Advise needed on planting potatoes in plastic 55 gallon drums

[the-metal-peddler]

Ok I am going to do this.. I have some chicken wire... I can pick up some tomato stakes.. and make a round thing to put stuff in.. Now I dont have a lot of compost.. I do have chicken manure.. I am getting a bail of hay to put over my strawberry mounds.. so I will have some hay.. I will have some dirt.. but not compost.. will that still work?

secondly.. how did you make those? and how can I order some?

I build a frame from steel rod, roll it, weld four legs on with 6 inches to go into the ground. I then roll the frames over the chicken wire (standard chicken wire) and use pink nylon string to fix it to the frame and to "stitch" up the seams.

Now if I sold more garden stuff on one of my websites, I would consider selling them. However I don't and the shipping would be a problem. I do use dirt, leaves, grass clippings and suggested already straw.

My baskets are placed near my pond, good light, and plenty of water. It doesn't hurt the if you wanna wrap some plastic outside of the baskets as the plants grow, if not they will still be fine, but you will need to water them more as it's exposed.

I grow kennabec, german butterball and desiree.

 

[smom1976]

I picked up a bag of these kennabec potatos.. today at walmart. It was a 5lb bag and is way too much for my two baskets.. I cut up about 6 potatos.. into chunks with eyes.. some had stuff comming out and some did not.. they are sitting outside in a bowl drying up a bit.

I dug up the earth and added some oak leaves that had fallen on the ground.. *did a little raking* then we got a shovel full of chicken coop stuff and worked that into the soil. so i have about 6-8 inches of worked into good looking soil at the bottom of the bin.. all i have to add is some fertilizer.. I will add that tomorrow.. (the day ended)

I have a pile of dirt that is beside that I am going to amend and put on top of the potato starts..

questions..

The new potatos will grow above the potato starts?

How long do I have to let the potatos that I cut up dry out?

 

[the-metal-peddler]

I picked up a bag of these kennabec potatos.. today at walmart. It was a 5lb bag and is way too much for my two baskets.. I cut up about 6 potatos.. into chunks with eyes.. some had stuff comming out and some did not.. they are sitting outside in a bowl drying up a bit.

I dug up the earth and added some oak leaves that had fallen on the ground.. *did a little raking* then we got a shovel full of chicken coop stuff and worked that into the soil. so i have about 6-8 inches of worked into good looking soil at the bottom of the bin.. all i have to add is some fertilizer.. I will add that tomorrow.. (the day ended)

I have a pile of dirt that is beside that I am going to amend and put on top of the potato starts..

http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/uploads/5628_100_2175.jpg

questions..

The new potatos will grow above the potato starts?

How long do I have to let the potatos that I cut up dry out?

Did you get potato seeds or off the shelf in the bag to eat potatoes?
I have only used seed potatos, some say bag ones will work, but I haven't tried them yet.

Yes, your new potatos will grow above the seed potato. As they grow, I say, 7 inches, cover the tubers with 3 more inches. Repeat as they grow. You might want to put at least one stake on your basket.

This will help you.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/2007-04-01/When-and-How-to-Plant-Potatoes.aspx

 

[smom1976]

In the seed section at walmart.. (same place to get strawberries, asparagus, hostas, elephant ear plants, and other root plants) they have "seed potatos" they are $6 for a 5 lb bag.

I have the potatos in my screened in porch outside. It is suprisingly cool on that porch.. and we are having cooler weather right now so this is perfect!

I will let them be for a few days to a week.. tomorrow I will dig for the second basket, add fertilizer, and rake more leaves..

This is fun. :tools

 

[Athena]

smom...

your making so much progress!!!

 

[obsessed]

DANG, you guys need to stop. I don't have any more time. But now because of all the potatoe commotion, I just bought the potatoe sampler from SSE. Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I is twenty pounds and 8 varieties. 6 regular and 2 fingerlings....

 

[obsessed]

Dang you guys are incorrigible. I needed to participate in this group discussion. So I purchased the potoatoe sampler from SSE. It is twenty pound and eight varieties. 6 regular and two fingerlings. I think I will break it up into two plantings one this spring and one in the fall. Thanks alot guys.....

 

[ajsgramma]

Will this work for Sweet Potatoes the same way? I'm ready to get started today! I like the idea of using hay instead of dirt.
(((((HUGS))))), Verna

 

[GPN]

My Momma name is Verna and we live in Alabama and I want to do sweet taters this way

 

[ajsgramma]

You don't see the name Verna very often. My Dad's name was Vernon so my Mom improvised.

I checked at a local organic nursery today & they told me you have to grow either whole sweet potatoes that have sprouted or the slips. (the stems that grow from the potato body - once they leaf out enough) They also said they shouldn't be planted until May.

My Aunt lived in Atlanta & she used to get sprouted sweet potatoes from the grocery store - cut them up - and plant them in her flower beds. Worked for her.
(((((HUGS))))), Verna