Growing 100 Pounds of Potatoes in Four Square Feet

[bigpaul]

thats the same principle as i use the tyres for but old tyres are free! the rubber heats up in the sun and retains the heat for a long time, put the spuds in the bottom tyre and cover to the top, when the shoots poke through add the 2nd tyre and earth over(i use cheap growbags for this, cut them open and pour into the tyre( its called "earthing up" by old gardeners), when the shoots poke through add the 3rd tyre and repeat the process, once you've got the 3rd tyre earthed up you dont need to add any more. you dont need to use expensive seed potatoes, supermarket spuds work just as good.

[Tartar Horde]

That's a good point BP, you don't need to buy seed spuds I have used the ones you buy from shops etc and they have grown just the same with no difference at all. The seed spuds you buy are "certified" seed stock so should be free from disease etc. But obviosly the ones you buy are from the same stock as you can't plant Spuds that are'nt certified if you are a farmer. The god thing about Black Tyres and bins as you pointed out is the fact that they heat up quickly in the spring Sun ensuring you can get a head start. If I had the room I would grow all my spuds this way as I have found it to be more efficient and controllable than growing in beds.

[bigpaul]

on the odd occasions i have used seed potatoes from the garden centre the results were not encouraging, but using supermarket or shop potatoes i havent had any problems, you cant save seed from them but if you just want to get a crop in the ground its the way to do it.

[BDG]

I have seen this 100lb claim on a few forums. I have never seen anyone get 100lbs. Or 75lb. Seen a couple get 50lbs, but they were using bought compost and bought potato specific manure.

Also, with regards using supermarket potatoes, if you were to side by side trial a super market potato and the same breed of seed potato across 100 locations you would have a marked difference in the yield between the two. The seed potato would win hands down. The reason many perceive better yields from supermarket potatoes is they are growing varieties that they just cannot get their hands on in the garden centre for the main part.

Conventionally grown potatoes are the most sprayed crop with pesticides and fungicide applications 7-15 times through their growing life depending on location - they are not bred to be resilient, rather, to produce a crop. On a very small scale, it is easier to manage things so problems do not occur, but were you to get such problems, your crop would be wiped out if you do not have more chemicals than your crop is worth when growing commercial varieties.

Supermarket potatoes will have gone through the vegetative reproduction process one one or two more times than seed potatoes you buy in and so they are at greater risk of brining in virus.

I am not saying not to do it under any circumstances. However, if you are relying on your crop, do not do it.

[Stewart]

in the war,farmers would cut a potato into four peices before planting to make more plants.but the tubers were more prone to slug damage and other pests.

[Ladynotingreen]

(15 May 2013, 21:58)BDG Wrote: Supermarket potatoes will have gone through the vegetative reproduction process one one or two more times than seed potatoes you buy in and so they are at greater risk of bringing in virus.

I am not saying not to do it under any circumstances. However, if you are relying on your crop, do not do it.

Did not know that. Thanks for the information.

[MCavity]

(14 May 2013, 10:17)bigpaul Wrote: thats the same principle as i use the tyres for but old tyres are free! the rubber heats up in the sun and retains the heat for a long time, put the spuds in the bottom tyre and cover to the top, when the shoots poke through add the 2nd tyre and earth over(i use cheap growbags for this, cut them open and pour into the tyre( its called "earthing up" by old gardeners), when the shoots poke through add the 3rd tyre and repeat the process, once you've got the 3rd tyre earthed up you dont need to add any more. you dont need to use expensive seed potatoes, supermarket spuds work just as good.

Where do you get old tyres from these days? I thought they all get recycled?

[Binnie]

they normally sit about for a while before being picked up from garages

though....... if you tell a tyre centre you want your old tyres back, you'll not get the "environmental/disposal" charge they like to add on as an extra!