# Potatoes?



## MountainGirl

Hi

I've researched methods for growing potatoes, long term storage, all of that. What I cant seem to find is anyone who has actually done it on a small scale - and if (for them) it was worth the growing space. 

I have plenty of time so labor isn't a problem, either is water or good soil (which I'll have to buy) - and I'll be growing them in some kind of containerized system... I guess what I'm asking is: is the yield per plant worth the cost & limited sunny area available, and has anyone here tried growing potatoes in a greenhouse? 

All input very much appreciated; thanks.


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## 7515

I was going to try growing potatoes next spring in containers of hay. 
I’ve never grown potatoes in the garden before but there’s lot of reading on the subject. 
I’m going to try red potatoes in particular.


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## Robie

Have never grown potatoes but just from some quick searches, potatoes seem to do very well growing in containers or bags....and greenhouses.


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## 7515

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/potato/tips-for-growing-potatoes-in-straw.htm

Here you go Mnt Grl.


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## Smitty901

Potatoes are part of our life here. Outstanding food source that produce a great yield . Storage of Potatoes from season to season and longer depends on cool dark area a root type cellar is best. It doe snot have to be huge in size. there are many way s to grow a lot of Potatoes in a small are requiring only a small amount of labor.

Short example: " If you don't have enough space for a "real" garden, you can grow fresh spuds in bushel baskets or half-barrels. Just line the bottom of the container with a few inches of stones for drainage, pour in four or five inches of good soil, and lay a few seed potato pieces six to eight inches apart on top. Cover them with three or four more inches of soil and put the "later patch" in a sunny spot. Add more soil around the stems as the plants grow."

Personally I would avoid the saw dust and hay method .


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## paraquack

No experience in green house, sorry. I grew potatoes some years ago. Actually had a pretty good go at it. Up in Wis. I had a lot of problem with "potato bugs" damaging the leaves and had to spend a bit of time picking them every morning. Now living in southern AZ, I've been experimenting with growing vegies in plastic tubs I have. Hasn't been anywhere near my successes in Wis and IL. But I'm slowly learning. We just got in a bag of red potatoes (our favorite) for planting in the next week or so. The eyes aren't as developed as I'd thought they'd be. But they are "organic" so???? As far as storage, we didn't plant enough to really worry about long term storage. BUT my mother would grow about 2-300 pounds worth and kept them in a concrete "root cellar" with minimal ventilation to the cellar. My dad had built shelves with slat type shelves so the potatoes were only about 6-8 inch thick in the shelves. This was in Wis and the potatoes would keep well into January - February for her and dad. As she got down to the bottom of the batch, there would be a lot that had eyes really growing out. They also shrank but as far as cooking it mad no difference unless she was trying to bake them. Oh, don't do like my sister and try to plant potatoes from the grocery store. Unless they are "certified organic", they've been sprayed with a chemical to stop the eyes from sprouting. Below is the company I use. They have videos available to help you.
Seed Potatoes - Sustainable Seed Co.


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## Redneck

I've grown Irish potatoes & sweet potatoes. Yes, they are worth the growing space, but they sure hurt my back digging them up. These Yukon Golds were in one of my small beds:




























Here are the sweet potatoes:


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## Mad Trapper

Yes worth growing.

Major pests here are Colorado potato beetle and cutworms.

To store put them out in the sun a few days to dry don't wash, then put in brown paper bags (breathes and keeps dark), then into root cellar. What you don't eat replant in the spring.

I had some that were still edible in sept from 2016


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## maine_rm

We go potatoes every year in the garden usually get pretty good results we plant Pontiac reds but I don't remember the variety of white maybe superior? I'm not sure. Absolutely they're worth the gross base they are endless food supply is stored properly as mentioned above just plant your seed potatoes from leftovers from year Before. We use small paper cups with the bottom cut off around the sprouts so the cutworms can't get them. Works pretty well. The only cure that I found for potato Beatles is a poison called Sevendust. Or what we have done the past couple of years is go out and pick him. That's right go through your whole potato plot and pick off everybody you can find.. Not a lot of fun but it works. And yes we do can them. I aim for a quarter inch dice. And can them. Last time I mentioned this on the form somebody commented at the cheap price of potatoes why would you can them?? Cuz I canIt's a great way to put together a chowder quickly with canned corn and canned potatoes. Also great for making home fries in the morning

On a sidenote I had a boss (Who may be a member of this form not entirely sure preper to the top degree) Who used to grow them in tires and had really good success with that.


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## sideKahr

Yes, potatoes produce a lot of food in a small space. I've always grown them in hills, but I've read about guys that use towers. They plant the seed potatoes in a single soil filled automobile tire laid in the garden. Then as they grow, they add three more tires and fill them with soil, keeping the leaves uncovered. When it's harvest time, they knock over the towers, and the potatoes roll free.


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## 8301

I NEED A ROOT CELLAR.

Here in GA I'm lucky to keep the potatoes and onions we grow from going bad for more than 4-6 weeks.

I've got a room that may work for winter storage but it freezes occasionally. Can I store them in an area that occasionally freezes and then thaws a few days later?
I've considered converting an old chest freezer into a storage area but then it would get very moist inside when sealed and warm/cold when unsealed. I'm not really interested in digging a hole outside to bury it, especially considering that when it rained heavy water would get in.


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## Chiefster23

I have grown yukon golds in 8’ by 8’ raised beds made from railroad ties. Good results. But they don’t store well at my house. We eat em too fast!


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## Redneck

I'm telling you it is hard work getting potatoes out of a garden bed... especially for old farts like me. Next time I grow potatoes, I'm gonna put them out in a corner of the pasture, where I can fence off that area. That will allow me to harvest using my middle buster plow. I have a neighbor who does this every year.


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## Mish

I missed my garden this year. We had a whole lot of work done to or property this year and the garden needed to be moved. We didn't get it replanted in time for all the yummy stuff. 

W still had tons of green Veena and figs, though. 

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


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## Mad Trapper

maine_rm said:


> We go potatoes every year in the garden usually get pretty good results we plant Pontiac reds but I don't remember the variety of white maybe superior? I'm not sure. Absolutely they're worth the gross base they are endless food supply is stored properly as mentioned above just plant your seed potatoes from leftovers from year Before. We use small paper cups with the bottom cut off around the sprouts so the cutworms can't get them. Works pretty well. The only cure that I found for potato Beatles is a poison called Sevendust. Or what we have done the past couple of years is go out and pick him. That's right go through your whole potato plot and pick off everybody you can find.. Not a lot of fun but it works. And yes we do can them. I aim for a quarter inch dice. And can them. Last time I mentioned this on the form somebody commented at the cheap price of potatoes why would you can them?? Cuz I canIt's a great way to put together a chowder quickly with canned corn and canned potatoes. Also great for making home fries in the morning
> 
> On a sidenote I had a boss (Who may be a member of this form not entirely sure preper to the top degree) Who used to grow them in tires and had really good success with that.


I have more problems with the cutworms on the mature potatoes than the seed. Will try your method with the seed though.

I leave my potatoes in late long after the tops die off so the skins will harden well for storage. I just put them in the root cellar this week. I did some reading and just found out that is a reason why my mature potatoes get so many cutworms.

For Colorado PBs I also hand pick the beetles, egg clusters and the maggots/larva. For sprays neem works on the maggots if you spray as soon as you see the beetles and spinosad if they are more established. Both of those are botanicals and certified for organic gardens, nearly harmless to beneficials and humans. The neem is an antifeedant and also disrupts the evolution of the larva.


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## RJAMES

Get a big cardboard or plastic tub line it with news paper inch of so thick fill with potatoes and cover with a couple inches of paper. If you just get occasional drops to below freezing this should keep the potatoes from freezing. The chest freezer will work just leave lid open a bit and cover with layers f newspaper.


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## Mad Trapper

John Galt said:


> I NEED A ROOT CELLAR.
> 
> Here in GA I'm lucky to keep the potatoes and onions we grow from going bad for more than 4-6 weeks.
> 
> I've got a room that may work for winter storage but it freezes occasionally. Can I store them in an area that occasionally freezes and then thaws a few days later?
> I've considered converting an old chest freezer into a storage area but then it would get very moist inside when sealed and warm/cold when unsealed. I'm not really interested in digging a hole outside to bury it, especially considering that when it rained heavy water would get in.


Got a basement? Wall off a portion, insulate it, and put in some shelves/bins. Need some air circulation so a vent/window helps. Want things about 35-40 oF. Humidity depends on what you are storing. Also some things don't store well together.

Onions/garlic just need to be sun dried after the tops turn brown and a cool dry place, too humid they rot.


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## bigorange75

I have a friend that uses the tire method SideKahr described. Has 4 stacks every year and you would'nt believe the harvest he gets for so little square footage of his garden. Pushing the tire stacks over to harvest is so much simpler than digging them out of the ground.


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## maine_rm

If you do use the tire method one benefit i see for you is that you will be able to reuse your soil and freshen it every year this should prove very useful in the long term. It can also be rotated throw your other crops!


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## Mad Trapper

maine_rm said:


> If you do use the tire method one benefit i see for you is that you will be able to reuse your soil and freshen it every year this should prove very useful in the long term. It can also be rotated throw your other crops!


But I'd need 500 tires............


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## 8301

Mad Trapper said:


> Got a basement? .


No basement


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## Mad Trapper

John Galt said:


> No basement


How about a hiilside you can dig into and pour a wall on 3 sides or use concrete blocks? Make it big enough and great for tornadoes and SHTF hideout too.


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## Slippy

I agree with Smitty, no reason to use the Hay or Wheat Straw method to grow potatoes. We've never been successful with that.
Mrs Slippy and I don't eat that many potatoes anyway so they are not a big item in our garden. I also blame the climate in the deep south as not potato friendly...even though my good friend @******* is pretty good at spuds!

One of these days I'll build the greenhouse and try potatoes again....


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## Winston Smith

Always have good luck with spuds here in the Pacific NW. Just gotta remember to full them before it freezes.
Every year we have "volunteers" growing outside of our raised beds. I planted a test batch in a corner of our lawn a few years ago, with no special preparation. They didn't flourish, but they grew. For a few years. 
In a long-term SHTF / WORL, my front and back lawn will be dug-up, and filled with spuds.


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## Redneck

Slippy said:


> I also blame the climate in the deep south as not potato friendly


Blaming the climate as opposed to the gardener... huh? 

Here, we plant the seed potatoes soon as the soil warms. Those Yukon Golds in the picture were picked end of May, before it gets too hot. Never had any bugs go after mine either so no spray. If you leave the small potatoes in the ground, you can have a fall crop too.

They do like loose soil. When building my beds, I brought up several bucket loads of sand from down in the bottom. Mixed that with some of the original soil plus lots of a garden mix brought in by the dump truck load. Then I like to add leaves in the winter. Cool thing is, city folk rake them up & bag them in clear bags & set them by the street for pickup. I help myself to all I need and add them to my beds in winter plus load up the compost bin with all it can hold. Come spring they have already started breaking down into the most lovely soil.


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## Redneck

Winston Smith said:


> In a long-term SHTF / WORL, my front and back lawn will be dug-up, and filled with spuds.


I'd like to think so too but the thing is, where are you gonna get all those seed potatoes? Mostly, what few people store seed potatoes for the next year's crop, only store enough for their normal, limited needs. The way I see it, most folks would have to start small & each year build up their seed potato stores but it would take a couple of years with eating little or none of them during this period. That could be impossible depending on your circumstance.

That is why I store regular garden seed by the hundreds of lbs, which can last for several years in the right environment. Plan would be to subsist on that type food until we could build up the cache of seed potato.


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## Redneck

@MountainGirl, forgot to mention something. When growing them in a bed, they sometimes like to erupt up out of the soil. Sunlight on Irish potatoes is a bad thing... turns them that green color which ain't good for you. So I will go ahead & mulch under & around the plants with a thick layer of hay, before the plants get too big. That way, if some potatoes pop up, no big deal.

Actually I use loose hay from the hay barn as mulch for most of my plants nowadays... especially tomatoes. Besides the normal benefit of mulch, it helps stop the splash of wet soil on the lower tomato leaves, as that is a cause of much tomato disease.


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## MountainGirl

Wow thanks guys for all the replies, links & pictures! I learned something from each of you, very much appreciated.

Mostly I'm glad to learn that it's worth the footprint to give this a try. We don't have any old tires to use or that would likely be the option; the stacks tucked here and there where the sun is.

The plan will likely change over winter as I do more reading...but I'm kind of leaning towards growing in containers (grow bags maybe for the sides to pull up?) that I can put in a hillside greenhouse...maybe up on a low bench (storage underneath)... then at harvest could scoop the dirt back into a big bin to freshen for next year's crop? Lol. So much to figure out and a whole winter to do it in.

And, if it's okay, I'll come back and use this thread as things evolve... good, bad & ugly...with pics for proof. :-D

Thanks again!


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## MountainGirl

My turn to be a tad green, @******* What a set up you have! Your pics have been a great help, and inspiration as well. As I've been reading and re-reading all these posts, I've been getting ideas how to modify the suggestions for here... there's a few really steep areas I could back a storage something into and then cover the sides and the roof with something for insulation...would need to build an access tunnel to get through the 6-8 feet of snow that would bury it...and an (adjustable?) vent pipe... oh... so many possibilities! LOVE IT!


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## 1skrewsloose

When I was very young we grew potatoes. Zion, IL, hated having to go out and hill the spuds every week and spray for bugs. Loved to eat them all winter though. The tire farming idea sounds interesting. Still sticks in my mind, 3 brothers, nine rows of spuds, we all got 3 to work on, I felt a little cheated. I was 6 years younger than my older brother, 8 year old doing same work as 14 year old, I got over it.

Long time ago but I remember them being in gunny sacks along side the coal for the furnace.


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## Smitty901

Keep in mind that mixed verities is a must. You do not want to have one that gets wiped out. The layer methods of growing them works well if you are only feeding a few people.


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## Redneck

MountainGirl said:


> As I've been reading and re-reading all these posts, I've been getting ideas how to modify the suggestions for here... there's a few really steep areas I could back a storage something into and then cover the sides and the roof with something for insulation...would need to build an access tunnel to get through the 6-8 feet of snow that would bury it...and an (adjustable?) vent pipe... oh... so many possibilities! LOVE IT!


Remember that the origin of the potato is the mountains of South America, so they can handle the cold mountain temps. You might want to research varieties better suited to your environment. I have ordered from these folks and they seem to have all sorts of varieties.
Potato Gardens Across the USA

You might like this article. Several of the potato varieties that work for them are sold by the folks above.
https://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/wellbeing/big-sky-country


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## RJAMES

Ask locals what they grow or go to a local garden center /farm supply store and ask. The container method has a lot of pluses especially if you have to buy soil. Anything you can use to make a container that grows will work. As others have said tires, card board box will last one season, 4 post and some 1x6 boards with screws will last years. 

In many ways easier with containers as you can take them apart easier than digging up out of the ground.


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## Redneck

RJAMES said:


> In many ways easier with containers as you can take them apart easier than digging up out of the ground.


I'm betting since she lives in the mountains and snow/cold temps are an issue, that containers would not work real well. Thinking the thermal mass of the ground and surrounding rock would help stabilize soil temp even if soil was simply dumped on the exposed rock. But what do I know? We ain't got rock around here and it sure doesn't get all that cold.


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## RJAMES

******* said:


> I'm betting since she lives in the mountains and snow/cold temps are an issue, that containers would not work real well. Thinking the thermal mass of the ground and surrounding rock would help stabilize soil temp even if soil was simply dumped on the exposed rock. But what do I know? We ain't got rock around here and it sure doesn't get all that cold.


Set containers in a hoop house . Your raised beds with a little PVC and some plastic would work just about anywhere.


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## MountainGirl

They'll probably be harvested well before hard freeze, and is part of why I'd set the containers in greenhouses. I'm researching hoop houses too. We have a lot of critter issues; what the deer etc don't eat, the cats scratch. I learned this past growing seasons with some patches of wildflowers, and a few plantings. The only thing left alone was the strawberry pot next to the front door. Too small for cat scratchin; too close to humans for deer munchin. We don't have a large/sunny spot that would accommodate a big (12x24ish) greenhouse, so might be several smaller (6x8ish) ones will happen.. maybe one for potatoes, one for a couple smaller crops that work well together, etc. Haven't decided yet what all to plant; for sure potatoes, tomatoes, onions and an herb garden. Might be just that, for the first year. Training wheels. :-D


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## Redneck

As @RJAMES says, you don't need anything fancy. Build your beds and bend PVC pipe over at intervals and attach your row cover with clips. If you have loose rock laying about or if they are in your soil, use them for the border of the bed. If on a slope build terraces. I think you will find the thermal mass of the stone would help stabilize temps, assuming you have it available. You have enough soil to drive in sections of larger PVC, to act as the receiver for the PVC hoops? My receiver pipe is just attached to the wood sides of the bed.

A couple of strands of electric fencing should protect your plants. One down low for the smaller critters & one up a bit for the deer. My garden is next to the house/dogs & is fenced in, so I don't need it but most folks around here use the electric fence.










I use these clamps on the 1/2" PVC hoops. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0050B0N06/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1


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## Annie

Potatoes are one thing we haven't tried. Maybe next year. Love them twice baked potatoes. MmmMmm!


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## sideKahr

To increase the thermal mass of my cold frame I capped both ends of lengths of 4 inch plastic pipes filled with water, and painted them black. It was cheap, and seemed to work.


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## RJAMES

I have seen a structure built from clear plastic panels for the roof and panels/ recycled windows for walls that was built onto the south side of a house . Water from the roof was put into black barrels that were then used to water the plants and to act as a heat sink . It was 6 to 7 feet deep and half the length of the house. 

In a very cold climate this would also help with winter time heating . If you had rock or concrete blocks stacked inside it would store heat in the day and give it off at night. Set your containers of herbs, tomato , peppers on top of the rock/ block mass to get things going early and lasting lat in the season.


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## sideKahr

There used to be a product called "Wall-O-Water". It was a clear plastic accordion tube like thing that you put around your tomatoes and peppers and filled the little compartments with water. It worked on the principle that as water freezes, it gives up heat. It was for early and late extension of the growing season.

Let me tell you, these things work! I used to start my tomatoes in April. Every leaf outside of the tubes used to die, but the plants got a real jump on the cold weather. @MountainGirl this might be something you could use.


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## MountainGirl

Wow, more great ideas. Ya know, I can find out about all this stuff online, and have already found some of it... but it makes all the difference in the world learning from you guys who have actually done it. Humbly, thank you. :vs_love:


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## Annie

Twice baked.









Sent from my SM-G530T using Tapatalk


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## MisterMills357

Too me, taters are one of the wonder foods, and I would say that they are worth it. If the time ever comes when I can't get any, I will be fit to be tied.
It is so humble a vegetable, that I don't understand; how it can be so good, in so many things, but it is.

And no, this was not advice from me, but it was an ode to taters.:tango_face_grin:


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## Sweetryco

Thought the all-things-potato appreciation thread was probably the bets place to share this one. So, as a lonmg-time potato grower / eater / fan, I've never had an issue like this, but recently I've noticed more and more dark spots on my potatoes.

They kinda look like decay? Well, I thought they were stubborn dirt at first, but on closer inspection that's definitely not it. A bit of searching suggests this might be Rhiz (pic)? Things have been pretty wet out my way this year, and I am using the same bed I've used in porevious years. Could this be the reason?

I just wanna get back to baking these things and stuffing them full of cheese...


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## paraquack

If all goes well, I will be planting my winter crop of potatoes (reds) next weekend. This is an experiment 
to see what if anything will grow. Two years ago I left a "dead" or so I thought, tomato plant in its planter
and let it sit all winter. In early Feb. I found it growing again and by the end of Feb. I had little baby tomatoes
of the vine. This year, I had tomato self seed but it didn't start growing fruit until late March.


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## TGus

8301 said:


> I NEED A ROOT CELLAR.
> 
> Here in GA I'm lucky to keep the potatoes and onions we grow from going bad for more than 4-6 weeks.
> 
> I've got a room that may work for winter storage but it freezes occasionally. Can I store them in an area that occasionally freezes and then thaws a few days later?
> ...


I'm pretty sure your potatoes won't survive several days below freezing. You might have to buy a small heater to keep the storage room just above freezing when necessary.


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## TGus

There are several methods for getting great yields with potatoes. If in soil, the sand/soil composition is most important. If in hay, fertilizer and the amount you water them is most important. There are big differences in what conditions different varieties like best. Because you've got to get these things right, growing potatoes can be a challenge. Aside from the good suggestions here, do a lot of research on the internet.


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## paraquack

Got my winter test crop of red potatoes in later than I had hoped due to a cool snap here in southern AZ. I didn't get them in until Jan 14. 
First sprout was found about a week ago and seems to be doing well. The second plant took an extra 4 days but now seems to be on 
a path to a decent plant. Unfortunately only 1/2 of the plants have sprouted. It could be the cool nights or ??? I'll give those another week 
and then carefully exhume the seed potatoes and see what happened. I still have hope for them. Growing plants down here has been a 
challenge & experience compared to ILL but if I don't try, I'll never learn. I plant all my stuff in in 12 gallon tubs, so I can move them into 
shadier areas as necessary. Maybe next year I will have amassed enough smarts to warrant investing in a raised bed garden. I already
have a shade cloth rig from a couple of years ago when I did a larger test crop of tomatoes. With tomatoes birds, woodpeckers especially 
are a real big problem. They go after anything with water.


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## Captain belly

I made a potato tower last fall. Sounded like a great idea. I did a lot of research on them. I can tell you that it was a gigantic failure. Pretty much all of the people that tried this said that it didn't produce well. I believe separate mounds, or containers are the way to go. and..... my Grandma always planted on St Pats Day....... Mid-Missouri zone. hope this adds to your wisdom.


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## paraquack

Thanks. I must admit that trying to garden in AZ is a challenge.


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## Smitty901

paraquack said:


> Thanks. I must admit that trying to garden in AZ is a challenge.


Put the time and effort into improving the soil.


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## paraquack

Common Smitty901. Ever take a walk in the desert? It's sand and rocks and more sand and more rocks and did I mention sand. 
It's the exact opposite of the soil in central WIS like where I was born and raised on a farm. The only thing that grows in it without 
improving the soil is cactus and even they have a hard time with less than 11 inches of rain per year (last 2 years I got barely 7 inches). 
I figure if the SHTF, I'll have plenty of dead bodies to bury and mix in with the sand to improve it better and faster. I don't know 
how many bags of mulch, black dirt and well aged manure to mix in for my container beds. Growing crops in WIS and ILL was like
falling off a log by comparison. And then there is the heat. We've been running plus 10 degrees for the last 2 weeks. That's one 
reason I plant in December thru February. And then there are the critters. Tomatoes attacked by woodpeckers. It's frustrating at
times, but I have to learn. I even attend the U of A AG society get togethers to figure out where I go wrong.


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## Smitty901

paraquack said:


> Common Smitty901. Ever take a walk in the desert? It's sand and rocks and more sand and more rocks and did I mention sand.
> It's the exact opposite of the soil in central WIS like where I was born and raised on a farm. The only thing that grows in it without
> improving the soil is cactus and even they have a hard time with less than 11 inches of rain per year (last 2 years I got barely 7 inches).
> I figure if the SHTF, I'll have plenty of dead bodies to bury and mix in with the sand to improve it better and faster. I don't know
> how many bags of mulch, black dirt and well aged manure to mix in for my container beds. Growing crops in WIS and ILL was like
> falling off a log by comparison. And then there is the heat. We've been running plus 10 degrees for the last 2 weeks. That's one
> reason I plant in December thru February. And then there are the critters. Tomatoes attacked by woodpeckers. It's frustrating at
> times, but I have to learn. I even attend the U of A AG society get togethers to figure out where I go wrong.


Oh I have lived in both clay and sand deserts. 13-140 in the day and 70-80 at night. 2 inches of rain a year or less. Where is god when that clay gets wet. Bugs and critter eat you garden every were.


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## Mad Trapper

I cleaned out the fridge last week.......

Way in back was a brown paper bag, with potatoes, from 2016 growing season. These I took out of root cellar May of 2016, they were Reds and the ones not sprouting too much I'd figure I'd still eat. Still had MANY more to eat in cellar, besides sprouters for the garden. I forgot about the little brown bag.......

Inside the bag the taters were a bit shriveled, but minimal sprouts, and no rot. Still edible. 

I'm saving these till spring. Awesome seed stock, stores exceptional. Will go in separate hills this May. 

I having been using the seed taters from the cellar for many years now, whites, reds, russets. Only once in a while have I purchased seed taters.

Did have a bit of an issue with wireworms this year as I left taters in late. Anyone have methods to deal with them? I know tillage and elimination of grasses help.


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## paraquack

Until 4 years ago, I only drove thru desert on the way to may duty in the USAF at Beale AFB in CA.


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## Ragnarök

Just planted some in a 5 gallon bucket. Drilled holes in the bottom. 6 inch of soil down then put the eyes to the sky and covered with 3 to 4 inch of soil. 

These potatoes are from the store. I love using store bought to see what I can get....just for fun and learning.


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## bigwheel

bigorange75 said:


> I have a friend that uses the tire method SideKahr described. Has 4 stacks every year and you would'nt believe the harvest he gets for so little square footage of his garden. Pushing the tire stacks over to harvest is so much simpler than digging them out of the ground.


Thanks for the tire tip. Seen it in pics and looks like a good plan. Mama says I cant put any old tires in the yard is the big draw back,.


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## paraquack

Well so far so good. For some reason my potatoes are sprout about 4 days apart. I have one plant that is doing real well and the rest
as popping up in 4 day intervals. I really hope they do well. My wife is getting pretty forlorn about our iffy success with the tomatoes 
(her favorite). The potatoes are her next favorite. She's already making plans about how she wants to cook them.


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## youngridge

Not sure if you are still interested in any tips but here are a few. 

Make sure to plant them on lighter ground if you can get water to them or have a lot of annual rainfall. Apply a lot of potassium before planting and through the year. An insecticide through the year helps tremendously as does a fungicide. I prefer the insecticide first, making sure the insects are in check will reduce feeding, therefore reducing entry points into the tissue that is a direct entry point for disease and fungal pathogens into the plant. Avoid planting into any type of legume crop from the year before(beans, peas, etc), best to have them following some kind of grass like wheat or corn, also avoid planting into any type of underground producing crops from the year before, like radishes and carrots(disease reasons). A PGR at flowering as well as some Nitrogen and Sulfur goes a long ways. 

As far as storage keep it dark, cool and dry. If you cant do that leave em in the ground through the fall as long as you can before a deep frost.


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## bigwheel

Saw somebody recommending growing in hay bales this morning on FB. Some person said they tried I and it didn't work well. Seems like a good plan. 
Growing potatoes in hay or straw bales produces clean tubers. - Maine Garden Ideas


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## 12vman

This year will be my first year trying to grow stuff out of a hay bale I want to start with tomatoes and cucumbers

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## youngridge

12vman said:


> This year will be my first year trying to grow stuff out of a hay bale I want to start with tomatoes and cucumbers
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk


Use some good sound soil or hydro phonics instead, this bale technique sounds good in theory, but in reality it does not work like is thought.

Roots need good contact with soil to absorb the mass flow of nutrients and water. Essentially soil works best outside because the plant has a good base of a root system to stand up on. The roots are with in total contact of the soil.

Hydro phonics work because they can wrap around the phonics and in most cases are inside, so standibility is a big issue because it isn't exposed to the outside elements.

Shallow rooted produce or viney type plants may work but you have to realize hay and straw break down over time, like with in one growing season, it is essentially like trying to grip jello in your hand.

Disease issues can ravage it, moisture, little air movement is a perfect breeding ground. They will heat up when exposed to the outside elements and could start smoldering and or get really moldy.

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## Ragnarök

I’m trying out the bucket method. 5 gallon bucket with store bought potatoes with chits growing. It froze 5 times after I planted them so hopefully I’ll see some growth once it warms up.


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## Real Old Man

MountainGirl said:


> Hi
> 
> I've researched methods for growing potatoes, long term storage, all of that. What I cant seem to find is anyone who has actually done it on a small scale - and if (for them) it was worth the growing space.
> 
> I have plenty of time so labor isn't a problem, either is water or good soil (which I'll have to buy) - and I'll be growing them in some kind of containerized system... I guess what I'm asking is: is the yield per plant worth the cost & limited sunny area available, and has anyone here tried growing potatoes in a greenhouse?
> 
> All input very much appreciated; thanks.


We grew potatoes every year when I was growing up. And stored them in barrels in the cellar for use during the winter. Course we planted over an acre and it fed our two families (six of us) Aalso stored and grew a lot of yellow turnips


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## Samuel477

very useful recommendations in this thread! thanks


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## dwight55

I may have missed it, . . . but did not see one of the most widely used storage ideas that is used in Eastern Kentucky, . . . it's called "hilling them in".

Go dig a hole in the ground, . . . big enough for half a bushel of potatoes, . . . line with some straw, . . . pour in the taters, . . . that were dug and allowed to sit "out in the weather" for a couple or three days. 

Cover with another couple inches of straw, . . . and cover with dirt.

In the winter, . . . go out and lift the frozen top off one of the hills, . . . grab the taters, . . . and head for the house.

My father in law fed his 9 younguns that way for at least a dozen years I personally know of.

May God bless,
Dwight


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