Gardening questions re: potatoes...

**MamaTreadler** · 02-09-2009, 01:50 PM

I've been gardening for several years now but am still very much a novice and shooting in the dark most years. Most things are trial and error, I do alot of reading but am one of those hands-on type of learners, kwim?

So I have a question about growing potatoes that I'm hoping some of y'all can help me with. From what I've read they should be planted on a hill. But all planting here has to be container planting as we have an abundance of chirt and hardley any dirt. I have two planters my husband built me that are roughly 6 ft. long by about a foot and a half deep. I have successfully grown all manner of peppers, tomatoes, and lettuce in them thus far.

I would like to take one of the and dedicate it soley to potatoes this year. Heck, maybe even both of them and my tomatoes and peppers can be put in smaller containers. Do you think they would grow ok in these type of containers? Also, what nutrients should I add to the soil? I have some compost, but not alot.

Thanks!

**alarosalpn** · 02-09-2009, 02:29 PM

Great thread! I can't help with your question but I too would like to know.
Also, how do you start them? I have plenty of hilly areas with great soil I can plant them in. Do you just use a part of the potatoe that is starting to grow?

**Simplegirl** · 02-09-2009, 02:56 PM

You can either buy seed potatoes or use the ones you have in your potato bin that have sprouted. Cut them apart and let them dry out a little bit (about an hour ahead of time is good). Be sure there is at least one eye on each piece.

I think your beds will work fine. As long as there is room for them to grow and if your other plants worked there, I would think potatoes would too.

They definately need to be planted in hills. And as they begin to grow, we continually pull more dirt up around them. You don't want the potatoes to peek out, they will go bad (turn green- and you cannot eat that part). We plant ours about 4 feet apart, with at least 3 good potato eyes in each hill.

Oh, not sure what to add to the soil. I would have to do some research into that.

They will not be ready to dig until the plants die back. Good luck! They are really not hard to grow at all.

**Grainlady** · 02-09-2009, 04:44 PM

Have you heard you can grow potatoes in black plastic lawn bags?

http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/gr_fru...463475,00.html

I don't have enough garden space to plant potatoes, but I've found I can squeeze in bags here and there around the yard.

I'd suggest calling your County Extension Office for more information for your particular area. They always have hand-outs, up-to-date information, and are great help.

The County Agent will be able to suggest methods that work best in your area, as well as varieties that grow or store well. For instance, it's not uncommon to get horribly hot early around here, so I choose a variety of potatoes that matures early - Yukon Gold.

Another thing to think about, do you have a storage area that will accomodate the number of potatoes you plan to grow? Most people realistically can keep potatoes 1-3 months - not much longer than that because they really don't have the proper storage with the right temperature AND high humidity.

Consider a spring and a fall crop, if you can in your zone.

If you can't store your crop, think of other ways you can process it. I make up Freezer Mashed Potatoes and vacuum-seal them in FoodSaver bags. I also dehydrate seemingly "tons".

**old_lady_in_the_shoe** · 02-09-2009, 05:11 PM

I have been growing potatoes for only a few years but I like to grow a lot of them!!! I generally start by loosening up the soil (hubby does this with tiller, but you can do this fine in your raised beds by hand)...I then place my potatoes right onto the ground, in the loose dirt in rows. I then cover with straw and leave them, when I start seeing the growth, I then cover them again with straw, I do this at least 3 times, but sometimes 4, till it is hilled up very nicely over time. Then I let them grow and grow and in summer after the greens have died back, I remove the straw row by row and pull the potatoes. I usually get quite a few potatoes this way and have quite a bit of luck with it... this past year I got about 300 lbs of them from a 20x30 area. We had a really wet year and a lot of people had very little luck with their potatoes, so I was really thrilled with ours.

I store most all my potatoes in a "second" refrigerator and in my basement...breaking the eyes off if they start to grow. I have 2 refrigerators, so it works for me, but I don't think i would be able to grow this many and store them otherwise for more than a couple of months. The ones in the basement get used first and are the ones that grow eyes, the ones in the frig do not. I do not cook and freeze them, because I have the frigs, but I would if I had to so that I could have fresh ones longer. I agree with the above poster about the storing and the spring and fall crops insted of one larger summer crop.

I love fresh potatoes and they are SO,SO much better than anything from the store! Good luck.

**nanqt** · 02-09-2009, 08:46 PM

I saw a wire cage method of growing potatoes on the kountrylife.com website. You make a cage out of chicken wire and fill with straw & dirt to plant the potatoes. I think I may try it as I have limited space.

**Missy** · 02-09-2009, 09:05 PM

I have seen them growing in trash cans. Start with soil about a foot high, add seed taters, cover with more soil, about 4 inches, add a little straw, add more straw when you see growth, continue as the season progresses. So I don't see why they wouldn't do well in your planters.

**nvmommyx6** · 02-09-2009, 09:12 PM

I cut the taters so there is an eye on each one, burry them, when they start to show green I put pots arount them that have no bottoms, then cover with enough dirt so ya can't see the greens...then each time ya see it sprouting greens you cover it with more dirt!!
By the time my pots are filled with dirt, then the greens show, once they start to flower I dig up my tater!! It is very easy to do in pots like that and I plant them all the way around the outside of my garden, rodents cannot eat them!!

**Trishagirl** · 02-09-2009, 09:26 PM

Potatoes are easy to grow just have to watch out for the potatoe bugs!

**fixer** · 02-09-2009, 09:47 PM

Originally Posted by Trishagirl

Potatoes are easy to grow just have to watch out for the potatoe bugs!

I second this sentiment. The Colorado Potato Beetle is a worthy adversary. They will strip your plants of foliage. The good news is if you don't have many plants, they are not hard to pick off. You can also smush the eggs and disrupt their life cycle. If you choose the pesticide route, Sevin will kill the bugs on the plants but offers no residual protection. So, you have to spray many times. Pounce or the generic equivilent Permethrin, will do a much better job. These are restricted use pesticides and require a private applicator card to purchase them. Your local Cooperative Extension Office gives training classes so you can be certified and get a card.

**pop goes the weasel** · 02-16-2009, 06:59 AM

I have tried the container method with little luck. My potatoes got about the size of peas. I also found out that some store bought potatoes are spraayed so that they won't produce. You get really nice stalks but no potatoes. I found this out from a friend that does produce. I saw a thing aboaut growing them in a stack of old tires too. Put one down and plant the potatoes. As they sprout add another tire and cover with dirt. If you have alot of old tires you could make a potatoe castle. lol.

**brenda67** · 02-16-2009, 12:33 PM

Originally Posted by pop goes the weasel

I have tried the container method with little luck. My potatoes got about the size of peas. I also found out that some store bought potatoes are spraayed so that they won't produce. You get really nice stalks but no potatoes. I found this out from a friend that does produce. I saw a thing aboaut growing them in a stack of old tires too. Put one down and plant the potatoes. As they sprout add another tire and cover with dirt. If you have alot of old tires you could make a potatoe castle. lol.

I was just going to post about not using your store bought potatoes due to them being sprayed with chemicals..

**jonesies** · 02-16-2009, 06:50 PM

Originally Posted by Missy

I have seen them growing in trash cans. Start with soil about a foot high, add seed taters, cover with more soil, about 4 inches, add a little straw, add more straw when you see growth, continue as the season progresses. So I don't see why they wouldn't do well in your planters.

Here's step-by-step instructions on trash can potatoes: HERE
I'm sure you can adapt this to whatever container you have. Good luck!

**valerian** · 02-17-2009, 11:35 AM

My Dad uses old tires to plant the potatoes in and that works great.

**Debbie-cat** · 02-17-2009, 12:08 PM

Originally Posted by pop goes the weasel

I have tried the container method with little luck. My potatoes got about the size of peas. I also found out that some store bought potatoes are spraayed so that they won't produce. You get really nice stalks but no potatoes. I found this out from a friend that does produce. I saw a thing aboaut growing them in a stack of old tires too. Put one down and plant the potatoes. As they sprout add another tire and cover with dirt. If you have alot of old tires you could make a potatoe castle. lol.

Wow, I could really have a potato castle! Our property use to be a junkyard and we still have approximatel 3000 tires left from the previous owners. I have been trying to think of things to use them for as it would cost us alot of money to have them hauled away. I might just use your idea! Thanks!