Neat Idea for Potatoes
- Thread starter ninnymary
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thistlebloom
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Is that our @Nifty , doing things Outdoors?
digitS'
Garden Master
Imma gonna make the following suggestion, not because I'm experienced and committed to the method but because I have some faith in Irish Eyes. The pot in the video doesn't really meet the standards Irish Eyes sets out. It's made to look like a continual dumping of expensive bags of soil directly on the plants. Note what Irish Eyes says about how to cover the stem.
Their instructions cover other techniques as well as caging.
Steve
Irish Eyes Garden Seed (5 page pdf file)
THE CAGE METHOD
Grow a few potato plants, each or in their own wooden box, crib, barrel or wire cage. The container should be about 18x18 inches at the base, about 24 - 30 inches tall, and able to be gradually filled with soft soil or mulch as the vines grow.
Set each container atop a well-prepared fertile soil. Plant one strong seed piece and cover lightly with 4 inches of soil. As the vines grow, gradually fill the container with mellow compost, mulch or soil, but always make sure you don't cover more than one-third of the vine's new growth. With some varieties, the underground stolons which produce potato tubers keep on forming new ones for some time. In containers the yield may be increased 200 - 3000 percent compared with open-field culture. This is a great way to grow a lot of potatoes in a very limited space.
We recommend doing this with Yellow Finn, Indian Pit, Red Pontiac, or the fingerling types. Watering requirements will be greater however, so check the cages or containers frequently in warm weather.
Their instructions cover other techniques as well as caging.
Steve
Irish Eyes Garden Seed (5 page pdf file)
THE CAGE METHOD
Grow a few potato plants, each or in their own wooden box, crib, barrel or wire cage. The container should be about 18x18 inches at the base, about 24 - 30 inches tall, and able to be gradually filled with soft soil or mulch as the vines grow.
Set each container atop a well-prepared fertile soil. Plant one strong seed piece and cover lightly with 4 inches of soil. As the vines grow, gradually fill the container with mellow compost, mulch or soil, but always make sure you don't cover more than one-third of the vine's new growth. With some varieties, the underground stolons which produce potato tubers keep on forming new ones for some time. In containers the yield may be increased 200 - 3000 percent compared with open-field culture. This is a great way to grow a lot of potatoes in a very limited space.
We recommend doing this with Yellow Finn, Indian Pit, Red Pontiac, or the fingerling types. Watering requirements will be greater however, so check the cages or containers frequently in warm weather.
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ninnymary
Garden Master
Beekissed
Garden Master
LOVE this idea and those plastic pots can be found cheaply. I may do this for my son's little town garden. I'd likely cut the bottom out of the bottom pot and sink it into the ground about 4 in. so it can draw moisture from the ground, then cover the final layer of soil in wood chip to retain the moisture in the container.
PennyJo
Deeply Rooted
Beekissed
Garden Master
I LOVE THIS!!!!! I love pulling up weeds too, especially in these wood chips, as they come out with a satisfying ripping sound...and yes, it's much like ripping the weed's head and spine right out. Most satisfying!
valley ranch
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I like that! Mary
