© 2013 Tommy Brosnan
www.KillarneyGardenCentre.com
GROWING YOUR OWN POTATOES
with Tommy B
Growing your own food is one of the most rewarding not to mention
HEALTHY gardening activities you can do. By getting a little creative you
can grow a lot of the food you buy weekly at the supermarket, even if you
don't have a garden!
Yes, food growing has become very easy these days, with all sorts of
containers and bags designed specifically to cater for people who want to
grow food, but may not have the space for a dedicated veggie garden.
Potatoes are one of the easiest
versatile vegetables to grow.
and most
They can be grown indoors in a glasshouse or
Polytunnel as early crops and of course they can
also be grown very easily in Potato Grow Bags.
Of course if you have the space for a full veggie
patch it is great and the variety of food you can
grow is immense.
Glasshouses and Polytunnels will also assist you
to grow food easily and they will also enable you
to get a head start with your food growing and you can have a fast crop
of Potatoes in about 12 weeks!
With all the uncertainty about what exactly goes into our food it’s
probably more important then ever to start growing your own, then you
know exactly what you are eating.
The taste of fresh homegrown Potatoes is something you just can’t beat!
In this guide we are going to look at:
• some of the main varieties you can grow
• how to sprout your new Potaotes properly
• how to grow Potatoes in a Grow bag
• common pests & dissease you may encounter
© 2013 Tommy Brosnan
www.KillarneyGardenCentre.com
Potatoes come in a variety of categories, usually defined by 'seasonality'.
The main categories of are: First Early, Second Early and Main Crop.
First Early crop in June – the most popular early varieties are:
Sharpes Express, Duke of York, Home Guard, Red Duke of York
Second Early crop in July – the most popular varieties are:
Orla & British Queens
Main Crop in September – the most popular main crop varieties are:
Kerrs Pink, Golden Wonders, Cara, King Edward, Records, Rooster, Rocket
as well as Salad Potatoes such as Pink Fir Apple, Charlotte, International
Kidney and the blight free Sarpo Mira.
The variety Home Guard would be one of the best varieties to grow inside.
Home Guard, Sharpes Express, Duke of York, Rocket, can be planted
outdoors from March onwards and you can expect a crop after 12 about
weeks.
KEY POINT
The first step to protect your potatoes from disease, is to buy seed
potatoes that are certified as being 'virus free'.
First early potatoes are easy to grow and have the advantage of
cropping early, so they miss the weather that causes blight conditions,
meaning you should be able to avoid spraying them completely for blight.
One of the most popular second early crops is British Queens. It is
important these are certified as these often carry ¨Blackleg Disease¨,
within them and this spreads in wet weather and large sections of crops
can be lost.
Kerrs Pink are still the most popular main crop potato, even though it
does require a diligent spraying program to keep them blight free.
Record, Golden Wonders, Roosters, King Edward, Cara and Orla
would be the other popular main crop varieties. These take about 20 – 22
weeks for the crop to develop and will produce the heaviest crop of all the
potato types.
© 2013 Tommy Brosnan
www.KillarneyGardenCentre.com
WHAT TO DO AFTER BUYING SEED POTATOES:
After buying your seed potatoes, you will need to keep them in a cool
place. You will need to 'sprout' them prior to planting, this process is
commonly referred to as 'chitting'.
This can commence in late January /early February. Chitting is done to
basically encourage the seed potatoes to sprout before planting and it is
used to speed up the potato growing process.
Egg cartons are ideal for this process as
you can place the seed potatoes in
individual cells.
You do not need any compost or soil for
this process; you will simply face the ‘rose
end’ up towards the light.
The 'rose' end is the end of the potato with
the most ‘eyes’, it is usually more round or blunt than the other end.
Place your cartons in a cool but frost-free location with plenty of light.
After about 4 weeks your potatoes should be nicely sprouted. Remove any
sprouts from the bottom or sides and leave four healthy sprouts.
GROWING POTATOES IN THE GROUND
If you are going to plant your potatoes externally, in your veggie patch,
ground preparation is essential to success.
Potatoes love a Nitrogen Rich Organic Soil, so
dig in well rotted Farm Yard Manure or Organic
Compost before you plant. Remember you can
get Farm Yard Manure in bags from your local
garden centre.
You can also add either granular Chicken
Pellets (organic), Growmore Fertilizer or a Seaweed based fertilizer to the
ground before you plant. When sowing your potatoes in the gound, the
spacing will be: 10¨ apart , 4¨deep with 24¨ between rows.
© 2013 Tommy Brosnan
www.KillarneyGardenCentre.com
THE PROCESS OF EARTHING UP YOUR POTATOES
Regardless of where you grow your potatoes, the process called ‘earthing
up’ needs to be applied as the potatoes grow.
When growing externally, after the stalks have grown up to about 15 cm,
then you will cover the ridge with 10-15 cm of earth. This will stop the
potatoes being exposed to light and prevent them from going green.
As your potatoes grow you will need to be diligent with watering and keep
in mind in the case of very dry Summer weather, Potatoes may benefit
from flooding the trenches so as to increase the crop.
You will need to keep a watchful eye for pest and disease control,paying
attention to blight warnings will be of great assistance, but we will look at
that in a later section.
OTHER WAYS TO GROW POTATOES
As I mentioned earlier, Potatoes can also be grown in Grow Bags. These
are designed specifically to prevent light from getting at the tubers as
they grow.
However, you can also get resourceful and
use any barrels and even large tyres you
may have lying around.
This method would be more suitable for
first early potatoes. Make sure if you are
using old tyres, that you wash them first.
You will also need to keep in mind if using
this method that you will need to have
sufficient tyres to accommodate the 'earthing up' process.
GROWING POTATOES IN A GROW BAGS
Once you have completed the 'chitting' process we mentioned earlier, you
can then go ahead and plant your Potatoes in a Grow Bag.
What you will need to grow Potatoes in a bag:
• Potato grow bag
• Good rich compost - such as Jack’s Magic
© 2013 Tommy Brosnan
www.KillarneyGardenCentre.com
•
•
•
Certified Seed Potatoes of your choice
Watering Can
Potato Fertiliser
6 STEPS TO GROW YOUR OWN POTATOES IN A GROW BAG:
• Fill up your potato bag with 12” of Jack's Magic seaweed based
compost.
•
Mix 2 handfuls of Organic Potato Fertiliser through the compost.
•
Place 4 or maximum 5 sprouted potatoes on top of the compost. You
may be tempted to put in more than this , but they will not have
sufficient space to grow.
•
Cover with 4” of compost + 1 handful of fertiliser.
•
Add 5 litres of water.
•
Place your Potato bag in a bright, frost-free area preferably a few
inches off the ground, so as to avoid pests.
You can also place the Grow bag in a tunnel, glasshouse or
conservatory.
•
When the Potato shoots are 4” above the compost, you will need to
'earth up', by adding more Jack's Magic compost and a handful of
fertilizer, leaving 1” of the shoots visible.
•
When the stems have grown another 4”, repeat the process again by
adding more Jacks Magic compost and a handful of fertilizer, leaving
1” of the shoots visible.
•
Keep repeating this ‘earthing up’ process, as the stems grow, until
your bag is full to within an inch of the top of the bag.
•
Continue to water regularly.
•
As the stalks grow, you can use a few 3 - 4ft bamboo canes in the
corners of the bag, with some soft rubber around them, for support
and prevent the stalks from breaking.
© 2013 Tommy Brosnan
www.KillarneyGardenCentre.com
In 12 -14 weeks your potatoes will be
ready to eat!
You can carefully check first, by placing
your hand down either side of the bag to
feel the size. With the Potato being such a
versatile ingredient in the kitchen, you will
have so many ways to enjoy your fresh,
healthy produce!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q. Do I have to protect my Potatoes against blight?
If you grow an early variety, there is little or no threat of blight with those
varieties, so no protection is needed if you grow those varieties. If
growing later crops, yes you will have to be vigilent and take appropriate
action.
Q. Will I have to protect them against slugs?
Generally if you are using Grow Bags, slugs are not a big issue, but yes
you need to be vigilant and check in the evening time to see if there are
any slugs present.
You can simply do a regular check and if you see them throw them away
from the area or use organic slug pellets. (More on pest control later).
Q. I have tried to grow Potatoes in a bag before but I ended up
with small potatoes that hadn’t developed, what caused this?
This could be down to a number of influencing factors:
• Didn’t sprouted the potatoes
• Didn’t use certified potatoes
• The stalks got hit by frost in the early stages of growth and never
recovered
• Poor compost
• Didn’t use a good fertilizer
• Insufficient watering – so the potatoes dried out
One of the main reasons a person can be unsuccessful with growing
Potatoes in a bag is:; because they let the compost dry out or they over
water the potatoes. Potatoes should be watered regularly, but always feel
the compost, to ensure it’s nicely moist not saturated.
© 2013 Tommy Brosnan
www.KillarneyGardenCentre.com
Remember young Potato stalks are vulnerable to frost, so it a good idea
to cover them with horticultural fleece at night for additional protection in
early development.
Q. Which is the best Potato variety for me to grow?
This will be largely dependent on personal taste, however, if you are just
starting off, keep it simple. As a guide, if you like waxy potatoes grow
Home guard. If you like flowery potatoes grow British Queens.
Common Problems When Growing Potatoes:
WIREWORM:
Wireworms are actually the larvae of the click
beetle.
These grubs are a little over 2 cms in length,
yellow/ orange in colour and have a shiny hard
body.
They love to attack the newly planted seed
potatoes by making a deep tunnel in them.
Then they bore their way into the new tubers as
they are produced and believe it or not can render
crops inedible.
Organic Control of Wireworm:
•
Avoid planting potatoes in areas that were recently growing grass. It
is reported that wireworm attack is likely to be worst in the second
and third year after grass, so ideally five years without grass is your
best option for wireworm free soil.
•
Dig the soil well before planting, this should bring the wireworms to
the surface so you can get rid of them or let the birds help!
•
You can also use old potatoes to encourage the wireworm to show.
Do this about 3 weeks before planting your seed potatoes. Dig some
holes about 4” deep, cut old potato in half and put a stick in them,
© 2013 Tommy Brosnan
www.KillarneyGardenCentre.com
put these in the holes and cover. A few days before planting, dig out
these ‘potato traps’ and if the soil has wireworm they should be in
these potatoes, so you can dispose of them immediately.
•
Wireworm damage is said to be at its peak from the middle of
August onwards, so early harvesting or using early varieties of
potatoes will help.
Spraying the ground beforehand is an option using “Mocap” , but it can be
costly and success rate can be as little as 40%.
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL:
There is an increasing consumer demand to reduce the use of chemical
pesticides in our fruit and vegetable production.
The overuse and misuse of chemical pesticides are affecting both our
environment and our health and is also killing off our most beneficial
garden insects.
So we are faced with the issue of how to control harmful pests without
using chemical pesticides, that also kill off the beneficial ones!
Our alternative is to use biological control, specifically beneficial
'Nematodes' found in healthy soil. In this case I'm specifically talking
about ‘SUPERNEMOS’, which are specially formulated to aggressively
pursue several or different groups of insect pests.
These beneficial nematodes are rapidly becoming the method of choice in
the horticultural and agricultural sectors.
SuperNemos will attack the target insect pest species and the nematodes
enter the host through openings or by penetration of the body wall. Once
inside they kill the host pest within 48 hours, all in just one application.
SuperNemos are capable of controlling several target pest species:
• Wireworm
• Vine Weevil
• Strawberry Root weevil
• Carrot Weevil
• Chafer Grubs
• Caterpillars
© 2013 Tommy Brosnan
www.KillarneyGardenCentre.com
•
•
•
•
Cutworms
Leatherjackets
Cabbage Worm
Fungus Gnats Larvae
Also it is also effective against Beetle Larvae which feeds on Cucumber,
Tomatoes and Potatoes plants and more!
SuperNemos is an environmentally friendly product that is harmless to
wildlife, earthworms, bees, bumblebee, pets and children. SuperNemos
only attack specific target inspect pests and there is no need for masks or
specialized safety equipment.
As SUPERNEMOS are living organisms, the product needs to be preordered and it is important to handle them correctly.
Timing is a crucial factor when using this product; soil temperatures need
to be over 12 degree celsius and the Supernemo need to be applied by
mid May at the very latest.
If you would like to order Supernemos , you can let us know by clicking
on this link and it will automatically open your email program:
ORDER SUPERNEMOS NOW
SLUGS:
Slugs can also eat tubers by boring into the Potato and can cause most
damage when the weather is wet / damp.
You can treat the ground with another variety of Nematode called:
'Nemaslug'.
Correct handling is essential again with this
nematode.
You can ask for correct advice from your local
garden centre.
Remember, slugs do not tend to do much
damage to Golden Wonder Potatoes, so it is worth bearing that in mind
when choosing your varieties.
© 2013 Tommy Brosnan
www.KillarneyGardenCentre.com
POTATO BLIGHT:
A fungus called ‘Phytophthora infestans’ causes
blight; it spreads through the air and develops when
the weather is warm and humid.
Blight appears as brown patches on the leaves,
mainly at the tips, and dark patches on the tubers.
If you were to cut open a Potato with blight, there
would be brownish rot spreading down from the skin,
and it would eventually get extremely soggy with a
really foul odor.
With the first and second early varieties, blight will
not be a major issue but you will need to listen for blight warnings on the
radio or TV and then treat the crop with either:
• Dithane or
• Organic Bordeaux mix
With the main crop this will be particularly important or use disease
resistant varieties like ‘Orla’ and ‘Cara’.
TOP 10 MISTAKES WHEN GROWING YOUR OWN FOOD
1. Neglecting to layout & prepare the food growing area properly and in
time
2. Sowing too many seeds, all at the same time & forgetting to
consider the 'growing on' space required
3. Letting seedlings grow too 'leggy' before transplanting
4. Not using quality compost when germinating seeds
5. Choosing 'unfamilar' foods, or varieties. For optimum success, start
by growing foods you know you love to eat
6. Now knowing what to sow and when - devise a 12 month food
growing plan to suit your taste buds!
© 2013 Tommy Brosnan
www.KillarneyGardenCentre.com
7. Planting crops in unsuitable locations (ie) too sunny, too shady, too
exposed, soil ph
8. Not practicing crop rotation - so allowing the build up of pests and
diseases in the ground
9. Guessing rater than measuring correct quantities of fertilizers
10.
Forgetting to be vigilant for pests and disease & not knowing
what to do to treat them in time
Ok, so I said 10, but I want to add one more!
One of the biggest issues I see when people start growing food is not having a
good watering system in place.
A good watering system and reliable watering schedule is essential for successful
food growing, so please take this into consideration when planning your food
growing area.
I hope you have enjoyed this guide to Growing Your Own Potatoes.
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Talk to you soon,
Tommy B
© 2013 Tommy Brosnan
www.KillarneyGardenCentre.com