Oops, I didn't explain that well. When the plants get as big as they are going to get in the growbag, would they start producing more potatoes along the part of the stem that is buried and already producing.
potatoes under straw PART II
Interesting question, msrobin! I am wondering the same thing!
msrobin - they will produce potatoes along whatever part of the stem is buried, starting from the level of the original seed potato on up. The more you can hill them theoretically the more potatoes you can possibly get. Does that make sense? I know what I'm trying to say but not sure it's coming out right - lol.
Yes. Because from my air potato example, while the main stem grows vertically, horizontal shoots are being sent out underground. Spuds develop along these horizontal shoots, which further branch off into even more horizontal branches. There's a lot going on down there!
Like this.
Thanks, those answers helped. Basically I was trying to find out if there could be as many potatoes growing in a short wide container as a tall narrower container.
Linda, how tall are your grow bags when they are fully unrolled? Are you using just a potting mix or soil in your grow bags, or straw?
Hmmmm ... my grow-bags may not be wide enough if they grow laterally. Do they transplant easily?
Becky - I think they will move/grow downward inside the bags. You should be alright.
Becky, I know when I've dug them out the garden, they were pretty close to the main stem, so I agree, you should be good. I'm wondering of how many more potatoes I'd probably had, if I had hilled up more soil as they were growing.
Ok, please forgive if this is repeating, but I'm not sure I understand how to get started with the potatoes.
what do you start them in? soil or the straw?
if soil is it just enough to get them started and then instead of adding more soil you are adding straw?
thanks for bearing with me, I've never grown them and so want to this year.
Janet
No problem, meadowyck. These two threads have gotten really long. Here's the original post with instructions:
Quote from HoosierGreen :
What I do to plant potatoes "in straw" is this:
First I hoe a very shallow trench, about 3" deep, so that after I set down the seed potatoes I can cover them with a layer of soil. (I pick out the smallest seed potatoes I can get from the garden center...they let anyone pick through the big burlap bags of seed potatoes for sale by the pound. This way, I don't have to cut large ones into pieces. Additionally, I usually let the seed potatoes sprout in the sun for a week before setting them out to get some nice growth on them first.)
After the shoots come through the soil, I mound over them with just a couple of inches of soil, which makes the row just a little above the ground level. If I have the straw ready, I go ahead and bury the rows with about 6" of loose straw, mulching between the rows with more straw (or you can leave the paths bare and till them to keep them weeded). It's OK to let them grow a while without straw, but the quicker I use the straw, the fewer weeds get started.
When the shoots come through this new layer of straw, I put a final layer of straw on top, about 6"-8" deep, more or less tucking the plants in for the growing season. Since the new potatoes form very close or even on top of the actual soil, it's important to keep them shaded from the sun (avoiding greening of the skins). This thicker layer of straw eliminates most weeding and watering (We had a very dry late summer, and I didn't have to water the strawed potatoes at all, but did have to water the "traditional" row weekly.) as well as making the row inhospitable to potato beetles (for some reason, they like to have easy access to the ground and the straw is almost a 100% effective beetle barrier).
When the potato plants are in full bloom, that's the signal to reach under the straw and harvest small new potatoes without disturbing the whole plant.
When the blooms die, that usually signals that the potatoes are about fully formed and I dig potatoes as needed the rest of the summer and fall. The ones I leave "in the ground", I can harvest as needed all winter unless we get lots of snow. Then they usually last safely until early spring. Any left or missed will sprout in late spring. I sometimes carefully dig up these "bonus" sprouting potatoes and use them to plant a new row!
If you've never tried planting with straw, it works great. A bonus is having the rotted straw to turn under and enrich your garden in the spring.
Oh my I'll be in business now..........LOL
thanks so much for posting that.
Now to figure out when is the best time to get started with them for my area....
Janet
Janet, back up this thread on March 4th, the amount of soil was given for growbags. 6-8" below the seed potatoes, 4-6" above. Once they grow up a few inches, start adding straw to the bag. Just be sure not to unroll the bag except as needed to contain the next layer, so they get plenty of sunshine. I'm planting my bags as soon as I get enough energy to go back out there.
2-4 weeks before your last frost date. Or check with your county cooperative extension agency, a nursery that sells vegetable plants/seeds, or a university in your area with an ag program. They should be able to give you a vegetable planting calendar that tells you when to plant what in your area.
thanks so much folks.
I'm so excited I almost picked up some seed potatoes when I went to Tractor supply when I got off work today.... but I had so many other things I was getting and I knew this was too early... I got some great buys, a dump wheelbarrow, it has 4 tires and the body you can dump instead of having to shovel out your dirt.... and a pump sprayer so I can mix up some ammonia and water to kill slugs and at lunch time I picked up a small drill that fits my hand and not DH hand so I can finish up on my milk jugs for winter sowing.....
I'm a happy camper and set for the weekend.... hurrrayyyyyy sunshine again tomorrow.
Janet
Yeah, growing potatoes for the 1st time is fun but it definately seems to be a different animal (err, plant) altogether and thus perhaps a bit intimidating.
Here's my potato plot, which is 10'x2'x8" and made from wood that I cannibalized from an old fence (thus the ugly, warped appearance.) Waste not want not, right?
Anyway, here's a pic of my original plan. I realized that I did not have enough soil so I removed the seedlings and added more compost so that I had about a 6"-7" layer. Then, I added the seedlings and hilled more compost on top of them. I plan to add chicken wire around this plot, and then just add straw or leaves or whatever. I scored some leaves from a neighbor just a few days ago, too.
This bed runs east-west.
This message was edited Mar 19, 2010 7:02 PM
Hmmm...
"6-8" below the seed potatoes, 4-6" above."
I think I blew that! I may have 4" of soil at the bottom of the grow-bags and 3-4" above the potato seeds right now. But they are growing rather nicely. I will be adding more potting soil this weekend as the stems are getting taller. Rolling down the bags made a big difference. So that is really important too, as msrobin mentioned. They need direct sunlight to grow. I did notice a LOT of lateral white roots everywhere! They grow fast once they get started. I did let mine sprout in the box for several weeks before I planted them. As others mentioned, it helps to get them sprouting before actually planting them. Mine are sure doing well right now. :-)
John - Your raised bed looks great! Smart to have it going east to west. :-) Good luck with your potatoes! I bet you have great success with them!
This message was edited Mar 19, 2010 10:52 PM
John, love it! Great job.
Becky, if they're growing, they must be happy, so don't worry. Mine will probably have only 4" below the seed potatoes too.
What's growing East-West all about? I'm growing in a circle!
LOL! I think your crops get more sun this way. I had to go with a bed design because of time issues (I already had the seed potatoes and the plant-out date was quickly expiring); thus, I oriented my bed east-west for max sun.
I would have preferred a grow bag/ smart pot/ trash can or something similar but did not have anything on hand at the time.
Well, the temps have dropped drastically and we've had over an inch of rain since sometime while I was sleeping. I piled a couple of inches of leaves on the tops of each container, then we put a moving blanket (black padded thing) on top of the containers. Topped each with a sheet of plastic and something to hold it secure. I hope they survive this cold snap!
Steph,
I haven't covered my SmartPots yet for the night. still trying to figure out what to use that won't collapse the bags...
It rained at 10am this morning and has stopped, but the temps are probably gonna drop steadily thru the night. I've had a horrible vascular headache since midday yesterday, probably my BP off the chain. Moving slowly, especially the up-down movement, so don't know when will cover the taters. So disoriented I went out last night after 10 to cover the mater seedlings and last of the WS jugs thinking the freeze would be last night...had already moved all the cabbages and onions under the hoop house with sheets followed by plastic. Covered all the beautiful collards (my best crop yet!), too.
Popping in and out. Today is my "walking wounded" day...
linda
P.S. John, thanks for reminding of the wire which should work perfectly around the washing machine tubs. Any ideas for what I could put around the SmartPots? Maybe use some tall stakes with the wire? That could work...
Sorry you're not feeling well Linda. Bad timing, since there's plenty of work to be done with the cold front and all!
We're looking at 37-38 deg temps for tonight and tomorrow night...do you think we need to cover up the potato seedlings?
John,
I'm thinking the tater sprouts need at least a sheet thrown over them. That's what I'm gonna do. I hilled up yet again yesterday, so a good part of the stem is under the dirt (about 8"), but I have some full growth exposed on top. Hopefully this is enough protection for overnight. I believe it's the blowing cold wind that's the real danger.
I started a new thread for us since this one is getting long.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1083163/
Um, I'm growing the "Spuds that Ate Texas!"
These are my Kennebecs and Red Fingerlings (I think!)
These are my Yukon Golds and Purple Vikings over the top of the 20-gallon SmartPots.
QUESTION: I have at least a huge garbage bag of beautiful, rich, year-old leaf mold in the corner of the patio (I harvest it once a year). I also have several garbage bags of leaves out back that have been breaking down since last year, too.
I'd like to use this leaf mold compost to fill all my potato containers to the tops. Then, I plan to build cages around them and start filling in with more dried leaves as the vines continue to grow upwards.
Does this sound like a solid plan? Don't wanna hurt the potato spuds in any way with the wrong amendments. COMMENTS ARE SOLICITED.
Thanks!
Linda
I have no idea, but your taters are looking great, Linda! Way to go with them!
Let's move to the new thread over here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1083163/
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