You may remember two weeks ago when, in the question of positing what to do about the Slab in my backyard, I mentioned that I had a rather large pile of degraded wood pellets, rabbit droppings, and hay:
One suggestion - A good one - was to make this a raised bed. I thought about it, measured out the length, and calculated what it would take in pre-fitted stones to make a raised bed, and balked. That was a bit more money than I intended to spend.
And then I started thinking. The chicken wire essentially restrains the materials in there - has for 3 years or more, and I can add hay if I want to give a little more firmness. I suddenly thought of the concept of a "potato tower": a container - be it a burlap sack, a paper sack, or even tires - that contained growing medium and potatoes and was used as an in situ location for growing. Why, I wondered, could I replicate it?
Well, I had seed potatoes:
I made rows and planted them. I left the farther third "free" of planting - I will dump the new materials there, and then re-rake at the end of the season.
Either way, I win.
Credited Denzel Washington quote : ITS NOT HOW MUCH YOU HAVE - ITS WHAT YOU DO WITH WHAT YOU HAVE. Yes, a good experiment - I hope it pans out.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I have high hopes (although to be fair, I usually do).
DeleteLooks like an excellent use of available resources. That always makes for a great experiment! I'm guessing it will work quite well, but even so, you'll win as you say by simply gaining valuable knowledge.
ReplyDeleteLeigh, I certainly cannot argue with the cost. And even if the sweet potatoes do not work, perhaps something else will. I may try a few other isolated things just to see what takes.
DeleteSounds like a plan.
ReplyDeleteEd, I used to agonize endlessly over making decisions like this: what I do this or that. This was actually a pretty easy one, if for no other reason than by doing the bare minimum of work that I did do, I spent neither a lot of time nor money. Win on every front.
DeleteA former blog I used to read now silent, used to swear by raising potatoes in tires. They started by planting them in soil in just one tire and added tires as the season passed and the potatoes grew. They ended up with twice as many potatoes as when using conventional techniques.
ReplyDeleteEd, I have seen and read of similar exercises, both with tires and with burlap sacks (which is what inspired this). My only concern is the amount of sun - other than that (in theory), it should work.
DeleteA little stimulus to get you thinking outside the box, way to go TB. What type of potatoes?
ReplyDeleteThanks Nylon12! It is actually three different kinds of sweet potatoes - White Bonita for sure, and two other varieties I do not recall.
DeleteIf it doesn't work....we'll always think it should have.
ReplyDeleteOld Al, everything (in theory) works perfectly in my mind, even when all evidence suggests to the contrary. In that aspect, at least, I suppose I am an optimist.
DeleteThanks for stopping by!
Look up Ruth Stout.... I used her method of starting potatoes last year and was surprised how well it did... even with the weeds. Potatoes weren't as big as I would have liked but I think it was more of a water issue than method. We had three months of 100 degree temps and it was a matter of getting the cows water or water the garden. Cows won. When the temperatures get that hot it cooks the pollen viability anyways.
ReplyDeleteBut I think you got a good plan going! :-)
~hobo
Hobo - Thanks for the link; I looked here up. It seems like a different version of the "potato bag" idea, sans bag.
DeleteNo sprouts yet, but it has only been a week and we have not hit full temps yet. I am still hopeful.
Once again, I'm doing a bit of catch-up here, TB. This is a very cool idea! I look forward to seeing your potato harvest. :)
ReplyDeleteVery much hoping it works Becki!
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