How do you get potatoes bigger?

[Rose.mary]

Somebody told me to put a layer of Comfrey under the potatoes when you plant them. I tried it with just one row and they were bigger than all the others.
Rosemary 

[Rose.mary]

[Rosyred]

Hello Wardy you said "I have a look (as mine are no dig and easy to see without digging )and if they aren't very big I leave them  "

How do you do this? What do you grow them in?

Thanks RR

[philcooper]

I've ordered spud sacks from Marshall.  Hope they come soon as I need to store my massive spud harvest  ;D   Not pulled my Cara's yet.  No hurry is there?

Wardy,

Paper sacks are just as good and free from supermarkets - the plastic bags of spuds come in 25kg sacks - just ask

Phil

[philcooper]

On the original question, all potatoes are gross feeders and require soil in good heart to produce good yeilds (if you want good taste as well) Commercially chemical  fertilisers supply the nutrients and help the take up of water - but at the expense of taste.
King Edward although tasstey is not the easiest to grow and does require a better soil than most.

So next year, even more FYM, compost or comfrey leaves!

Phil

Derek - Potato tubers are roots - just swollen bits of root

[wardy]

Phil   You've just answered my question.  I was thinking whether comfrey would be a good fertiliser for spuds and thought it likely as you were both spud and comfrey king  :)

I have got my Bocking 14's on the allotment now, plus I've got a big russian variety at home, for leaves to put down me pipe.  What dilution for spuds 15 to 20 ratio to water????

Or do you just put the leaves in at planting time which sounds much easier ?

[Rosyred]

Could you tell me what black sheet mulch is please?

[tim]

No answer??

Black polythene sheeting or black porous woven stuff.

[wardy]

Rosy red have a look for SmithnJones on the web  :)  or Allplas

[tim]

Speaking of potatoes, this is the very last root of the Nicola.

We had to cut out the haulms early because of blight.

Interesting, though - the blight has taken several weeks to run through Lady Balfour, right next to the Nicola, so it does seem that she is somewhat resistant.

Picasso was mentioned somewhere - do agree about its size!

[telboy]

Iain,
If you want paper sacks, try twisting someones arm at Tesco.
I have enough for years to come.

[the_snail]

Nice Spuddies Tim :)

The_Snail

[tim]

And virtually snail free!!

[Icyberjunkie]

THey are very nice Tim - do they taste as good as they look?

[tim]

I don't have shares in Maris Piper - I enjoy every potato.

Nicola? We all had mash tonight & they said what great mash. Nicola. A 'salad potato'!!

[Icyberjunkie]

MIght give Nicola a go then Tim.   Especially as I ignore what type they are and concerntrate on what eating I want to do  ;D

Thanks

[campanula]

our spuds last year were tasty but tiny as I had not given them much water - this year, I didn't bother watering until I saw flowers then really went for it with a couple of lavish soakings. Also, chucked around loads of chicken manure and planted on a trench of pure horse - fantastic huge spuds (Pomeroy) which taste terrific as bakers. Kestrel still favourite for flavour by a country mile and soooo versatile. Carlena (first earlies - small and a bit nondescript. Anya - also benefitted from the watering campaign so many - in fact, I would say that my crop has tripled this year with practically the same varieties as last year so water, water, water - but I think there is a crucial time (not sure whteher flowering is the best time but it worked for me).

[tim]

Sure you're right but, on a meter, we don't.

They say 'salad' type, but more rock hard than waxy. Hence no slugs?

[Icyberjunkie]

NO meter but most advice seemed to be about not bothering with water so didn't!  Might try that this year.  STill going to grow King Edwards cos I love the colour and taste.  Sharpes Express earlies cvos excellent every way, Anya cos they are great out the shops so must be stupendous home grown and now Nicola.   Maybe I'll need to find a third plot  :o

[john_miller]

Derek - Potato tubers are roots - just swollen bits of root

A potato tuber is not a swollen bit of root. The tubers form on rhizomes, underground stems, and are themselves swollen stems. While it may seem that I am being fastidious, an appreciation of this will help a gardener realise why earthing up the stems is so important and isn't just done for frost protection. These rhizomes are produced from buried leaf axis- the more that are buried the greater the number of rhizomes that can potentially be produced by the plant and could result in an increased yield- everything else being equal.   

[growmore]

I find it important to  chit and then rub off all bar 4 shoots on crown of seed potatoe(the thick blunt end) to get larger main crop potatoes.I dont bother doing this with the first earlies as I dont mind these being small..
Potatoes need moisture to grow large, anything added to trench when planting seems to aid this as in strawy manure ,shredded paper etc. .Earthing plants up helps this too.
They also if it is possible need watering in dry spells. 
Potatoes are heavy feeders  so a fertilizer helps , But more important is a good crop rotation sytem on yer lotty.
cheers..Jim