If I am to get potatoes this year I have to change my growing method.
This includes changing the location, the growing medium, the amount of water I use.
Wow, nothing left to change, really!
Since I am having success (relatively, given the recent rodent attacks) using containers, it was a simple extension to attempt to grow the potatoes in containers but using a slightly different method.
The potting mix I devised for the other container growing I felt would be too wet & dense for potatoes.
So I have broken it down 50/50 with fine shredded sugar cane mulch, the type purchased in tight plastic bales from garden suppliers.
My potting mix recipe makes a fairly wet brew due to the inclusion of so much soaked coir so I didn't have to add anymore water when mixing the cane mulch through it.
I make up a 2gal bucket of this combo mix each time. I use a very large container to mix the cane mulch through the wet potting mix so I don't ruin the airiness & fluffiness of the potting mix. Then gently decant it into the bucket & I don't press it down when applying it to the potato plants.
My growing method is to place a layer of this mulch/potting mix combo in the bottom of the container, lay the sprouted potatoes ontop, then as the leaves grow, top up every couple of days to almost cover the leaves with more mulch/potting mix combo.
The pink container is half full now while the kipflers are lagging behind. They have shot but now having been placed in their pot, they are just sitting there. Maybe they need warmer weather or more moisture. I have the containers in a fairly sunny place where the sun shines on them from 9am to 3.30pm. Of course there is the shade from the slats but the soil is still warm.
So far I have only misted the pots 2-3times in total & only very lightly on the few very dry days.
There are no drainage holes in these pots although the old blue bucket I am using is cracked to halfway down from a previous batch of potatoes 4yrs ago.
The red Pontiacs are really taking their time to shoot. I hope they get on with it or they will be too late in their season.
This includes changing the location, the growing medium, the amount of water I use.
Wow, nothing left to change, really!
Since I am having success (relatively, given the recent rodent attacks) using containers, it was a simple extension to attempt to grow the potatoes in containers but using a slightly different method.
The potting mix I devised for the other container growing I felt would be too wet & dense for potatoes.
So I have broken it down 50/50 with fine shredded sugar cane mulch, the type purchased in tight plastic bales from garden suppliers.
My potting mix recipe makes a fairly wet brew due to the inclusion of so much soaked coir so I didn't have to add anymore water when mixing the cane mulch through it.
I make up a 2gal bucket of this combo mix each time. I use a very large container to mix the cane mulch through the wet potting mix so I don't ruin the airiness & fluffiness of the potting mix. Then gently decant it into the bucket & I don't press it down when applying it to the potato plants.
My growing method is to place a layer of this mulch/potting mix combo in the bottom of the container, lay the sprouted potatoes ontop, then as the leaves grow, top up every couple of days to almost cover the leaves with more mulch/potting mix combo.
The pink container is half full now while the kipflers are lagging behind. They have shot but now having been placed in their pot, they are just sitting there. Maybe they need warmer weather or more moisture. I have the containers in a fairly sunny place where the sun shines on them from 9am to 3.30pm. Of course there is the shade from the slats but the soil is still warm.
So far I have only misted the pots 2-3times in total & only very lightly on the few very dry days.
There are no drainage holes in these pots although the old blue bucket I am using is cracked to halfway down from a previous batch of potatoes 4yrs ago.
The red Pontiacs are really taking their time to shoot. I hope they get on with it or they will be too late in their season.
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