Advise needed on planting potatoes in plastic 55 gallon drums

[nightshade]

my hubby's grandfather who just passed away in September use to make me so mad, his entire garden for the past few years has been in five gal buckets on the back porch. He had beautiful plants and tons of veggies.

He planted his potatoes in the buckets in just straw no dirt, the grew huge and he barely had to wash them when he picked them.

 

[the-metal-peddler]

Here is a picture of my growing bakets for my potatoes. I make these myself for just ths purpose.

They are 32" wide and 36" tall. These are new ones, as my old ones were 8 years old and worn out.

I put down 8" of compost, soil, grass clippimgs and mix them together. I put in my seed potatoes and cover them with 3" of same mix. As they grow about 7 inches, I fill in 3" more inches. By the end of summer, the basket is filled to the top, so I let the plants die and remove the basket.

Once the basket is removed, I push the pile onto a tarp and sort out the potatoes. You can expect to get 80-120 pounds of taters per basket. Once all the taters are removed, I take the soil to my garden and spread it out.

Also, just a note, I lay the seed potatoes in the bottom about 10" apart.

Having these baskets, which cost me $10 each, saves my back and space in my garden.

If you just have some chicken wire, cut a ten foot length, locate your growing area, and use tomatoe stakes to keep it in place. Without stakes or metal frame, once it gets half full it will bulge and fall over.

 

[Emsevers]

I was just curious if anyone has grown potatoes in bales of straw. I read something about it somewhere and I was wondering if it would actually work.

 

[kellygirrl]

has anyone tried to grow potatoes in old tires???

I've heard of it but don't really like the idea of what might leach out of tires.

Check out northerngreenhouse.com, under "projects and ideas". Bob is a huge tire advocate, and feels the tires are chemically stable. Who knows? He gives instructions for a potato tower, raised beds and other interesting things with tires.

 

[nightshade]

has anyone tried to grow potatoes in old tires???

I've heard of it but don't really like the idea of what might leach out of tires.

Check out northerngreenhouse.com, under "projects and ideas". Bob is a huge tire advocate, and feels the tires are chemically stable. Who knows? He gives instructions for a potato tower, raised beds and other interesting things with tires.

I heard that they make it super easy to harvest the tatters cause you just pull the top tires off and set the aside and the dirt and tatters simply fall out. I have never tried it. Don't know why cause heaven knows there is enough used tires laying around.

 

[nightshade]

the-metal-peddler-

this is such a cool idea I will have to give it a try this year since it is not like most of the new garden will probably be ready for planting anyway. Thanks for posting the great tip!

 

[ninjapoodles]

I didn't find this thread before I posted on the same topic, so excuse me while I butt in and ask a question...

I have some raised beds that are 6" taller than ground level--I do this because our place is on a rocky hillside, and the topsoil is a bit shallow. Can I start the seed potatoes in that bed, and then add height to it as the plants grow?

And if so, how should I prepare the beds, and how deep should I plant the seed potatoes?

 

[jackiedon]

I am going to try the tire method and try to get DH build me some of the cages the metal peddlar builds.

Ninja, we grew potatoes all my life but I lived in Eastern Arkansas and used a donkey and a hand plow. This tire and cage idea sounds wonderful because we would have to get on our hands and knees and dig for the potatoes. The worst part is digging and sticking your finger in a rotten potato besides that I was the youngest of 4 and my older brother would grab me and rub my nose in rotten potatoes.

jackie

 

[robbobbin]

gawd I love this forum!!

 

[Catalina]

I didn't find this thread before I posted on the same topic, so excuse me while I butt in and ask a question...

I have some raised beds that are 6" taller than ground level--I do this because our place is on a rocky hillside, and the topsoil is a bit shallow. Can I start the seed potatoes in that bed, and then add height to it as the plants grow?

And if so, how should I prepare the beds, and how deep should I plant the seed potatoes?

In my Great Potato Experiment planting in beds was the best idea.

Turn your soil normally, add bone meal (potatoes like phosphorus) and plant your potatoes at 4" planting depth.