[LunaticFringeInc]

Want to do a little experiment this season and grow some potatoes in a large container, sorta like the trash can growing technique, just to see what kind of production I can get out of the deal.

I have my potatoes and they have some good strong "eye's" on them. My question is how do I plant them? Do I just cut the eyes off and plant them or do I need to give them a couple of days to "skin over" so they dont rot? Inquiring minds wanna know!

 

[Catfish Prepper]

I helped my mom grow potatoes when i was younger. When the eyes sprouted, she cut them into 2" sections. Then she would plant them sprouts up. Now i have never grew potatoes but she grew them for as long as i remember,and never in a trash can either. lol

 

[LunaticFringeInc]

So did your mom cut the eyes and plant immediately or did she let them sit and skin over for a day or two?

Yeah growing them in a trash can or other simular container is a new technique thats space concious and allows supposedly for a high yeild harvest for those with limited space. If your not familar with the technique it invoves taking a large container and adding some dirt to it and planting your potatoes. As they grow you continue to add more dirt as if your were in a conventional garden hilling them up. When the contianer has been filled all the way up, you then lay out a tarp and dump the contianer on the tarp and seperate the potatoes from the dirt and you can refill the contianer or compos pile and use the dirt later for another batch.

I have been intrigued by this and have seen mixed reviews on it and wanted to try it out myself in a couple of large 20 gallon planter pots to see if the theroy held any water so to speak.

 

[Rigged for Quiet]

I'll be locked on and tracking this thread.

 

[rickkyw1720pf]

I was in the same shape awhile back and didn't know any thing about growing potatoes, but after reading that they are the ultimate survival food I thought I would give it a try. Potatoes ? The Ultimate Survival Prepper?s Food | Survival 5×5 ? Five Dimensions of Survival Preparations

I just cut the eye off of some planting potatoes. I think I did everything wrong but they not only came up but I had more potatoes then I knew what to do with, I even thought each eye would grow just one potato but each one grew about a half bag full. The biggest problem I had was that after awhile the plant above ground broke off and I couldn't find where all of them were planted. Just do a little experimentation like you are doing and you may not have the biggest or the most potatoes possible but you will probably have more then you need almost like the first time you grow tomatoes and found that a dozen plants is a lot more then you need unless you have a way of storing them.

 

[MrsInor]

I wonder if potatoes would grow with the straw bale method?

 

[Montana Rancher]

A good friend of mine grows "grass potatoes" where he puts the seed under a pile of lawn clippings and when he cuts his grass every week he puts the clippings on top of the pile. I have them everytime I visit and they are great. He raves about them since at the end of the year all he does is rake the old clippings away and harvests the potatoes, no digging required.

 

[Dr. Prepper]

LF, I have been gardening for 35 years and I have been very successful at growing potatoes. I have experimented with doing it both ways and I find that "seasoning" the seed potatoes by cutting them into 2 or 3 pieces with good eyes and allowing them to air dry for a whole week to skin over for a week helps the new potato "seeds" to withstand a over abundance of rain better than seeds that have not been "seasoned". Potatoes are very sensitive to too much water and will quickly rot in the ground if too wet. I guess the ugly dried skin helps keep the inside of the seeds dry. I have also found that "seasoned" potato seeds sprout slightly faster than if they are fresh when planted.

 

[LunaticFringeInc]

Thanks Big Dawg for the tip! Ill take that for action then.

 

[SARGE7402]

I planted my seed potatoes and inserted a pair of grow fertilizer sticks (miracle grow ought to work good) and I've got some ofthe best and largest potatoe plants growing I've seen since I left the farm. You should be able to get 50 for right at $3 and that should give youa good 25 hills.

 

[Moonshinedave]

I helped my family grow potatoes all the years I was growing up ( I grow a modest garden now, but don't do potatoes). As I remember from seed potatoes, we cut them into about quarters making sure there were at least one eye in each piece, drop them in the ground (don't remember making sure the eyes were up, though I've heard people claim this). Put fertilizer (5-10-10) on each side, but not touching the potatoes. We never let them skin over, but don't sound like a bad idea. Best of luck in your venture.

 

[Prepadoodle]

A lot of people these days are growing spuds in old car tires. As the plant grows, they keep adding tires and dirt to the stack. This would look a little rough, but sounds like a very easy way to grow and to harvest your potatoes.

 

[tango]

+1 on the tires. I grew potatoes in tires. The tires gather/hold heat and you can add tires as needed. Grow more in less space

 

[MrsInor]

The Rural Revolution site shows Patrice Lewis planting potatoes in truck tires. In fact most of her garden is made up of truck tires. A viewer wrote this to her: Mary, Mary quite contrary, how does your garden grow? With Silver bells and Cockle shells and steel belted radials all in a row.

 

[LunaticFringeInc]

Well I am headed back to Texas from my trip to San Diego this morning so I should be home by Thursday night. After unpacking I will have to dice up my potatoes and let them skin over and see about getting some in the ground and Ill have to see what happens. I guess it will make for a good experience and if all goes well I will have to do a few more next season. Thanks for all the help Ladies and Gents!