Potatoes - Organic Growing Guides for Teachers + Students + Schools - One Pot Pledge

1. Photography © Ray Spence
Potatoes
Photography © Ray Spence
Potato plants are fast growing,
with lots of dark green foliage. Some
produce attractive flowers. The potato
tubers are produced underground.
Potatoes are grown from bought
‘seed potatoes’ rather than from seeds.
Leave these in a cool light place to
produce tiny shoots before planting.
There are lots of types to choose from
- waxy for salads, floury for mash, or in
between. Try one plant in a 25-30 cm pot
or 2 or 3 in a 45cm pot to give a few
delicious servings in around 10 weeks.
Suggested pot size: 30cm across and deep for one plant.
45-50cm for 3 plants.
‘Early’ and ‘Second early’ varieties are best for pot growing.
Some to try: ‘Charlotte’ - waxy yellow flesh, good for salads and boiling
‘Mimi’ – small, round, red skinned, good for boiling whole
‘Orla’ - white skinned; good early cropper
Plant
1. a 3cm layer of large gravel, or broken up
Put
polystyrene into the bottom of the pot.
2. Add 15cm moist potting compost.
3.
Gently push the seed potato into the compost,
with the shoot end uppermost. Add a little more
compost to cover if necessary.
Spring
Feb
Mar
Summer
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Before planting, put the seed potatoes
in a cool light place till they produce
short shoots.
Plant at the bottom of a large pot, adding
more compost as the shoots grow.
Stop when compost is 2cm below the
top of the pot. Grow in a light, airy
position outside.
Watering tips:
Give pots a thorough soaking when you
do water. Plants will need more water
as they get bigger.
Support:
Just let plants flop, or support with
strings stretched between sticks around
the edge of the pot.
1.
After 9 weeks or so, feel down into
the compost to see if the potatoes are
big enough. They can be eaten at any size.
2.
Empty out the pot and collect up the potatoes.
3. Store them in a cool, dark place until eaten.
Eat
Growing tips
Compost to use:
Potting compost, organic and peat- free.
1. shoots grow, gradually
As
fill up the pot around the shoots,
leaving the shoot tips showing.
2.
Stop when the compost is
3cm below the rim of the pot.
Grow
Potatoes
Protection:
Move indoors, or cover with a few sheets
of newspaper or a light cloth overnight
if frost is likely.
Autumn
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Feeding:
If a good quality compost is used there
is no need to feed. Otherwise use a general
organic liquid feed in the summer.
Sow indoors
Sow outdoors
Harvest
Protect from cold
www.gardenorganic.org.uk
The One Pot Pledge® concept was devised by Food Up Front, the urban food growing network. Trade Mark registered to Food Up Front. Garden Organic is a registered charity no. 298104