We are trying something new this year. Growing potatoes in barrels. Basically you get a barrel or large bucket, something kinda deep and with holes in the bottom for good drainage. Throw in 8 inches or so of rich dirt and/or compost, then plant your seed taters in that. Once the "green shoots" emerge you keep filling up around the potato plant stems as they grow, gradually filling up the barrel with compost. Apparently potatoes will form throughout the barrel along all the buried stems. Seems like a good way to make efficient use of space. Also allows you to bring the barrels in the greenhouse come fall to keep the new potatoes coming year round. If you are careful you can dig and eat potatoes without killing the plant. We, as they say, shall see.
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I never met a potato...
that I didn't like. I'll be interested to hear how it works.
"Someone needs to point out that elephants produce infinitely more shit than donkeys." Brad Mays
sounds like it'd work year-round indoors as well. Funny story:
in 3d grade we planted potato eyes as part of a science experiment for our class. You planted half and put them in pots on the windowsill, and left them, and the other half you took and put in a dark spot (we used the cabinet at the back of the room where the spare supplies for water-color painting class and so on lived) after they were sprouted, to show the kids the difference in chlorophyll and development.
This was in IIRC September. The experiment fascinated us over its length (I think we measured and compared twice weekly for six weeks), then the plants were sent to good homes (the ag department's lab at the high school, via the ag teacher's pickup truck). Or so we all believed.
After Thanksgiving break, rooting around in the cabinet in search of a bottle of blue tempera, one of the kids came across a 3'-long solid-white potato plant, sprawling amongst the bottles. I believe she thought it was a snake, based on the scream she raised. (I remember, 'cause I was standing next to her rinsing brushes at the sink, and nearly wet my pants.)
We can admit that we’re killers … but we’re not going to kill today. That’s all it takes! ~ Captain James T. Kirk, Stardate 3193.0
1 John 4:18
Please keep us updated.
This sounds very interesting. I've been wondering how I could store potatoes through the winter, given that I do not have a cold cellar and I live in a studio apartment. I do have garden space, so I can grow them. But what to do after?
CaseyOR: hang 'em in a cool dry place
in old pantyhose or nylon-net onion sacks, with a knot between each potato for separation, in the dark.
(Back of a pantry or closet, from ceiling hooks, so air circulates to stop rot.)
We can admit that we’re killers … but we’re not going to kill today. That’s all it takes! ~ Captain James T. Kirk, Stardate 3193.0
1 John 4:18
Thanks for the tip, Sarah
I'll give that a try.