Potatoes racing away

Hi All
My potatoes I had in bags in the greenhouse are growing so fast I am worried the heat is causing it so I have put them outside. Have I done the right thing, I seem to remember last year getting all top growth and no or very little potatoes.

Thanks

Dave

 

Hi there Dave. I'm in the same situation ! I have done the same thing and put them outside. Shouldn't be a problem I reckon, just bring them in if there's a frost forecast :thumb:

 

Leave them outside, fullstop.

 

Actually, thinking about it, frosts this time of year are only ground frosts, right Dai ? In which case, as Dai says, leave them out. Cheers...freddy.

 

Isn't the point to get an early crop, though??

 

Hi Kristen
I seem to remember from last year the issue is that in too much heat they produce all top growth and no root development hence no potatoes.

Freddy and David thanks as always for all the advice and help, I don't really know what I would do without this website..

Thanks

Dave

 

David my dad alway's told me if there is a frost in april or may it's not likley to be a penetrating one as long as you wash the frost off before the sun gets on them you'll be ok.
N;B And when i was a lad (to many moons ago) iv'e seen him out in the garden with the hosepipe at 5am dozens of times , we always had good spuds

 

"the issue is that in too much heat they produce all top growth and no root development hence no potatoes"

Ah, I can see that now. So I should start off in the greenhouse and then move outside when it becomes warmer

"iv'e seen him out in the garden with the hosepipe at 5am dozens of times"

Its a good point. The water would gently "warm" the plants - from 0C-ish to, what?, 15C for mains water?

 

Hi Kristen if i had my pots in tubs or bags i would start them straight outside if there is a frost forecast and you are worried in pots or bags they are so easy to cover.
And outside because they are first earlies they will pop up when the time is right for them nature is a marvelous thing ,hope this helps Micky

 

I'm trying some of my spuds in Marshalls Gro-Bags, and some others in large pots (about 36" diameter), for an early crop (I have spuds outside too). So basically I'm trying to force them so they are earlier.

I've not done this before, and I started late :( so its a trial run for next year. Its helpful to hear that I can move them out when it gets warm - then I can hand over the Greenhouse to Toms and Cues!

 

There is no way I would follow a crop of potatoes grown in the greenhouse with a crop of tomatoes, without sterilizing everything.:thumb:

 

The Spuds are in pots ... actually the Toms will be in pots too, but sort of ring-culture so they can get their roots down into the muck and own-compost I've put in there. So I don't think the Spuds are going to do any damage, are they?

(Airborne risk I suppose, but they'll be out of the greenhouse by mid June, at a guess, and I don't suppose there will be any risk of Blight by then?

Anything else to keep me awake at night?!!

 

Micky V
Sounds good to me not thought of that, I only have 3 bags so should be ok to cover them but a good idea for anyone who has a larger crop.
Kristen
Seems like we think and grow alike I have 3 Marshalls bags that I have now put outside and Tomatoes & Cucumbers will grow in the space they occupied. Good job Dave put wht he did as I was going to use the soil in the boxes I grow the Toms & Cues in!!

My greenhouse has a concrete floor so I take the soil out at the end of the season so the frost should kill most disease.

Dave

 

Started a couple of tubs of earlies in the polytunnel 6 weeks ago,they have been earthed up to the top and have been outside a couple of weeks and have good top growth, if it's going to be frosty I put fleece over them.