Growing potatoes in wood shavings

[Bubblingbrooks]

Anyone ever done this?
I was reading over at www.permies.com and this was made mention of.
I usually do old hay, straw and leaf mulch with great success.
No need to use the tilled soilt his way.

But we do have unlimited access to free shavings from numerous mills, so I may do an experimental bed to see.

 

[silkiechicken]

I always had it in my mind that fresh shavings inhibit growth by 1) secreting toxins inhibiting growth when fresh 2) if not already composted, sucking up all the available nitrogen as it breaks down.

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

Reading more, and I guess you use decomposed on the bottom, then fresh mixed with compost, hay and other junk over that, then fresh for mounding throughout the season

 

[vfem]

I grow in buckets, layer of hay at the bottom, the come compost with potatoes, then a layer of hay or mulch (usually wood mulch) then more compost. Then I layer to the top with compost and another layer of mulch to finish it off on top. I do this over time as the potatoes grow.

End of season, I just dump the bucket and fish out the potatoes.

Works good for me and my limited space. I would never chose 1 or another material only to do this as I need several types of nutrients to build up over time. Fresh materials will be breaking down in the process and not allowing for the growth to survive.

Silkie had some really great points. I don't see anything wrong with mixing the wood shaving in with what you already have, or right into your compost to break down further, making for an awesome compost!

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

Oh dear, if I had to grow in buckets, we would be sunk when it came to time to store taters for the year.

Wonder how many buckets I would need?

 

[Collector]

was reading up on growing potatos in a barrel, it was saying to grow them in sawdust mixed with compost. I am thinking about doing it!

 

[vfem]

Oh dear, if I had to grow in buckets, we would be sunk when it came to time to store taters for the year.

Wonder how many buckets I would need?

Its not as bad as you think, I have about 12 5 gallon buckets I've been saving up for this year. I've done at most 5 buckets before now. Makes harvesting sooooooooooo easy!

 

[journey11]

My basket taters didn't work out very well last year (straw and compost). I am going to have to try something different. Maybe give this a go...

 

[greengenes]

Umm, I used peat and vermiculite.
Rule one: do not spend money on peat and vermiculite.
Straw and a bucket and a few handfuls of sand from here on out.

 

[digitS']

I am going to risk something:

http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=28543

What is wrong with using a couple of shovels of soil? I can understand wanting a different medium for containers - if'n you are driven to grow potatoes that way. I can understand poor soil - altho' my garden has more rocks per square foot than probably anyone can imagine. (Now, if I ran that "soil" thru a quarter-inch screen, well . . . I wouldn't do that for spuds .) I can understand the expected ease of harvest but my experiences with voles/mice under alfalfa hay is documented in these threads . . .

What happened to these people in their potato adventures:

http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=22561

Allow me to ask again: What is wrong with using a couple of shovels of soil?

Steve