What did i do wrong with my potatoe growing..??

Question

Hi there...decided to start to grow potatoes in my back yard...

i got a large pot about 24 inches high by 24 inches wide made loads of holes in the bottom and potted 6 or 7 potatoes that had eye on them(they grew eyes in my cupboard, over a period)

i covered them with soil and gave them a good watering...they started to grow stalks and as it says every where i popped more soil on...and watered again...eventualy after doing this a fair few times the stalks were about 2 mtrs tall (but with only 24 inches of soil covering the plant......i watered every so often, and waited for the first sign of flower.....dug them up...and was really excited to geet my crop...but out of the 7 potatoes, there was only 3 or 4 small pebble shaped potatoes growing, there were loads of baby shoots, but by this time too late to re plant.....

so did i let the potatoes grow eyes in my cupboard too much..

did i over water (the soil was wet when i dug for potatoes)

or

did i just have bad luck..!!

Michael

Answer 1

Maybe they were overcrowded.....seven potatoes in a 24" diameter pot is wayyyyyyyy too many!  I would have only put in 1-3 depending on the size of the potatoes.  When I grow them in the ground I space them one every foot or so.  Next, were they in full sun all the time and kept moist all the time?  Both are necessary for good success.  And last,  I think you dug them up too soon.  My potatoes are just now flowering, but I don't dig until after frost in September usually.  Though this year, I am going to check soon because I ended up with way too many potatoes for the winter and want to enjoy some soon.  Either way, I would never dig as soon as the flowers come, that seems to be rushing it.

Answer 2

The biggest problem here is that you planted potatoes from the grocery store.  They are generally treated with a chemical that prevents them from sprouting too quickly in storage.  That is now preventing your plants from producing well.

Next year, buy certified seed potatoes from a garden center or seed catalog and you'll have much better results.  The soil should also be only slightly moist.  If it was wet/soggy, then it was overwatered.

Begin to harvest potatoes after the plant has flowered.

Answer 3

As was said, dug them up to early. Depending on were you live you can plant a second crop using any small potatoes you have harvested.

Answer 4

You harvested them far to early.  Potatoes tell you when they are ready.  The shaws (leaves and stalks) start to turn yellow and die.  Also your container was to small for that amount of potatoes.    3 would have been plenty.

Answer 5

You harvested them a little too early.  Those flowers have to get a "tomato looking" fruit on them (replacing the petals).  Even then you'll only get small, new potatoes.  You have to wait for the stalks to die back before you can harvest them full size.

Also, cut the amount of starts you used in half.  That was too many starts, the tatoes could also have been crowded.

Try it again: http://www.ehow.com/how_2222722_grow-pot...