Tator Tower Experiment UPDATE

[boggybranch]

Here is a pic of the tator tower progress. Only a few tator plants are showing, right now. Yesterday I covered them all.....again. I believe you could, actually, watch them grow. I cover them one day and 24 hrs (or less) I have to cover them again. They are 12 inches deep, now, and am fixin (a southern word) to add another row of side boards. Coming along really nicely, so far. Planted tators that I bought from the store, last summer, that had been in a bowl on the kitchen counter that had sprouted, eventually, like crazy. Ya just never know.

 

[lesa]

Boggy, I am no potato expert, but I thought the idea was to bury the stem, but leave some of the greenery exposed... That is how I did it last year. Maybe one of the experts will chime in. I love the "tower" idea though. Is it drying out fast? Good luck!

 

[boggybranch]

Boggy, I am no potato expert, but I thought the idea was to bury the stem, but leave some of the greenery exposed... That is how I did it last year. Maybe one of the experts will chime in. I love the "tower" idea though. Is it drying out fast? Good luck!

lesa, down here we have ALWAYS covered the whole plant when hilling them. I have only used compost in the tower, so far, and have not had a drying out problem. I water the tower with 1 gal of water every 5 to 6 days. I COMPLETELY cover the growth every time, just covering enough to keep the top of the growth just under the compost.

 

[thistlebloom]

Boggy, will you be covering them with soil all the way up the tower, or will you use straw at some point?
This method seems better than growing in a tub or other solid container since there is so much more available light. Good thinkin!

 

[boggybranch]

Boggy, will you be covering them with soil all the way up the tower, or will you use straw at some point?
This method seems better than growing in a tub or other solid container since there is so much more available light. Good thinkin!

My plans, right now, is to use only compost (tators LOVE compost) all the way to the top (it's 4 ft tall). Wish I could take credit for this idea....but ran across it while cruising the net late last summer. JUST had to try it.......curiosity is one of my weak points.

 

[AmyRey]

Curious.... at what point will you stop covering them and let them begin the process of blooming/fruiting?

 

[boggybranch]

Curious.... at what point will you stop covering them and let them begin the process of blooming/fruiting?

Sorta depends on the weather predictions on sustained heat. Hopefully, I'll be able to cover all the way to the top and they will still have time to bloom before the gulf heat kills them back.

 

[Smiles Jr.]

. . . . curiosity is one of my weak points.

I would say it's one of your strong points. Keep up the good work.

 

[Smiles Jr.]

I notice that you have the side boards all the way to the top on the right side (in the picture). And that the shadow is also on the right side. Do the boards shade the plants in the afternoon? Is this to protect from the harsh afternoon sun?

 

[boggybranch]

I notice that you have the side boards all the way to the top on the right side (in the picture). And that the shadow is also on the right side. Do the boards shade the plants in the afternoon? Is this to protect from the harsh afternoon sun?

The side that the boards are up all the way to the top is on the NORTH side, so it doesn't shade the inside of the tower at all.
The shadow is from the top cross piece on the south side.