Nu Kua
Jun 30th, 2011, 8:50 AM
In a large barrel that sits in the center of the yard, I have potatoes started in a mixture of compost and rich, earth-worm filled dirt, about half and half. I started the seeds in about 8 inches of soil. As they grow and leaf out to about 4"-6" tall, I cover them just to the tops of the leaves again.
I've covered them once more right after this picture was taken, and that will be it for the covering. Now they will be allowed to grow to maturity.
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o60/oceanfloats/Garden/potatoeswoodenbarrell.jpg
I did the same thing in a plastic barrel, just a common trash-can. I started these in saw-dust, but sometimes when it comes time to cover them there isn't any sawdust ready, so actually this has been being alternated with sawdust and dirt.
As you can see these have a long ways to go. I suspect that's because this barrel, which is right up beside the house facing West, gets much less sun than the wooden barrel. According to the directions and testimonials, I should get close to 100lbs of potatoes from this plastic barrel. I figure for the wooden one then, at least 50lbs.
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o60/oceanfloats/Garden/plasticbarrellpotatoes.jpg
I thought I had a picture of the patio pot but now cannot locate it, though you can see a tiny corner of it beside the plastic barrel. The potato plant in it has already grown and been covered to the top, and now some leaves are peeking out again. I really hope that experiment goes well, because if so that would mean even a patio gardener can easily grow a few potatoes. If that pot manages to get full of potatoes, it might be as much as 10lbs- but I am guessing of course. We'll see.
Does anyone here have experience curing potatoes so their skins will toughen up for wintertime storage? I've been growing red potatoes exclusively (in the ground) because each year I'd save a few of the potatoes to plant the next. They kept really well most of the winter but I strongly suspect that was just good luck. I don't want to count on luck alone if I do have a bumper crop of potatoes.
I'll re-post some cool links found when I was trying to figure out how to creatively grow potatoes in a small space, since this is a potato thread. :)
Green Grader (http://greenupgrader.com/11708/4-simple-steps-to-grow-a-hundred-pounds-of-potatoes-in-a-barrel/):
4 Simple Steps to Grow a Hundred Pounds of Potatoes in a Barrel
EHow.com (http://www.ehow.com/how_5826337_grow-potatoes-barrel-sawdust.html):
How to Grow Potatoes in a Barrel of Sawdust
SCORE! The lady who wrote the Lasagna Gardening book has a website (http://ourgardengang.tripod.com/lasagna_gardening.htm). She tells how to grow potatoes using this method (basically sheet composting) and makes it sound very easy.
POTATOES
No need to dig trenches or to hill up. Build a lasagna bed to eliminate grass and weeds, don't use any lime or nitrogen-rich materials (such as grass clippings), lay down one or two sheets of wet newspaper, lay seed potatoes on top of the paper, and cover with spoiled hay or compost. You can use pretty much anything you have that is dried. Chipped leaves are great for covering the tubers. I use hay that is well-cured and lying next to my potato bed, so I don't have to carry it too far.
Site and soil. Potatoes need full sun, good drainage, and can tolerate acid soil. Preparing a lasagna bed and adding bone meal or rock sulfate produces a good harvest and large tubers. Avoid planting potatoes where you have grown them or their relatives (including eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes) for the past three years.
Planting and harvest. Be ready to plant in early to mid-spring and have enough material to cover the bed with ten inches of mulch. Be prepared to add several inches of cover to the bed as plants grow. The important thing here is to keep the tubers covered so they will not see the light of day. By the end of the growing period, the plants will be propped up with hay or other soil amendments.
Slip your hand under the mulch to harvest a few small potatoes when the beans are ready to pick. Let the rest continue growing until the foliage has yellowed. Don't try to dig! Lift the mulch and pick the clean tubers up off the newspaper.
Be on the watch for potato bugs. Try to catch them when they are small. Sweep across the foliage with a broom. They will fall into the mulch and, when small, not be able to find their way back up to the leaves....
Ideas, tips, experiences, tales tall and small, welcome! I understand you can grow potatoes in just about anything that will contain them and drain well.
I've covered them once more right after this picture was taken, and that will be it for the covering. Now they will be allowed to grow to maturity.
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o60/oceanfloats/Garden/potatoeswoodenbarrell.jpg
I did the same thing in a plastic barrel, just a common trash-can. I started these in saw-dust, but sometimes when it comes time to cover them there isn't any sawdust ready, so actually this has been being alternated with sawdust and dirt.
As you can see these have a long ways to go. I suspect that's because this barrel, which is right up beside the house facing West, gets much less sun than the wooden barrel. According to the directions and testimonials, I should get close to 100lbs of potatoes from this plastic barrel. I figure for the wooden one then, at least 50lbs.
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o60/oceanfloats/Garden/plasticbarrellpotatoes.jpg
I thought I had a picture of the patio pot but now cannot locate it, though you can see a tiny corner of it beside the plastic barrel. The potato plant in it has already grown and been covered to the top, and now some leaves are peeking out again. I really hope that experiment goes well, because if so that would mean even a patio gardener can easily grow a few potatoes. If that pot manages to get full of potatoes, it might be as much as 10lbs- but I am guessing of course. We'll see.
Does anyone here have experience curing potatoes so their skins will toughen up for wintertime storage? I've been growing red potatoes exclusively (in the ground) because each year I'd save a few of the potatoes to plant the next. They kept really well most of the winter but I strongly suspect that was just good luck. I don't want to count on luck alone if I do have a bumper crop of potatoes.
I'll re-post some cool links found when I was trying to figure out how to creatively grow potatoes in a small space, since this is a potato thread. :)
Green Grader (http://greenupgrader.com/11708/4-simple-steps-to-grow-a-hundred-pounds-of-potatoes-in-a-barrel/):
4 Simple Steps to Grow a Hundred Pounds of Potatoes in a Barrel
EHow.com (http://www.ehow.com/how_5826337_grow-potatoes-barrel-sawdust.html):
How to Grow Potatoes in a Barrel of Sawdust
SCORE! The lady who wrote the Lasagna Gardening book has a website (http://ourgardengang.tripod.com/lasagna_gardening.htm). She tells how to grow potatoes using this method (basically sheet composting) and makes it sound very easy.
POTATOES
No need to dig trenches or to hill up. Build a lasagna bed to eliminate grass and weeds, don't use any lime or nitrogen-rich materials (such as grass clippings), lay down one or two sheets of wet newspaper, lay seed potatoes on top of the paper, and cover with spoiled hay or compost. You can use pretty much anything you have that is dried. Chipped leaves are great for covering the tubers. I use hay that is well-cured and lying next to my potato bed, so I don't have to carry it too far.
Site and soil. Potatoes need full sun, good drainage, and can tolerate acid soil. Preparing a lasagna bed and adding bone meal or rock sulfate produces a good harvest and large tubers. Avoid planting potatoes where you have grown them or their relatives (including eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes) for the past three years.
Planting and harvest. Be ready to plant in early to mid-spring and have enough material to cover the bed with ten inches of mulch. Be prepared to add several inches of cover to the bed as plants grow. The important thing here is to keep the tubers covered so they will not see the light of day. By the end of the growing period, the plants will be propped up with hay or other soil amendments.
Slip your hand under the mulch to harvest a few small potatoes when the beans are ready to pick. Let the rest continue growing until the foliage has yellowed. Don't try to dig! Lift the mulch and pick the clean tubers up off the newspaper.
Be on the watch for potato bugs. Try to catch them when they are small. Sweep across the foliage with a broom. They will fall into the mulch and, when small, not be able to find their way back up to the leaves....
Ideas, tips, experiences, tales tall and small, welcome! I understand you can grow potatoes in just about anything that will contain them and drain well.