Author Topic: How to grow 100lbs of potatoes in 4 square feet (Read 5715 times)

MikeB · « **on:** March 22, 2006, 09:52:32 »

No I haven't tried it so I can't comment on it, but I do mean to try it, I've already brought the wood.

sallylockhart · « **Reply #1 on:** March 22, 2006, 10:24:56 »

The River Cottage family cookbook recommends something similar - basically you make a big tube out of a black plastic dustbin by cutting the bottom off, then plonk it on the ground (upside down so it will balance) and fill with about a foot of compost. Plant potatoes in that, and like your method suggests, just keep topping up the compost as the potatoes grow.

Unfortunately this way you have to harvest all your potatoes at the same time, but there is less carpentry involved.

I happen to have an unwanted compost bin this year and a lot of seed potatoes so I thought I might put it to this use. Willl let you know if it works or if I just get lots of roots and no tubers!

MikeB · « **Reply #2 on:** March 22, 2006, 10:32:16 »

Would it not be possible to raise the compost bin 6" at a time and just harvest what you want and then lower the bin?

CityChick · « **Reply #3 on:** March 22, 2006, 14:37:32 »

Did it say how many potatoes to plant in the 4 square foot box? I couldn't see it mentioned...

MikeB · « **Reply #4 on:** March 22, 2006, 16:40:33 »

No it didn't, but I'm assuming 4.

bennettsleg · « **Reply #5 on:** March 23, 2006, 11:24:40 »

Quote from: MikeB on March 22, 2006, 16:40:33

No it didn't, but I'm assuming 4.

or use car tyres. car-fixing places have to pay to have them removed these days, so you should be able to get them for free. Just plan a big party for when you want to harvest...!

sallylockhart · « **Reply #6 on:** March 23, 2006, 13:07:19 »

I think I first saw the potatoes in tyres idea on blue peter - it is now well-beloved of urban schools in the government's drive to encourage children to learn what vegetables are ::)

If you put a piece of outdoor plywood in the bottom tyre (with plenty of holes drilled in it for drainage) then you can put the whole assemblage on the patio and you don't even need a patch of ground - marvellous!

Think I will be off to kwik-fit this weekend as I have a large (generally useless) patio that is just dying to be filled with potatoes (OH has an idea about a brick bbq but I'll work on that ;D)

ps - the RHS schools guide recommends 5 potatoes per tyre, and work up from 2 - 5 tyres high.

MikeB · « **Reply #7 on:** March 23, 2006, 15:32:33 »

I've gone for the double barrel version 4' X 2'

Paulines7 · « **Reply #8 on:** March 24, 2006, 11:20:23 »

Bob Flowerdew grew potatoes in tyres and filled the insides of the tyres with shredded paper or straw. This was on a repeat of Gardeners World which is being shown on the Garden Channel daily.

I have a question. Could potatoes be grown in a dustbin without cutting the bottom off? I suppose there would not be any drainage but if they were inside the greenhouse, watering could be controlled. Has anyone ever tried this? :-\

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #9 on:** March 24, 2006, 19:35:50 »

A few holes in the bottom would sort the drainage. Don't see why it shouldn't work, except that there wouldn't be much light until it built up near the top.

Paulines7 · « **Reply #10 on:** March 26, 2006, 13:17:23 »

Robert, I don't really want to make holes in the dustbin. Would it still work if it is undercover ie the greenhouse and I made sure it didn't get waterlogged?

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #11 on:** March 26, 2006, 14:22:48 »

You'd have to be really careful about the moisture level, and I'm not sure how well it would work when they've got so far to go before they reach the light. But try it and see.

littlegem · « **Reply #12 on:** March 27, 2006, 21:51:26 »

i grew a melon in a plastic barrel, slightly smaller than a dustbin, it never had drainage holes. it was in the vinehouse and i watered it with an upside down bottle and it grew ok, and melons dont like to be waterlogged! i think so long as you watch how much you're watering you should be ok

Paulines7 · « **Reply #13 on:** March 28, 2006, 18:48:36 »

In the end I raked around and came up with some buckets and old tall waste bins. I haven't put holes in the bottoms though as we may use the buckets for something else next year and don't want them leaking. I put compost in the bottom, then earth from the molehills, then a potato in each receptacle finally covering it with some more earth. I was very careful how much water I put in so that they were damp but not waterlogged.

I probably won't use the dustbin now as I have found some more containers. As you say Robert, there may not be enough light. I thought also that the dustbin would probably be too heavy to move when I have to take it out of the greenhouse.

DenBee · « **Reply #14 on:** March 29, 2006, 14:20:25 »

Encouraged by this thread I now have on my terrace 2 x small bins and 1 x inside out compost bag planted up with some Charlotte potatoes that happened to be sprouting in my veggie basket.

I have read here that you have to be careful with using potatoes that aren't proper seed stock, but I figured that in containers of their own, there wasn't going to be much to lose if they did turn out not to be disease-resistant.

MikeB · « **Reply #15 on:** March 29, 2006, 14:34:40 »

Quote from: DenBee on March 29, 2006, 14:20:25

I have read here that you have to be careful with using potatoes that aren't proper seed stock, but I figured that in containers of their own, there wasn't going to be much to lose if they did turn out not to be disease-resistant.

One of the main reasons for using seed potato is the guarantee that it is disease free, therefore unlikely to infect your veg plot and harm other plants. If you are growing in containers this isn't a problem, but you shouldn't throw the soil that was used on your veg plot. That's the given advice, if your potatoes turn out OK then the soil is probably OK

DenBee · « **Reply #16 on:** March 29, 2006, 15:06:00 »

Thanks for that Mike. I got it about-face, and thought it meant the potatoes might throw out nasty diseased tubers. I didn't get the bit about infecting other veggies.

The ones I have for the allotment are seed potatoes from our local gardener's association. The compost (mainly grow-bag) I'm using in the tatie bins on the terrace I'll now disperse properly according to your advice.

Spookyville · « **Reply #17 on:** April 30, 2006, 00:10:02 »

Quote from: Paulines7 on March 24, 2006, 11:20:23

I have a question. Could potatoes be grown in a dustbin without cutting the bottom off? I suppose there would not be any drainage but if they were inside the greenhouse, watering could be controlled. Has anyone ever tried this? :-\

we are doing it this year (with drainage holes drilledinto them though) will let you know how they get on...

MikeB · « **Reply #18 on:** April 30, 2006, 09:00:57 »

Don't forget everybody that when you harvest the potatoes we want to know the yield, so weigh them.

tim · « **Reply #19 on:** April 30, 2006, 09:26:23 »

"So long as you're careful with the water"

Oh, yes - I'm VERY careful, not wanting to spoil a new trug. Or so I thought. But it's just NOT worth it!!

I showed the first photo a few days ago. Proud owner!!
The 2nd was yesterday.
Be warned!!

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Author Topic: How to grow 100lbs of potatoes in 4 square feet (Read 5715 times)