If you know any dog owners who buy the big bags of dog biscuits - they're multiwall paper, very strong, and take lots. But they're not nearly as posh as gorgeous bags from chic shops, I have to admit. [Imagine a row of gourmet spud varieties in 'Harrods' bags...;-)]

In the olden days you could have used chaff sacks made from jute. They're still around, though not too common any more. Replaced by those useless woven plastic things that fall apart quicker than new pantihose. Not worth recycling.

I wonder if there's a mini-market for produce storage bags in fabric or paper. Pull-tie tops and sturdy carrying handles. Totally agree that buckets are less than best.

We could ask Nandor Tanczos for some of his hemp ones, at a pinch! The blokes in the hemp industry would probably appreciate the chance to show their wares.

Congratulations on your first harvest. Now for the mint and the butter and a feast!

What a coincidence! I dug my first harvest yesterday and today I received a special potato bag from Avon, of all things. It's supposed to keep them fresh longer. Time will tell if I have blown my money. It looks nice though.

G'day Doona!

What a coincidence! Do tell. What's it made of and how much does it take?

Haha! We could go into business making designer spud storage bags! Hemp hmmmm, that could work too. Isn't it meant to be one of the toughest fibres around after flax?

Had my first feed of them last night- ohhhh they were sooooo yummy! I've got the market cornered for gormet potatoes though. One of my potato pillars (tried the stack-a-tyre method) produced gazillions of jellybean sized spuds....not sure what went wrong as the seed spuds were same variety as in my other stacks and I treated it the same as the others. Ah well, these will be my mashing ones I guess, don't think there is a peeler small enough for these 'uns!!!
Reckon I can sell them for $15/100g to posh restaurants?

Hey Doona, I've seen a couple of companies over here advertising these, they look pretty neat. Will you let us know if they work o.k?

Once upon a time a neighbour of ours was heard to remark - Perhaps a bit small, but they're my second crop...

If you can do it without cracking up...

I'm not sure the tower of tyres is all that successful. I found that the soil out at the edges dried out very quickly. A chap I know, keen hydronics man with most of his back yard engulfed by his system, grew his spuds in those laundrey bin-size plastic containers in the same way as the tyre system, but with plump results. No droughty areas in the growing column.

If the baggies were sold at the same time as the seed spuds - a double helping of hope! Perhaps with the varieties stencilled onto the fabric.

Which spuds grow best in Waikato? (Apart from the Jellybean Gourmet, of course!) And have you tried any of those Southland gourmet packs in the little cardboard boxes?

My favourite is the Desiree. I like how it cooks. Not sure how it does for roasting and chips, but great for little feasts and potato salad.

I guess I was lucky regarding the tyre tower in that the weather was favourable while the spuds were growing! They didn't dry out, but I can imagine the troubles I'd have keeping them well-watered if I was to plant a second crop in them now!

"Those laundrey bin-sized plastic containers" your friend used - are they the ones that hydroponic ferts come in? I wonder if there are any hydroponic growers near me that I can beg some containers from!

The spuds I've just harvested were Ilam Hardy - Mum suggested they'd be a good variety to start with as they're a short term crop (I think that's the right way of describing them), and if I wanted, I can plant a second crop after harvesting the first. I don't think I'll worry about planting out a second crop though as the humuidity has been rapidly creeping up - methinks I can do without blight!

Mum grows both Rua, Ilam Hardy and Desiree. I know there were about 3-4 other varieties for sale when I bought my seed spuds, but can't for the life of me remember what they were!

Can't say I have tried the Southland gourmet packs - you mean to say someone else sll ready has the market?!!!! Damn, guess I'll have to find something else!

Vetivert, I don't know what the bag is made of as it doesn't have a tag but it looks like a heavy-duty cotton, almost like canvas or mens drill shorts. It's lined with something like microfibre, I think. It probably holds about 5 kilos of potatoes, maybe more.
Greengingers, I will let you know if it works. I also got a bag for onions and garlic. They are really well-made, look nice and old-fashioned and have a drawstring at the top and a zip at the side at the bottom for access. I like them.

Oh and I meant Green FINGERS not gingers. Sorry.