Author Topic: Best way to plant potatoes  (Read 15121 times)

Offline Brian Gallimore

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Best way to plant potatoes
« on: May 18, 2011, 10:15:40 PM »
BB on facebook asks:
Hey all, I was wanting to plant some potatoes. I was going to make a deeper raised bed for them. Any suggestions out there? What is the best way to keep the soil loose? How deep should I plant them?

My response:
Most people I know don't bother with extra depth, but I'm sure it won't hurt.  Best thing I know of to keep loose soil is to make sure you have lots of organic matter (compost) in it.  The neatest way I've seen potatoes grown is in a planter box with removable side panels.  As the plant gets bigger, more soil/compost/hay is added so that the plant keeps growing more and more potatoes.  (cover 1/2 of the plant at a time, it will create roots where the soil is at)  You can harvest potatoes throughout the season by removing a side panel, carefully feeling around the roots for a large potato, remove what you want, leave the rest.

Another neat idea is tire stack potatoes.  (stack up tires and add more soil as the plant grows taller - can get 4 tires high in a season)

A third and good looking method is what we saw in Damon's back yard.  He used leaf litter to grow his in, held in with wire fence, and fancied up with some bamboo shades that were thrown out.
briangallimore.com  -Permaculture Nut-  -Master Gardener-  -Master Naturalist-  Princeton Texas

Offline Brian Gallimore

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Re: Best way to plant potatoes
« Reply #1 on: May 18, 2011, 10:31:23 PM »
BE on facebook says:

I have never tried any of those methods, but have heard about the basic concepts from others. I know a guy who doesn't put the seed potatoes in the ground at all. He just lays them on the soil surface and covers with several inches of straw. Throughout the season he keeps piling on more straw and at harvest time he just removes the straw. No digging required. I will stick to the in-ground method because it's fun as hell for the kids.
briangallimore.com  -Permaculture Nut-  -Master Gardener-  -Master Naturalist-  Princeton Texas

Offline texasmufflerman

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Re: Best way to plant potatoes
« Reply #2 on: May 19, 2011, 08:04:46 AM »
I came up with another idea.  Since tires are nasty, but the tires seem to be the best way to hold the soil and easiest to harvest, I may try cutting a blue polyethylene food grade barrel into 8" bands, and removing the bottom and top, of course.

Offline Pam C

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Re: Best way to plant potatoes
« Reply #3 on: May 19, 2011, 10:39:25 AM »
is it too late in the year to plant potatoes?

Offline Brian Gallimore

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Re: Best way to plant potatoes
« Reply #4 on: May 19, 2011, 03:08:43 PM »
is it too late in the year to plant potatoes?

I think so.... they need to go in the ground in Feburary.  You can do sweet potatoes right now if you hurry though.

here are the calendars I use:
http://briangallimore.com/gardening/index.php/planting-dates/
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Offline Brian Gallimore

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Re: Best way to plant potatoes
« Reply #5 on: April 04, 2012, 02:22:16 PM »
Here is some more discussion lifted from the facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/58399429851/)

Sandy says:
Quote
...is called a Bioplanter. Here's a pic. I guess its so you can harvest as it's growing.



Quote
Brent: My first time growing potato. Is there a signal that they are ready to harvest? I don't want to disturb the roots by digging around early.

Sandy:  If you harvest now they will be tiny tiny tiny. If you planted them in January, I think they are not really ready till summer at the earliest. They take a long time. I pulled up several last year waiting and waiting. I think even late summer like August.

Linda:  they will bloom and then start to turn [brown]. Once the plant starts to die back they are done. But, you can harvest potatoes as it makes them.

briangallimore.com  -Permaculture Nut-  -Master Gardener-  -Master Naturalist-  Princeton Texas