Couldn’t help myself, one more potato tower
Last year I built three towers to satisfy my own curiosity about growing potatoes in a tower. The one tower was a complete disaster because of a transparent tower that caused leaf development 10â€
Its nice that potatoes can be grown in soil or spaces that prevent hilling. I'll be planting a few extra spuds in garbage bags partly filled with old potting soil and then topped with leaves. Holes in the bottom of the bag should let roots get into the soil below. Square foot gardening with one square foot of space.
thats a good picture of green potatoes, which develop poisonous solanine when light hits them.
thats a good picture of green potatoes, which develop poisonous solanine when light hits them.
Take some photos and keep us posted.TZ -OH6 wrote:Its nice that potatoes can be grown in soil or spaces that prevent hilling. I'll be planting a few extra spuds in garbage bags partly filled with old potting soil and then topped with leaves. Holes in the bottom of the bag should let roots get into the soil below. Square foot gardening with one square foot of space.
thats a good picture of green potatoes, which develop poisonous solanine when light hits them.
You won't be able to tell from my tower. It has a footprint of 2 1/4 sq ft and 17" tall with only one seed potato. I am more interested in where the lateral stems originate that have tubers at there end. Johngarden5 wrote:I'm curious to see if you really can get 50lbs. worth out of 1 tower of if that is just all hype.
Do a google search for axillary minitubers and you should turn up some info. Minitubers are important for potato breeding because they can get many off of a single tightly potted seedling, and each grows into a plant. Once the plants are grown from seed tubers they tend to produce less weird things like aerial tubers.
I built a potato tower a few weekends ago. We planted a sprouted potato we had from the store but it's not doing anything. Can I just go buy some organic potato's and plant them? I don't really have an easy source for seed potato's. I'm thinking the organic potatos will not be treated so they should work.
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gixxerific
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 5889
- Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2009 5:42 pm
- Location: Wentzville, MO (Just West oF St. Louis) Zone 5B
How long to potatoes take to break through?
Last week, I planted some seed potatoes that had begun to sprout. They're still not through the dirt (I planted them 2-3 inches deep.)
It's been a bit rainy, so I'm worried about them rotting (though these are raised beds with good drainage).
P.S. I love your technique of using the space between the beds for a tater tower. Excellent use of space!
Last week, I planted some seed potatoes that had begun to sprout. They're still not through the dirt (I planted them 2-3 inches deep.)
It's been a bit rainy, so I'm worried about them rotting (though these are raised beds with good drainage).
P.S. I love your technique of using the space between the beds for a tater tower. Excellent use of space!
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gixxerific
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 5889
- Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2009 5:42 pm
- Location: Wentzville, MO (Just West oF St. Louis) Zone 5B
they will take 1-3 weeks. If you are worried carefully dig down to see if they are still there or if they have rotted. If they are still good just cover them back up and wait a bit more. I had some come up right away and others that took a long time.TFA303 wrote:How long to potatoes take to break through?
Last week, I planted some seed potatoes that had begun to sprout. They're still not through the dirt (I planted them 2-3 inches deep.)
It's been a bit rainy, so I'm worried about them rotting (though these are raised beds with good drainage).
P.S. I love your technique of using the space between the beds for a tater tower. Excellent use of space!
