My technique is this: I use recycled plastic pots from pelleted chicken manure wherever possible. I fill the pot about one third full with good compost to which I add a handful of chicken manure pellets. I then put a single (chitted) tuber into each pot and cover it with a layer of compost about 4 inches deep. Later on, when the shoots of the plant start to poke through, I progressively add more compost until the pot is full.
Since night-time frost is still highly likely, I protect the pots inside a plastic greenhouse-ey thing officially called a Seedling Greenhouse", made by Kingfisher:-
Unfortunately, the cover of the Seedling Greenhouse is badly damaged. Despite being kept over Winter in the garage, it has gone very brittle and it broke apart in several places when I was stretching it over its frame:
I have been trying to remember how long I have had this thing, but I can't. It is probably about 5 years, so I can't really complain. I think I will try to make it last the rest of this season, and then replace it. It has been really good value for money, because I only paid about £15 for it.
The remaining seed potatoes are still in the garage, continuing to chit.
I will plant the Second Earlies in about two week's time, and then the Maincrop ones at about the end of April.
Seen in close-up, don't those chits look wierd?
Anyone else planted their spuds yet??
