Re: Potato containers, how to

**jimmy cee** 5/22/2014, 10:04 pm

My yukon golds are 12 - 16 inches above the top of the mix.
I am going to add more mix, however should I remove the lower growth or just let it be ?

VJ72584 5/23/2014, 10:26 am

I've never removed any leaves. Just cover about a third of the plant with new soil.

**jimmy cee** 5/23/2014, 10:57 am

Thanks VJ, doing it now

**Turan** 5/23/2014, 12:07 pm

If any one is doing the potato towers I would be interested to hear how much is the harvest per how much planted. I have managed 22 lbs of fingerlings per 1 lb planted and grown in a potato tower. I am really curious of the 100 lb claims made. I have not seen any one trying it getting even half that.

Drpepperz 5/23/2014, 12:34 pm

Turan wrote:If any one is doing the potato towers I would be interested to hear how much is the harvest per how much planted. I have managed 22 lbs of fingerlings per 1 lb planted and grown in a potato tower. I am really curious of the 100 lb claims made. I have not seen any one trying it getting even half that.

I'm planing on trying it next year too late for this year for me Razz

**Turan** 5/23/2014, 1:19 pm

I suspect one would get the highest yield per sf doing layers in a potato tower with short season varieties like Yukon Gold. The pound planted/ pound harvested might be in usual range but stacked. The trick would still be to make sure the middle layers of the tower get water and that all the plants get enough nutrition but if one used good MM through out the tower that should be ok. Josh did this a bit in a bed, but the lower layer needed to grow upwards to reach light. What I am thinking of the plants grow sideways to reach the light through a poultry wire mesh.

O well. I already planted my potatos with the broccoli. Next year I can try a layer approach. I think I read of that first in OG back in the 70s......

FamilyGardening 5/24/2014, 4:06 am

Drpepperz wrote:
VJ72584 wrote: Still potatoes are determinate or indeterminate just like tomatoes. Some grow only at the bottom where they are planted. (...) In that case its wasted time to add soil.
I never knew that!
I just looked up my potatoes (Yukon gold) and they are determinate...Should i just dig them out, fill my buckets and replant them???

Yukon golds are determinate and only put out one layer of spuds....they are my favorite!

I know fingerlings are indeterminate and a late season growing, that's the kind of seed potato you need to use in potato towers.....a long to mid season indeterminate....there are a few others too....I just don't remember off the top of my head.....

we tried Yukon golds in garbage cans a couple of years ago and only got one layer of potatoes.....this year we are using a fingerling in the garbage can and so far they look great.....cant wait to harvest to see if they do any better Very Happy

we also have some purples, reds and russets that are suppose to be good for hilling....we haven't the room to hill them as much as the garbage can ones...but we shall see Very Happy

happy gardening
rose who loves her spuds!!

lyndeeloo 5/30/2014, 9:19 am

Well I figured out how to NOT grow potatoes. Two of my three pots of russets rotted away. I got carried away with covering them with too much soil and the plants rotted to mush. The red norlands are doing fine. I left them alone because they are supposed to be determinate so I have added very little soil to their pots. Lesson learned.

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