(24-06-2020, 09:46 AM)PyreneesPlot Wrote: What is the secret of growing spuds in bags? All I've ever achieved is bags full of huge ant's nests!
Not sure there’s a secret. Luckily I’ve never had an ants nest. I’ve changed my method this year (doing it properly ). I normally put 5 or 6 seed potatoes in a bag ( depending on size ). Plant them a 1/3 of the bag then earth up as needed until bag is full. Using a mix of compost and grass clippings.
I normally get an ok harvest. I mainly use the bags because I don’t seem to loose as many to slugs. I’d loose over 50% planting in the beds (even with nematodes)
This year however I’ve been very good and only put 3 seed potatoes in each bag. Again planting in a 1/3. But earth up with compost only. So I’m looking forward to seeing if my changes will produce a better yield.
We've had Casablanca growing in 10 L polypots (1 seed potato) and 20 L plastic pots (2 seed potatoes). The polypots were harder to keep moist during the very dry May. Initially I was disappointed with the yield, but now they've had longer to bulk up we're getting 1.6 kg from a 20 L pot, which isn't too far off my target of 1 kg per 10 litres of growing medium. They were grown in a mixture of old tomato/pepper potting mix, coffee grounds and very rough, very unfinished hot compost.
Ants in the bags sounds like the growing medium got too dry.