Kitchen Garden Forum

Hi there,

I have acquired a large plastic barrel that is about 0.9 meters high and about 0.6Meters wide that somebody was using as a water barrel. Unfortunately it has a bad leak, so I am wondering about growing potato's in it.

However, I'm wondering how deep to fill it and whether I should cut to top off it to make it shorter (so it's more like growing potato's in a dustbin).

I guess I could only half fill it and then add extra compost was they grow, but if I do that there isn't going to be much light getting in

Searching the internet, I can't seem to find anybody using such a deep container.

Does any body have an opinion on what the best thing to do would be?

Could you cut it in half and have two big tubs from it? Even if the 'top' has no 'bottom' (if you get what I mean) it would still sit happily on the soil and grow spuds.

MW

Well I have grown a limited number of potatoes successfully at the bottom of my compost cage which is over three feet deep, although a little wider than the average wter barrel . It,s worth giving it a try. If the compost is good and there,s sufficient moisture I would think they would grow if the barrel is situated in a place where it gets sufficient sunlight

Hi

We used a variety of containers last year.

Large green surplus compost bins, cut horizontally in half, were very successful, as were nursery type tree pots of 75l and 100l. All started with a small amount of compost, and earthed up as required.

Potato yields similar to those grown in the ground, but much easier to harvest.

The Seed merchants potato bags were only really suited for first earlies, and are now mainly used for parsnips, with some success.

Regards
Paul