• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • Carla Burke
  • Nancy Reading
  • r ranson
  • John F Dean
  • Timothy Norton
  • paul wheaton
  • Jay Angler
stewards:
  • Pearl Sutton
  • Anne Miller
  • Tereza Okava
master gardeners:
  • Christopher Weeks
gardeners:
  • M Ljin
  • Matt McSpadden
  • Megan Palmer

Soil coverage of growing potatoes

 
Posts: 14
6
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Hey Permies!
I am growing potatoes for the first time and am using a grow bag.
My potatoes seem to have sprouted fairly well, but are poorly synchronized.
I have several plants that are 1-2 inches high and a couple others that are above 6 inches and are in definite need of additional soil coverage.
Because it's a grow bag (on the smaller side at 15 gal capacity), I am concerned about covering up the shorter plants, since it will be tough to do right by the biggies and not bury the smaller plants.
Should I be worried about this, or just let the faster growing ones drive the soil addition and not worry about completely covering the smaller plants?
Thanks!
Russ
 
pollinator
Posts: 357
Location: 2300' elev., southern oregon
115
forest garden fungi foraging trees food preservation cooking building solar woodworking wood heat homestead
  • Likes 3
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Howdy,
I have never used grow bags. My experience with potatoes in my garden has been to always cover with mulch instead of soil as my garden soil is heavy with clay silt and always needs more organic fill material. I have potatoes that seed themselves, come back every year, even though I do try and remove all potatoes. So, like now I have potatoes sprouting near the top of soil and  I just keep mulching with leaves, hay, grass clippings, etc and potatoes do fine.
 
master pollinator
Posts: 2021
Location: Ashhurst New Zealand (Cfb - oceanic temperate)
647
duck trees chicken cooking wood heat woodworking homestead
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Similar advice here...I just go for mulch and lots of it. Potatoes love wood chips. Pile it on deep.
 
pollinator
Posts: 5520
Location: Canadian Prairies - Zone 3b
1519
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Personally, I wouldn't worry about covering up the smaller potato shoots. They will punch through just fine.

Potatoes are tough. Because we plant unusual varieties, we use old spuds from the previous year as seed. And because our storage space is currently suboptimal, they develop shoots that are 2' long. No problem -- we plant the tuber and chop off the excess shoots at soil level. They adapt and grow just fine. If we don't chop off the excess shoots, it seems they waste energy and struggle trying to maintain them.

 
steward
Posts: 17651
Location: USDA Zone 8a
4523
dog hunting food preservation cooking bee greening the desert
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Since you chose to use grow bags why nor finish these to see that happens!
 
Liar, liar, pants on fire! refreshing plug:
List of Rocket Mass Heater Builders
https://permies.com/wiki/122347/List-Rocket-Mass-Heater-Builders
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic