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This video explains how to grow potatoes for a festive harvest by planting them in autumn and caring for them through the cooler months.
I cover suitable planting methods, container growing, protection from cold weather, watering, and simple care tips to help plants develop well. With the right approach you can enjoy fresh homegrown potatoes during the holiday season.
Suitable for containers, grow bags, greenhouses, polytunnels, and sheltered garden spaces. Perfect for beginners and experienced gardeners wanting a rewarding winter growing project.
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0:00
Let's plant our Christmas potatoes.
0:04
Welcome to Gardening with Ben. And in
0:06
today's video, we're going to be
0:08
planting our Christmas potatoes. We're
0:10
at the beginning of August now. And if
0:12
you're wanting to harvest some Christmas
0:14
potatoes, now is the time to be planting
0:17
them. Now, we're going to be growing
0:18
these indoors in our poly tunnel in
0:21
boxes as obviously when the cold weather
0:24
comes, it can kill the plants if the
0:27
frost gets to them. So, we're going to
0:29
be planting them in our poly tunnel and
0:31
getting them started in the poly tunnel.
0:33
Obviously, it's nice and warm, so it'll
0:35
get them growing and we will hopefully
0:37
get a decent crop by winter. Now, we
0:41
bought these potatoes from Amazon. They
0:44
were seed potatoes. A few of you have
0:46
been asking, do I chip my potatoes? I
0:49
don't chip my Christmas ones because
0:51
they'll get started pretty fast and get
0:54
growing because it's nice and warmer.
0:56
So, we're going to get them started.
0:59
We're going to show you which varieties
1:00
we're going to be growing and we're
1:01
going to show you how we plant them. So,
1:04
make sure you stay tuned and see how we
1:06
get on with growing them. I have three
1:08
bags and we bought 3 kg. I didn't
1:11
realize how many there'd be. But, we're
1:13
not going to plant them all. We're going
1:14
to give some to our plot neighbor so
1:16
that he can grow some as well as
1:19
obviously I don't want to waste them.
1:21
So, the three varieties that we have
1:23
got, as you can see, there's plenty in
1:26
each bag. So, yeah, definitely don't
1:28
need all these. These ones are Maris
1:31
Piper,
1:33
so they're a good variety.
1:35
We've also got
1:40
The writing's hard to read on these.
1:49
pentulant javelin.
1:52
But yeah, we've had these in our um
1:54
wheelie bin, which is uh dark cuz I
1:57
didn't want the squirrels eating them.
1:58
They ate all my summer ones uh when I
2:01
had them in my greenhouse. So, we kept
2:03
them hidden away from the squirrels. And
2:07
as you can see, they are starting to
2:08
chit actually. So, we have given them a
2:11
little chit, but they've only been in
2:13
there a week. But at least they'll get
2:15
started pretty fast now. And we have got
2:18
the Aaron variety as well. So yeah,
2:21
we're going to be planting probably
2:23
about eight of each variety. That should
2:25
do me well. And we're going to be
2:28
planting them in boxes. So let's get our
2:30
boxes and get them filled up with
2:32
compost.
2:35
So these are the boxes that I'm going to
2:37
be growing them in. As you can see, the
2:39
old recycling boxes, which we no longer
2:42
use. So I've recycled them to grow my
2:44
potatoes in. And in the bottom we have
2:48
holes in them for drainage as well
2:52
because obviously you don't want your
2:54
potatoes getting soggy and rotten.
2:59
So first off we're going to put a layer
3:00
of compost along in the bottom so that
3:03
the potatoes can sit on them and then
3:05
we're going to fill them up with more
3:08
compost. So let's get our layer of
3:10
compost bottom.
3:12
So we've put a layer of compost in the
3:14
bottom. So, we need to put his potatoes
3:16
in. Now, we're going to put eight in
3:17
each one. Uh, maybe too many, but I want
3:21
to get my money's worth from the
3:22
potatoes that I paid for. So, hopefully
3:24
we'll get a bucket full of potatoes come
3:27
winter time. So, yeah, let's get the
3:29
eight put in. We'll also remember to
3:32
label them up so you know which variety
3:34
you are growing in each box as well.
3:42
So, as you can see, we've got eight in
3:44
each box. now of all the varieties. So
3:47
yeah, we're going to put some plant food
3:48
in as well as I have managed to bag up a
3:51
bargain from Morrison's. They were
3:53
selling all the plant food off. So we're
3:55
going to put some plant food in as well
3:56
to give them that extra boost.
3:59
So this is a plant food that I got. They
4:01
were selling them off about £3 rather
4:03
than6. So yeah, we're going to shove
4:06
some of these in. And as you can see,
4:07
six months worth of feed. So add that in
4:11
and hopefully it'll give them a kick up
4:13
and hopefully plenty of energy.
4:17
So I've sprinkled quite a bit of food in
4:19
there. So that should give them enough
4:20
food to keep them going. So we're going
4:22
to fill these up now and see how far up
4:25
we can fill them up to. Obviously if you
4:28
can't fill them all the way up, fill
4:29
them halfway and then when they start
4:31
poking through, fill them up some more
4:34
as well.
4:36
So they are all filled up with compost.
4:39
Obviously, it'll go down once it's been
4:41
watered, but we'll just top them back up
4:43
and fill them up. Obviously, the more
4:44
fuller they are, the more chance of more
4:47
potatoes they are. That's the only thing
4:48
with growing in boxes. It's obviously
4:50
expensive to buy all the compost, but
4:53
I'll use that compost in my beds uh once
4:56
they have finished growing the potatoes.
4:59
So, I don't waste the compost. I always
5:01
use it afterwards. So, we're going to
5:03
put some more feed on top as obviously
5:06
the more feed the more chance of getting
5:09
great crops from them. So, let's add
5:11
some more feed.
5:13
So, that's them fed. So, the last thing
5:16
to do is label them up so that we know
5:18
what the actual Well, it's not the last
5:20
thing. The last thing will be to water
5:21
them, but yeah, we need to label them up
5:23
so we know which varieties are in each
5:25
one.
5:26
So, all those are labeled up. We've
5:29
obviously got us Maris Piper, we've got
5:31
us pentulant javelin, and we've got us
5:33
Aaron. So, just to give them a nice good
5:36
soaking of water now.
5:40
So, that's it. They're all nicely
5:42
watered now. And as you can see, they
5:43
are sinking down a bit, but we'll fill
5:45
them up with compost in probably about a
5:47
week's time once it's had a good soaking
5:49
throughout the week.
5:53
So, make sure you stay up to date with
5:55
how well our Christmas potatoes do and
5:57
our harvest in December. Drop us a
6:00
follow, leave a comment if you're going
6:01
to be sewing Christmas potatoes, and
6:05
yeah, let me know how you all get on.
6:07
So, until next time everyone, remember,
6:09
keep smiling, keep shining, and keep
6:11
gardening with Ben, everyone.
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