growing potatoes in a container

[ormesbyannie]

Hi all, I have grown potatoes in a container and have just tipped them out. I havn't had that good a yield but the problem is what I found when I tipped the container out. There was a number of what looked like potatoe skins. Very thin dark brown skins is the only way I can describe them. They are all about the same size and look to have been potatoes. The skin is whole except for maybe a small hole at one end and some tears which may have been caused when I harvested them. I noticed a few vine weevils amongst the compost but only a few. The potatoes which there were have no damage at all.

Thanks

[Clanad]

While I can't diagnose your problem I will say that growing potatoes in a container has its own set of problems.
One, is that many growers dont assure the container efficiently drains away excess water, which can rot your potatoes. Secondly, potatoes really need lots of sun. Often times, especially as the container grows heavier with the continued addition of soil, the container isn't moved to a good, sunny location.
Lastly, when adding the additional soil throughout the growing season, it's important not to entirely cover up the green, growing top. It should be left out in the open to convert the sunlight in its growing process.
If you've taken care in the above areas, then perhaps someone else has a better idea as to the failure of the crop...
Best of luck!

[ormesbyannie]

Thanks for the answere. As regards to the sun problem I think the container may be too high so I am going to cut it down by half. I also think I was a bit too enthusiastic when adding soil, I may have done it too soon and not allow the growth to develop properly.

[Rosetta]

I tried growing potatoes in a container this year for the first time. I also had what looked like squished skins but I must admit I assumed they were the original tubers that the growth had developed from, and the skin was the resulting "shell". Though not a huge crop I will definitely do it again next year, as I won't have the outlay of the kit it should be more economical.

Did you drill holes in the base of the pots. That definitely aids drainage

[ormesbyannie]

Thanks for that. Yes I did drill holes in the bottom and put some largish lumps of polystyrene in the bottom. As it happens the next day after I posted the question I was telling a friend down the road about this problem and he suggested it may well have been the skins from the original pototoes, however thanks again for taking the trouble to post an answer.