Potato, potarto (Potatoes)

Member Name: emmachilcott

Product:	Potatoes
Date:	12/09/09 (117 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Actually growing something

Disadvantages: Not at all cost effective

"It's so easy; anyone can do it no matter how much space you have, a few seed potatoes in a bucket, a bit of compost and you are away!". These words filled my living room, spoken by the trustworthy Mr Alan Titchmarsh. Ok Alan, if it's that easy, I will give it a go!


I am a complete novice gardener, but as I am getting older, more and more, I am getting the urge to grow things. My strawberries have been more than successful, so I thought that I would venture into the world of vegetables and at the right moment, fate lent a hand, and led me in the direction of potatoes. I am lacking in space to grow, but Alan said that I could grow them in a bucket, so full of enthusiasm I headed towards my local garden centre in search of my seed potatoes where I was met with a massive array of potatoes.


There were dozens of varieties of seed potatoes all divided into groups: first early, second early and maincrop but after much deliberation and advice from the friendly staff, I chose a first early variety which are ideal if you are short of space, and should give a maximum yield fairly early in the season. My seed potatoes were bought by weight, and as I only planned on growing mine in a bucket, I bought eight potatoes - they cost me somewhere in the region of £1.50. Next I chose my compost: to be honest, I bought the cheapest that there was, and for enough to fill my bucket, I spent another £5. Then I headed home and much to my husband's dismay, I drilled several holes in his best plastering bucket - it was one of those big flexible ones that cost about a fiver.


I put about ten inches of compost into the bucket, and then I put the potatoes in, spreading them out evenly with the sprouts all pointing upwards. I covered them with another couple of inches of compost, watered then waited. About two weeks later, the first green shoots started pointing through the compost. On advice, every time the shoots peeped through, I covered them over with more compost and I watered them daily. I continued to do this until I reached the top of the bucket. Within another four weeks, the shoots were overflowing the bucket in a big way, and I was advised that once the flowers started to appear the potatoes would be ready to dig up. Another three weeks later, and I was still waiting for flowers, and the leaves were starting to wilt in a big way. A week later, I was told that if they hadn't flowered yet, then they never would, so in a bit of a girlie hissy fit (deeply ashamed!), and not expecting to find anything, I tipped the bucket onto the lawn!


Imagine my delight when I began to clear up the compost and started to find real actual potatoes!! In all, I found 1.5 kilos of potatoes, and although I was thoroughly chuffed at myself for growing something, when I took all of my costs and time into account, considering that you can get a kilo of potatoes for a pound, these are probably the most expensive potatoes that ever existed! (I still owe Mr Chilcott for a new bucket!). I could re-use the bucket next year, but the compost is not reusable as it was filled with so many roots, and you obviously have to buy new seed potatoes, so I think that it would take you a long time to get your money back using the bucket method.


As I said, I am a novice, and real gardeners probably do it better, but my experience of growing potatoes in a bucket is unfortunately not a massively successful one. Although it was deeply satisfying to grow something, I really couldn't taste the difference between my potatoes and supermarket ones and the costs incurred simply did not make it economical. However, if you have enough space to dig furrows to plant the potatoes directly into the ground, it is going to be a lot more cost effective, as you will only incur the initial cost of the seed potatoes plus your time. If you have room for three furrows, you could plant several varieties of potatoes, and probably yield enough to last yourself all year. Sorry Alan, but given my experience, I personally cannot be bothered, especially as potatoes are cheap as chips!

Summary: I don't really like potatoes anyway!