Growing potatoes in polybags

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Permalink Reply by Colin Robinson on August 28, 2011 at 22:22

Moss peat is very low in nutrients so you'd have to feed them well. It's also quite acidic so you'd need to buffer it with something alkaline. Can you mix the peat with something rather than using it neat.

 

Is it freshly dug moss peat or a commercial product?

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Permalink Reply by James Hocking on August 29, 2011 at 8:06

Its the Shamrock brand. For every 100 litres, I'm going to add chicken manure pellets and calcified seaweed to the mix.

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Permalink Reply by Stephen Shirley on August 29, 2011 at 19:46

Moss peat is 0 in nutrient (which is why it is such a good base for composts). 

 

With a pH of around 4.5 - 5.00 it is just a bit too acidic as is so the first thing I would add would be 1lb 8oz of lime to that 100 litres - and you're going to need some drainage so I would also add 25% - 30% perlite, vermiculite or grit.

 

Then you need to think about your fertiliser!

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Permalink Reply by Darren Blick on August 30, 2011 at 5:49

The peat is only used as it's the cleanest medium to give the potatoes a good clean skin

Sheri Plumb, National Potato Champion uses Shamrock Peat but she was beaten in the Nationals this year but a new face who uses some Peat from Scotland, so it goes to show, it's in the growing technique not necessarily the brand of peat

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