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Posted: May/05/2006 12:43 PM PST
I thought I found a link before about what I need to grow my potatoes, but today can't find it. I am buying my soil this weekend, and need to make sure I get the right stuff! So, I'm growing them in tires, and forgot what they like for soil. Any suggestions? Thanks! |
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Posted: May/05/2006 2:02 PM PST
I dont know if this has all the info you are looking for, but here is a thread on the potato growing alternatives http://www.gardenguides.com/forum/showthread.ph p?t=16604 |
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Posted: May/05/2006 2:22 PM PST
Yes, I did read that post, but it doesn't talk about what type of soil - only that I need to use fish for fertilizer. I also asked a question about covering them up as they grow - do I cover as soon as it starts to grow out of the ground? It talks about not covering the tops, and can't figure that part out. Thanks! |
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Posted: May/05/2006 2:32 PM PST
I found this site: http://www.natorp.com/RonWTVtipApr2.htm and this: http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/2006012 2/news_1hs22sage.html |
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Posted: May/05/2006 3:26 PM PST
Thanks! These sites clear it up a bit, but what the heck is a soil less mixture? I'm thinking just potting soil, peat moss and the fertilizer, but have never seen soil less mixture... 
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Posted: May/05/2006 3:35 PM PST
Alot of the bags that say Potting soil are not actually soil at all so just look on the bag. |
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Posted: May/05/2006 3:47 PM PST
Cool - I see tonight when I go out. Thanks! |
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Posted: May/05/2006 4:03 PM PST
Quote: Originally posted by rhondasgal Yes, I did read that post, but it doesn't talk about what type of soil - only that I need to use fish for fertilizer. I also asked a question about covering them up as they grow - do I cover as soon as it starts to grow out of the ground? It talks about not covering the tops, and can't figure that part out. Thanks!Oops, sorry, I thought I had answered your question about covering them up. Apparently I wandered off after something shiney and forgot. I have a bad habit of forgetting what I am doing at the time. I go in the kitchen all the time for stuff (it is maybe 10 steps from the living room) and forget what I went in there for by the time I get there LOL |
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Posted: May/05/2006 4:12 PM PST
come back!!!!! You are dangling me about covering them up.....Can you bring me a coffee on your way back? LOL... 
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Posted: May/09/2006 8:57 AM PST
Hey Rhondasgal, let's see if this will help... First -- Prepare the soil. With this method, you don't need to dig trenches or mound soil into hills. Just work a trowel full of compost into a square foot of soil in a sunny, well-drained area of the garden. The soil should be loose enough for the potato to send down roots easily. Take a piece of seed potato and press it firmly into contact with the soil. Be sure the "eye" faces up, as in the photo at left. ************************************************** ******** Then Mound up [U]the mulch[/U]. Build up a 6-inch-deep mound of mulch over the potato. Oak leaf mold is excellent for mounding. Straw will work, that's what I'm using. Water the mound gently to thoroughly wet the mulch. This will help it hold together. Keep the mound evenly moist. As the vines start to peek through the mound, begin feeding them with a half-strength foliar spray. Use fish-emulsion or seaweed extract once a week until the flowers open, then stop feeding. Mound [B]additional[/B] mulch around the stems each time they've grown about [B]6 more inches. [/B] Potatoes grow at the ends of stolons that the plant puts out wherever the stems are covered with mulch. So in time your plant will have tubers in several sizes within the mound. ************************************************** ****** Last -- Harvest. The best part about this method is that you can "rob" new potatoes, the creamers and steamers, without disturbing the plant. If that's your goal for your potatoes, the time to go after the first new spuds is right after the flowers bloom, as in the illustration below. Just move the mulch gently out of the way and pop the new potatoes off the ends of the stolons with your fingers. Only take about 20 percent of the new potatoes at a time. Let the rest remain to keep the plant from being stressed. Continue watering the plants throughout the season to keep them producing new potatoes. If you'd prefer to let the potatoes mature and get larger, stop watering them after the flowers bloom. This causes the plant to start concentrating on developing the potatoes. Then, in the fall, when the plant begins to die back, move the mulch away and harvest the full-grown potatoes. Attachments:  |
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