Early potatoes in tyres - when to add soil

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Eco Girl
margo - newbie
margo - newbie
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed May 06, 2009 11:19 am

Early potatoes in tyres - when to add soil

Post: # 152771Post Eco Girl »

Hi, I'm growing potatoes for the first year in tyres. I did the first layer and stuffed the tyre with newspaper to cut down on soil. I was advised to get some light fluffy garden centre bag soil (I did as I was told). Now the 4 potato plants are poking up about 3 or 4 inches and seem a bit nice to squash with the next tyre of soil.

Also a bit alarmed by the post about straw and the leaves going brown in another thread. Maybe my newspaper will have the same effect?

jim
Living the good life
Living the good life
Posts: 450
Joined: Tue May 20, 2008 8:19 am
Location: South Hants UK

Re: Early potatoes in tyres - when to add soil

Post: # 152794Post jim »

Dear Ecogirl,

We're using big pots and just add enough compost and soil to cover each haulm as it pokes a couple of leaves above the surface. We keep on going until the pots are full and then just let the spuds get on with it. The earlies we put in the conservatory pots in January are now about two and a half feet above the top, are beginning to die back and should soon be ready for harvesting.

Don't forget that in pots and tyres they need lots more water than in the ground. Never let the soil dry out.

Love and Peace
Jim
The law will punish man or woman
Who steals the goose from off the Common
But lets that greater thief go loose
Who steals the Common from the goose.

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