But there's another way to boost your harvest: by planting second cropping potatoes in summer. Watch as Ben shows you the options for planting and growing on a sneaky late crop of spuds, ready to enjoy, fresh and tasty, in a few months.
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We grew all our potatoes in buckets this year and we’re getting amazingly large harvests. The best ever. They taste amazing on our Sunday roast lunch plate. 🥔☺️
How big are the buckets? Thanks in advance.
Amazing. We did half in containers and half in the ground and the ones in the ground actually gave a slightly better yield but it was definitely easier harvesting from containers! I might try growing on some of the second earlies we did after watching this. 🤔
So hot here potatoes don't do well in pots
@@renel7303Research has apparently shown 30l buckets are optimal
I have 30 litre ones, they seem the most popular with gardeners.
Re cardboard boxes: In Australia commercially grown cauliflowers are transported in wax infused cardboard cartons. These make the ideal potato growing boxes. They also double as excellent fire starters.
Interesting your comment,wax-infused cardboard cartons, probably like the boxes meat is transported in to butcher shops here.Thanks for sharing this cool tip Bruce. 😊
Good idea. I'm going to give that a go this year. Do you grow them in straw?
I'm planting my potatoes with my fall sweet corn. 85 day corn, and then 90 day potatoes. Chop it all up, and let the beds rest until Feb. Thanks, Ben.
Sounds like a great plan. :-)
I didn't even think about planting potatoes in cardboard boxes!! Fantastic idea! Thankyou.
This year, i ve done small buckets, big buckets[ no difference/cm3!], i ve used potatoes seeds, old potatoes seeds for sale, my own old potatoes that i cut, i ve thrown some in the ground, then covered bit by bit, i ve even started at the back of the garden , inside the raised beds, some in corners of gardens,some on top of compost pile, then covered with grass, earth,etc….these being all experiments!
My best harvest: when i put - by accident one potatoes seed into a big container already prepared with 8 runner beans plants!
They never grew!
But:
The potatoes seed…..It grew into a massive bush and produced potatoes the size of baked potatoes!
I didn't realise they could b started this late! I'll definitely be sowing some in the next couple days and see how they do!
Just harvested around 12 potatoes plant on my veggies patch with great returns re-sowing some again, hoping to squeeze another run in :) good luck!!
Thanks. I'm prepping a fall garden and you've reminded that potatoes are a good addition NOW
Hi, and thank you for a very informative potato growing video! I'm over in Sweden, "a bit" colder climate than where you are but, I also grow a lot of potatoes. It is our main veg/root crop so, I grow in all the methods that you showed here as well as a few more. Cardboard boxes, buckets, the "cloth pouches", a tall cloths hamper, that has holes on the sides where the potato greenery can be trained to come out through and then on with more soil and more seed potatoes etc. etc, 2 big old tractor tires stacked on top of each other, as well as in the ground. I've also grown in the thick black plastic large garbage bags, when I've had more seed potatoes than I know what to do with, just like with the buckets, made holes for drainage.
Most of my potatoes though, I grow in the ground. My best producing potato patch is roughly 5x15 ft. After harvesting my potatoes for the last time for the season, I always leave a small section of that potato patch to plant "winter potatoes". I figured, I was always getting overwintered volunteer potatoes coming up early, why not plant some intentionally before winter? (I put those potatoes in the ground without "eyes", just regular eating potatoes that I've dug up previously) I put them in the ground perhaps 3 weeks before my hard neck garlic goes in the ground and put a thick layer of straw on both the potatoes and of course the garlic.
I've been doing this for 3 yrs. now and really love the very early harvest of fresh potatoes. I don't let them grow to full size but more a bit smaller than a medium size potato. As soon as I've taken up those early potatoes, I put new seed potatoes in. By the time I have harvested the early potatoes, I have of course already planted the potatoes for the summer season in the rest of the patch, which I do quite early in May already, since I mulch heavily with straw. When I've harvested the summer potatoes, I will plant yet another round of potatoes, however, not covered with straw this time. I want the full heat of what's left of the summer to get those potatoes really growing.
I also save my own potatoes to use for my seed potatoes the following year and, it has really seemed like the longer I have grown (years) them, the more they are used to the climate where I live and also my crazy antics... 😉 I have rarely bought seed potatoes, unless it's some variety that has grabbed my attention. When I started doing this, it was from regular store bought potatoes.
This is really interesting to read, thanks so much for sharing your potato-growing experiences. :-) Sounds like you're training up your own army of garden-specific potatoes there!
Wow! I’m new at planting potatoes. So I can use potatoes that I harvested to grow in the autumn? Also what’s the best way to get them to sprout? Ex. Using a cup of water setting the potatoes using toothpicks? Or planting them, but not really burying them. So that sunlight can reach easily?
Be careful when u bring unknown seed potato to your tunnel/greenhouse cause u could spread late blight. Low chance but i would not risk it.@@GrowVeg
I grew up on a German farm and we always use our own seed potatoes. We keep them several weeks in a warmer lighter place until they grow nice strong violet or green sprouts.
Great tips. And I have grown my potatoes in cardboard boxes this year. First time and really happy with the results. I filled the boxes with layers of compost, leaves, earth and straw on top. Basically anything that was available. My tip: fold all the flaps of the box (top and bottom) inside. You get a very strong structure.
Great tip - and so pleased you're doing well with your boxes. :-)
I put a cardboard lining in a plastic fruit crate, works great and easier to move around because the crate doesn't disintegrate.
I am all the way in Guyana, South America. We do not typically grow English potatoes here since it is usually imported but I am going to grow some potatoes in cardboard boxes for the first time ever! I do grow some non-traditional crops like dill, roma tomatoes, jalepenoes etc. with great sucess.
Hello from South Carolina. 😊
We are watching from there as well. Zone 9 here
I grow three crops of potatoes. In the greenhouse I grow in 15 gal tall grow bags 3 Yukon Gold for each bag - same for Red Lasoda both are determinate. Planted in soilless mix on top of 6" with balanced 5-5-5 time release fertilizer then covered with 4-6in soilless mix. As they grow to 6-8inchs I cover to the very top with total 18inches soilles mix. I then alternate liquid fertilize 10-30-20 with regular watering. That's it determinates don't benefit from more than 1 hilling up. By end of May to 1st week June I have my first harvest. The potatoes thrive in the cool spring. Then the 1-2nd week of June I plant in raised beds 6in trench with same 5-5-5 time release fertilizer Elba (white) and Red Maria (russet) - both are indeterminate. I cover the first 7-8 inch growth with rich soil. I build a 18in chicken wire around the bed and hill up with chopped straw. The straw is a fabulous mulch to keep moisture down in the soil for the roots. Those indeterminates are main crop and will be ready 120 days around 2nd week in October. I leave those potatoes in ground harvesting as I need them until the first hard freeze usually mid December...the straw acts as a great insulator. I then them bring all in and store in a cool closet in a cold room. I also plant now more Yukon Gold and Red Lasoda. Even though "early" varieties, they will take 100-105 days. Any frost or freeze brings them into the greenhouse. I like to harvest those as new potatoes and dry can for over winter. Then comes February and I'm at it again. Two early determinate plantings in grow bags that are in/out of the greenhouse depending on weather and main crop inground. I have no means of cold room or root cellar so this works for me.
I always thought Yukon Golds were 60-70 day potatoes?
@@fancythat5136 They are early determinates 90 day. I harvest at around 100 days . I grow three crops. Fall - Aug/Sept 1st in grow bags that go into greenhouse when frost/freeze under grow lights and harvest around Thanksgiving . Then March 1st planted in grow bags in greenhouse under grow lights harvest 1st of June. Main crop indeterminates in raised beds are planted May 15 and harvest Oct-December. I cover with row cloth if frost and at hard freeze (Dec) I harvest. I don't have a root cellar so it's easier to keep growing staggered over three seasons.
In very hot Dallas, Texas, I have just planted some Yukon gold potatoes in grow bags. Your videos are always so much fun with great information
Hope they do well for you. :-)
Hi Ben , so glad you're having a better season than us in the states. I reside in the Southwest Texas. San Antonio and OMG we've been having 100+ degrees everyday. The only thing that has been able to fend off the heat is my Persimmon, Myers Lemon and Laurel Bay trees. I think only because I moved under a shaded tree plus the drip irrigation. My sunflowers were doing good till we started hitting 103 + , our highest so far was this past Sunday 106, even the nights are still in the mid 90"s.. Been doing my laundry late at night. Have a great week.
Oh wow, that is horribly hot. I do hope it cools down for you soon!
I hope so.., we’re supposed to be the lower 90’s next weekend 😏. Will see about that. Have a great weekend Ben and my fellow gardeners 🙏
Talk about timely- I’ve never grown potatoes and suddenly got the desire to grow them, but though I had to wait until next year. Then your new video pooped up. Thank you so much! Gotta go search for seed potatoes…
Glad to have helped! :-)
@@GrowVeg BTW yours were the first videos I stumbled across years ago when I first started trying to figure out how to garden better, and I’m still learning stuff from you in every video. Keep up the great work!
I grew some potatoes in plastic bags I am particularly pleased with the results. No scab!! And no slug damage!! I am planning more for next year, I even have a reserved compost bin ready to provide the compost. As a bonus there are no weeds underneath where the bags have been, so I am planning using an area with more than its fair share of nettles. I used some supermarket potatoes which had been reduced because they had sprouted just perfect for planting.
So pleased you’ve had such fab results!
I obtained 15-10 gallon containers just a few days ago and they will be for fall potatoes 🥔 this year! I’m was so happy to have gotten them for FREE! Some are slightly damaged but still very sturdy and usable!!! Containers are so expensive nowadays. 🌺
Well done on sourcing them for free!
I've had no luck sourcing seed potatoes this time of year so my fall crop is always grocery store set-asides (thank you Home Grown Veg!). US Z6 in pots so I can keep them protected as needed. First frost ~Oct 15
I saw something I'm trying this year-stem cuttings. It's really for propagation and to minimize soil and tuber borne disease but I like experiments. Basically you use stems from your current growing potato plants. Cut a stem with a leaf node so there's a side shoot (sucker). Plant in damp sand/perlite/soil and let it grow. Keep it moist and it's supposed to make a healthy plant with potatoes. Now these are intended to be seed potatoes so they may not be as large as from a true seed potato but a small crop beats none. Of course, it can be used as intended to produce seed potatoes and it would allow one to enjoy their whole harvest and still have saved seed potatoes for next year.
Since this eliminates any soil or tuber transmitted disease it makes planting set-asides less worrisome. Systemic disease persists but that's pretty evident and you wouldn't use those anyway, IMHO.
To be clear, I've never done it to completion so I don't know how well it works in a home garden but it's an established technique, not a 'grow from scraps' scam. I figure if all it costs is a few stems, some growing media and a bit of time, I'm game.
I'd be really interested to see if anyone else has tried this.
I have also had no luck finding seed spuds this time of year where I am in Bulgaria. I might try some store bought potatoes and see what happens. Cheers!
@@daveknight1775 I only buy a couple of varieties of seed potatoes, almost all I grow is shop bought with no problems at all. www.youtube.com/@HomeGrownVeg/search?query=fast%20start This gentleman works wonders with shop-bought potatoes. He does a lot in 10 liter buckets. If they chit, they'll grow. Wishing you the best of luck.
That's great info Diane. I always wondered where proper seed potatoes came from. I learned recently that you can easily root the 'pinchings' from tomato plants for the following year's crop. Very handy if you're growing expensive or rare F1's.
@@psisky Yes, there are two ways as I understand it. One is to pinch out the growing tips to get lots of side shoots and plant those, the other is to cut the main stem into pieces, each containing a little side shoot. Since I'm getting a late start I have plants to try this with.
I think they do this mostly for disease control.
Eager to see what happens
My garden is overgrown and conquered by the wild (I come across all kinds of wildlive here, which is nice too). Your videos however, inspired me to try once again to have a few square metres for myself! My spring potatoes were mercilessly devoured by slugs (as with every other weak cultured plants they can find) I tried to cheer on the hedgehogs to eat more slugs, but I guess there are just too many. I'm going to try again with containers this time! Thanks for another encouraging video!
Where I live, the slugs are horrible as well
Slugs? You were lucky! Ours got savaged by the Colorado beetle. I feel your pain with the weeds!
Slugs hate copper anything, it might be a good way to deter them.
Check out beer traps, they helped me a lot Keeping the slug population down
It's good to know that I can get a good harvest planting in smaller containers! I want to plant potatoes later in Feb.
Late Feb is a great time to plant for an extra-early crop of potatoes. But just be sure to protect the potatoes from any frosts.
I have a few places in my garden beds where volunteer potatoes are growing quite lushly, in addition to the containers I planted. I just harvested one container and after watching this, placed some more yukon gold in that container to grow on with the rest of the garden. It’s been a great potato year! I’m looking forward to eating them throughout the year😋
That's really super to hear. Hope you get another great crop of spuds! :-)
I just planted a few that had sprouted in the pantry, and then I saw this video. So glad to know my timing is fine!
I sprouted some white potatoes August 2012, planted September and harvested end of November. The yield was surprisingly good even though they received lots of shade. Thx for reminding me, since than all spring plantings.
That was a great result! :-)
I've grown potatoes in ground for over a decade; my Best Crop was this year in 2nd year straw bales! Amazing and no weeding/hilling :)
That’s a great way to grow them. Always good to discover new techniques like that. 😀
I didn't get my first crop in and so I have planted my crop as a second crop. They are doing great! I also have a crop chugging along in a spare bed I was dumping scraps into. Always a surprise 😂
Good morning Ben, lovely video and good teaching. Love the soil condition, we are in the last stretch of winter and the weather was not too bad recently but today it's very cold and windy bad weather conditions in the Cape. Those tomatoes, well I picked them and they looked beautiful but green as grass, I placed them inside a brown paper bag and allowed them to ripen, I think they are now ready for eating, looking forward to enjoying them, no sprays, not anything so they are pure "organic" if it makes such a difference. At least I got something from hardly no cost. Just saved water from the kitchen. Where there is a will there is a way. Have a great time in the veggie garden as your season is becoming a challenge. Kind regards.
Thanks for the comment. Must be exciting looking forward to spring and a new growing season! :-)
@@GrowVeg Hi Ben, yes indeed we have dreams! The tomatoes all ripened in the bag and they are delicious. So glad I persevered I feel good. Thanks for sharing
I've had a few left over from last season in a grow bag. They grew back in January and are still growing.
I'm trying second crop potatoes for the first time this year. So far, it's a succes!
I grow our potatoes in raised beds. As soon as the first earlies were done, we pulled them out and planted new. They sprouted beautifully. We also had mid-earlies, which we harvested recently, and also planted new ones. And they, too, produce nice green foliage. Now we just have to wait untill we can harvest...
We have no real cool place in the house, so I kept the seed potatoes for second crop tightly wrapped in newspapers and in the vegetable drawer in the fridge. It seemed to work perfectly...
Next year: growing potatoes from (bought) seed. :D
Sounds like you're on a roll there - nice job!
my wife and I are nutritarians eating amazing whole foods plant based and our bodies really show it and thank us for it. 👣👣👣👣
I work in a garden centre and got a few seed potatoes last year that were being thrown away, the ones that were left after the season and they didn’t survive last winter, however I just put the grow sacks to one side and then noticed this spring they started sprouting, so ended up with a reasonable crop of charlottes new potatoes. Have planted some left over pink fir and this spring have grown well, again for free, I can only grow in pots as my garden is small. It’s nice experimenting with different varieties. Have just planted some pentland javelin for Christmas
What a superb bonus crop! And great to have some more planted for harvesting in a few months.
I put my Charlottes in on Wednesday but held two tubers back for planting at the end of August, in the greenhouse for christmas potatoes.
Thankyou I’m getting organised to plant more spuds now , we learn so many great things because of your videos , I’m really looking forward to trying second crop , you’ve made my day
So pleased to hear this Elizabeth. Hope they grow well for you. :-)
It's like you read my mind. I've been debating if I can get another crop out of my potted potatoes before the first cold snap. Thank you Ben!
Thank you so much. After learning from your previous videos and All My Secrets of Organic and Container Gardening So Far, I ventured to try the same thing with sweet potatoes that were started as water starts indoors during the late winter in a window and got a beautiful bucket full of them.
What a fab result!
Grow mine in builder's buckets fantastic crop 😊
Thanks. I'm prepping a fall garden and you've reminded that potatoes are a good addition
Give them a try - they are very satisfying to grow! :-)
I agree, and recommend potatoes in containers for people who are in rented accommodation.
I just planted 28 Red Norlands on 7/29 in 5B (Northern Colorado)!! They all came up and now the countdown begins. From when they came up, we had about 70 days left, which is exactly the # of days this variety needs. Fingers crossed they don’t take longer! If so, I’ll throw a frost cloth over them. Great video! :)
Hope you beat the clock and get a good crop!
@@GrowVeg me too!! I’ve never done this here, and I probably won’t get baked potato sized, but I’m confident I’ll get something! Lol! :)
I've planted potatoes for rhe first time this year - we had Casablanca, Charlottes and yesterday we harvested Cara and planted some Maris Piper which will hopefully be ready in December. They are in bags as the raised beds are still pushing up potato planta from two years ago, so Im not doing that! Being in bags, Ill move them into the greenhouse when the frosts hit. Love the idea of the cardboard boxes!
Great to be getting potatoes in for later in the year - I hope they do well and you manage to avoid any frosts.
I'm setting off a few pots in the polytunnel. It's so easy that it's well worth a go.
Im already on my third harvest of potatoes this year. Boxed them up in cardboard with paper separators and storing them in a cool dark closet.
Wow, that's superb!
I had some mini potatoes left over from a hello fresh box a year or so back and the eyes started to sprout. I thought, what the heck, I'll plant them indoors and see what happens. Maybe I could get a few "free" potatoes right? Well come harvest time, I actually got a surprisingly decent crop from them, enough for a meal for two people and with a few left over. I then got to thinking...what would happen if I planted *those* potatoes? Felt a bit mad scientisty but I had the free soil space, time, and a undeniable curiosity.
I ended up going through about 4 generations of potatoes before they were barely growing beyond like grape-size. While productivity declined with each generation (as I suspected it would) it was fun experiment and just went to show how amazing potatoes are in terms of reproducing and growing.
What a fun experiment. Love your persistence with them. Always worth trying these sorts of things out. :-)
Such beautiful soil..😳..
Awesome tips. I never tried to do a second harvest of potatoes.
Fantastic work 🤩
Thank you. :-)
Ben,finally got around to watching this recommended video,and cool to know that while its best to grow them in the ground, container gardening can be just as fruitful as normal gardening.😁👍🥔
Absolutely! :-)
Beautiful view❤
I might try growing a second crop inside. I have an enclosed back porch with lots of windows, and it has been recently fully insulated. I figure it’s an ideal space for growing a few buckets to see how they fare. 😊
A grow light would do wonders in there I bet
@@world-karma9127 I have hat and will use it
Excelente dedicación de este hombre
Great idea - grow in pots without buying lots of plastic.
Everything looks fabulous.
I grew mine mostly in buckets and in the ground. But I do love the cardboard box
Ohhh, you re back!
Great, i was having enough [ both ways] listening to the old videos😂
Always enjoy this happy guy
I am not sure if anyone else has tried but I have had very good luck drying the potato seeds from the plant and planting these seeds in pots for year round potatoes.
What a great idea. :-)
I grew my potatoes last year above the ground by putting a bit of hey/straw on the grass, then laid the taters on it and covered it with grass clippings each week. And not only did I have a satisfying harvest, but also the soil underneath turned from a rockbed into humus. this year I planted the potatoes right there again by just opening up the soil a bit to get the planter in - and again covered with grass clippings over the summer. The harvest this year was stunning re the size of the potatoes. The benefit of this method: I can plant pot. two years on the same spot, whereas otherwise I'd have had to wait three years before planting them on the same spot again
TWO other things I did this year (which I suppose was the secret to getting BIG potatoes): I left only two shoots on the potatoes when planting them and I clipped off all the flowers once they were in full bloom
What a great method! :-)
Muchas gracias por los consejos del sembrado de las papas
Very beautiful
Thank you. :-)
mine are in buckets :) thanking to You :)
Great video, Thanks👏👩🌾
Thank you
Great idea, I might try the cardboard box!
This is beautiful
Excellent Content 😊
Thank you 🙌
@@GrowVeg you're welcome 😁
Nice garden
I’m off tomorrow to get my 2nd crop potato seed. bed is ready…great advice to follow.. I’m jealous of your green house… iv no room for one 👍
Potatoes are excellent crop to aerate soil, mine have successfully self seeded in south facing areas. The more soil around plant the better ive known people to put an old tyre around the plant and top up with chicken manure compost
Good idea
Excelente video 👌
I'm growing Maris Peer potatoes for the first time this year in pots. I've just planted them so wish me luck. I'm in Northamptonshire so my first frost isn't until the last week of November
Best of luck - I'm sure you'll get a good crop. :-)
Amazing 💕🌻
I remember the time when i do the same i love it
Muy buen consejo para cuidar las plantas 👍🏻
Looks like Ben is gonna have a potato surplus to store for the winter
Fingers crossed!
Que hermoso jardin 🥰
The English country gentleman in his garden 🙂.
Love your channel ❤
Very good
What a GREAT idea! BUT WHERE does one GET seed potatoes this time of year? They're impossible to find. Any ideas?
I had to order mine from a supplier on Ebay.
Me encanta la naturaleza
Fantastic
Very nice❤
good job
Potatoes are doing well this year, as well as zucchini and summer squash. last year I i grew like 10 summer squash all year, this year I have zucchini and summer squash coming out of my ears. Okay that's also my fault because last year I didn't get a lot, so I planted a whole lot of zucchini and summer squash plants this year... Yeah I've probably harvested about 45 so far 😀.
Just saw your video for the first time. Love it. I plan on doing potatoes in August here in Miami. Hope they will not succumb to the heat! Can I use store bought (eating) potatoes that get the eyes or can you only use seed potatoes and where do I find them.
You could try store-bought potatoes if they are sprouting. The trouble with store-bought, though, is that they can sometimes to treated to stop/slow sprouting - which isn't useful if you want to grow them. And they may not be the most vigorous, whereas seed potatoes are. But there's certainly no harm in giving it a try. Seed potatoes can be found from online seed suppliers usually.
I want your greenhouse!
I'm very lucky!
You’re wonderful!
Thanks so much! :-)
Excelente información sobre cultivos
Muy buena tierra para siembra
En un jardín produciendo papas buena idea
Great video. When you say you top up the box when the shoots show through do I bury the whole plant in compost or do it gradually allowing the leaves to show?
I would do it gradually, in two or three stages. But to be honest, the growth is so fast in the summer, that you could top up in one go if using that method.
Thanks for the video. I will be trying this. I just harvested my potatoes as they looked to be dying off and I wanted to use that space for planting Takane red buckwheat from rare seeds catalog. Because it was so early I was hoping to get in another crop. I have no idea what types of potatoes I have as I plant a whole bunch each year and carry on what grew best the year before. I have some type of purple, a patchwork russet type, and a creamy yellow. Started out with a red but the red didn't seem to make it. I will try to get more in with buckets and move them to the greenhouse if they aren't ready in October.
Sounds like you've got a good mix of potatoes there. :-)
Very interesting what he does
My best tatties were the ones I lifted from my compost heap 😊🏴
A double bonus! :-)
I thought the reason why people grow early potatoes was mostly to prevent blight. Because the longer the potatoes are in the ground the more chance of them getting it. Defenetly in this kind of weather. But anyway, I'm gonna try to grow some more bucket potatoes. Potato blight prevention tips are always welcome!
Yes indeed, early potatoes are great at avoiding blight.
You might find this video handy: ruclips.net/video/PSXXoGrOyDg/видео.html
Gratificante cultivo👌
I was unable to harvest my potatoes last year. This spring they sprouted and now we are harvesting potatoes. Some of the tubers survived underground over winter. Buffalo NY USA (USDA Zone 6a). Will try for a second harvest next season.
What a great result!
Excelente trabajo
Great tips!!
Bonito jardín 😍😊