Cool Potato Box: Gardening

[Yorkshire]

Neat idea - we are growing some in 5 gal buckets at the moment, this looks better though. Looking forward to the results.

[RockTippedStick]

About to add another board and finish the rest of the way with straw.

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[jlp04c]

after you dump the boxes for your regular potatoes fill em all the way back up to the top board and plant sweet potato slips.. you'll get sweets in there no doubt.

Seriously one of the easiest plants to plant!!

[muzzlebrake]

One trick is to not dig too soon. Taters continue to grow even after the vines are dying. I've seen 50 lbs or more come out of one 55 gal barrel. Our neighbor just left them alone after the vines died and when he dumped them in the fall the taters were there. Adding more compost as the vines grow up will cause the vines to grow more roots up and down the main stem and on these roots is where the nodules form and make a tater. The richer the compost the more nodules will form. Also don't over water but keep moist. Planting at the right time of year and temperature is important usually in late Feb to early March.

[Let's go Brandon!]

One trick is to not dig too soon. Taters continue to grow even after the vines are dying. I've seen 50 lbs or more come out of one 55 gal barrel. Our neighbor just left them alone after the vines died and when he dumped them in the fall the taters were there. Adding more compost as the vines grow up will cause the vines to grow more roots up and down the main stem and on these roots is where the nodules form and make a tater. The richer the compost the more nodules will form. Also don't over water but keep moist. Planting at the right time of year and temperature is important usually in late Feb to early March.

that's our plan

[texan4ut]

Here is what happens to my potatoes every year I have tried this method. Plants look great then they turn yellow and the leaves begin to brown and die. Can't find any bugs spray them with neems oil and seven. Use miracle grow fertilizer on them keep them watered but not too much. Any suggestions.

[Man]

Here is what happens to my potatoes every year I have tried this method. Plants look great then they turn yellow and the leaves begin to brown and die. Can't find any bugs spray them with neems oil and seven. Use miracle grow fertilizer on them keep them watered but not too much. Any suggestions.

potato plant just running its natural course?

[jlp04c]

potato plant just running its natural course?

A few weeks after the plants die is when it's time to harvest.. if you planted in Feb or so, thats about right.. let em lay in the ground another 10 days or so (without watering) and dump the buckets out..

[texan4ut]

A few weeks after the plants die is when it's time to harvest.. if you planted in Feb or so, thats about right.. let em lay in the ground another 10 days or so (without watering) and dump the buckets out..

Ok I will give them a couple of weeks then check for potatoes.

[Let's go Brandon!]

Lookin good so far.

[JonBoy]

I have done this the last two years and haven't got a single potato. This year the potato plants seem to be doing way better boxes nearly full of dirt. We will see. If I don't get any this year I am done with this method.

I did some internet sleuthing and it seems consistent with what you described. The potato plant won't throw off any new shoots as it grows vertically and will only produce at the very bottom where the intial roots were. If you plant in a full box the roots will grow downward and you'll get your box full that way.

[texan4ut]

I did some internet sleuthing and it seems consistent with what you described. The potato plant won't throw off any new shoots as it grows vertically and will only produce at the very bottom where the intial roots were. If you plant in a full box the roots will grow downward and you'll get your box full that way.

Thanks for the information. Next week I am digging into mine as the tops are all but dead.

[7yearsproject]

Has anyone tried making a door on the side? So instead of going from the top, you swing the door open and reach in

[Beardedbuck]

Next week I am digging into mine as the tops are all but dead.

So, were you gonna just leave us hangin' or what? LOL It's been a while, so what were your end results?