I've been growing potatoes for many years and plant the usual way; I
plant them in a row, below ground level, and hill two or three times
during the growing season.

The other night we were watching a BBC series called "Foyle's War",
which takes place in England during WWII. In one scene, they were on a
farm where people were planting potatoes. They had plowed the field
with a newly acquired tractor into long, parallel ridges, about 2 feet
high and 3 feet apart, and were planting the seed potatoes along the
tops of the ridges. I guess the plan was that the plants would put
down roots into the ridges and produce tubers down there.

Would that really work or was this just poetic license of life on the
farm? I'd always heard that potato plants don't put out tubers below
the level of the original seed potatoe, hence the hilling to build the
ridges around the plants.

Paul

In article
,
Pavel314 wrote:

I've been growing potatoes for many years and plant the usual way; I
plant them in a row, below ground level, and hill two or three times
during the growing season.

The other night we were watching a BBC series called "Foyle's War",
which takes place in England during WWII. In one scene, they were on a
farm where people were planting potatoes. They had plowed the field
with a newly acquired tractor into long, parallel ridges, about 2 feet
high and 3 feet apart, and were planting the seed potatoes along the
tops of the ridges. I guess the plan was that the plants would put
down roots into the ridges and produce tubers down there.

Would that really work or was this just poetic license of life on the
farm? I'd always heard that potato plants don't put out tubers below
the level of the original seed potatoe, hence the hilling to build the
ridges around the plants.

Paul

Other than that, "Foyle's War" is a great series. The potato planting
seems a bit whacked though.
--
³When you give food to the poor, they call you a saint. When you ask why the poor have no food, they call you a communist.²
-Archbishop Helder Camara

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satelli...cle%2FShowFull
http://countercurrents.org/roberts020709.htm

Pavel314 wrote:
I've been growing potatoes for many years and plant the usual way; I
plant them in a row, below ground level, and hill two or three times
during the growing season.

The other night we were watching a BBC series called "Foyle's War",
which takes place in England during WWII. In one scene, they were on a
farm where people were planting potatoes. They had plowed the field
with a newly acquired tractor into long, parallel ridges, about 2 feet
high and 3 feet apart, and were planting the seed potatoes along the
tops of the ridges. I guess the plan was that the plants would put
down roots into the ridges and produce tubers down there.


Perhaps they screenwriter was incompetent or subtly trying to say that the
planters were incompetent. During those times all kinds of people had to
substitute for workers who had gone to war so they didn't necessarily know
what they were doing to start with.

Would that really work or was this just poetic license of life on the
farm? I'd always heard that potato plants don't put out tubers below
the level of the original seed potatoe, hence the hilling to build the
ridges around the plants.

Paul

You are correct. Plant them in holes or trenches.

David

"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...

You are correct. Plant them in holes or trenches.

I just laid mine on top of the ground and covered them with straw. Worked
perfectly, and they weren't even dirty when I harvested them!
--S.

In article
,
Wildbilly wrote:

In article
,
Pavel314 wrote:

I've been growing potatoes for many years and plant the usual way; I
plant them in a row, below ground level, and hill two or three times
during the growing season.

The other night we were watching a BBC series called "Foyle's War",
which takes place in England during WWII. In one scene, they were on a
farm where people were planting potatoes. They had plowed the field
with a newly acquired tractor into long, parallel ridges, about 2 feet
high and 3 feet apart, and were planting the seed potatoes along the
tops of the ridges. I guess the plan was that the plants would put
down roots into the ridges and produce tubers down there.

Would that really work or was this just poetic license of life on the
farm? I'd always heard that potato plants don't put out tubers below
the level of the original seed potatoe, hence the hilling to build the
ridges around the plants.

Paul

Other than that, "Foyle's War" is a great series. The potato planting
seems a bit whacked though.

Stick it the ground or cover it with leaves or just let it be about .
Stuff that wants to grow will getting out of the way vs helping all
human constructs.

Chase The Clouds Away 4:52 Chuck Mangione Chase The Clouds Away
Jazz 100 30 11/5/09 8:40 AM

Bill

--
Garden in shade zone 5 S Jersey USA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM deals with Sugars

Suzanne D. wrote:
"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...

You are correct. Plant them in holes or trenches.

I just laid mine on top of the ground and covered them with straw.
Worked perfectly, and they weren't even dirty when I harvested them!
--S.

how deep was the straw?

David

"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...
Suzanne D. wrote:
"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...

You are correct. Plant them in holes or trenches.

I just laid mine on top of the ground and covered them with straw. Worked
perfectly, and they weren't even dirty when I harvested them!
--S.

how deep was the straw?

About 18 inches (45 cm). I piled it up little by little as the plants grew,
to within 5 inches of the top of the plants. When I needed potatoes, I just
moved the straw over to the side and picked some up from the ground.
--S.

"Suzanne D." wrote:

When I needed potatoes, I just
moved the straw over to the side and picked some up from the ground.

Ruth Stout lives!


Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic
Zone 5/6 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G

Suzanne D. wrote:
"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...
Suzanne D. wrote:
"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...

You are correct. Plant them in holes or trenches.

I just laid mine on top of the ground and covered them with straw.
Worked perfectly, and they weren't even dirty when I harvested them!
--S.

how deep was the straw?

About 18 inches (45 cm). I piled it up little by little as the
plants grew, to within 5 inches of the top of the plants. When I
needed potatoes, I just moved the straw over to the side and picked
some up from the ground. --S.

But you wouldn't plant the seed taters on a ridge described by the OP
without the straw would you. The deep straw has the same effect (dark,
nutrients, moisture) as burying them, I think we are describing two ways to
do the same thing rather than opposites. I like the idea of not having to
dig them but I have plenty of soil and not so much straw.


David

The other night we were watching a BBC series called "Foyle's War",
which takes place in England during WWII. In one scene, they were on a
farm where people were planting potatoes. They had plowed the field
with a newly acquired tractor into long, parallel ridges, about 2 feet
high and 3 feet apart, and were planting the seed potatoes along the
tops of the ridges. I guess the plan was that the plants would put
down roots into the ridges and produce tubers down there.


If I had a wet field I might do it this way.

g'day paul,

our preffered method returns a 5:1 ratio is simple as see our site for
our instant potato patch, ths way we utilise winter lawn space instead
of doing any digging or using needed garden space used for brassica's.
the lawn returns quickly the next summer season.

http://www.lensgarden.com.au/instant_potato_patch.htm

happy new year

On Fri, 1 Jan 2010 12:44:47 -0800 (PST), Pavel314
wrote:

snipped
--

len

With peace and brightest of blessings,

"Be Content With What You Have And
May You Find Serenity and Tranquillity In
A World That You May Not Understand."

http://www.lensgarden.com.au/

"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...

But you wouldn't plant the seed taters on a ridge described by the OP
without the straw would you.

No, I guess not. I was being conversational at this time rather than
helpful to the OP!

The deep straw has the same effect (dark,
nutrients, moisture) as burying them, I think we are describing two ways
to do the same thing rather than opposites. I like the idea of not having
to dig them but I have plenty of soil and not so much straw.

Our soil is heavy clay, so it's hard to grow things that need a lot of
underground space. The straw method (actually lots of old mowed grass)
worked best for us. Now, if someone can tell me how to grow carrots
aboveground, I'd be very appreciative!
--S.

"Suzanne D." wrote:

Now, if someone can tell me how to grow carrots
aboveground, I'd be very appreciative!

Not exactly aboveground, but this worked well for me with some pretty big
Daikons:

Make a couple of passes down the future row with the rototiller so the soil
is nice and soft; till about 3' wide (with my soil, "soft" is relative).
Then, walking to each side of the row, pull soil to the center with a hoe.
You should wind up with a raised ridge a bit over a foot high, and much
lighter than what passes for dirt around here.
Plant along the top of the ridge. Not as much work as you might thing; I
did a couple of 30-foot rows in less than a half hour each.
The roots did famously, and I might even get brave and try carrots next
summer!


Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic
Zone 5/6 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G

"Gary Woods" wrote in message
...
"Suzanne D." wrote:

Now, if someone can tell me how to grow carrots
aboveground, I'd be very appreciative!

Not exactly aboveground, but this worked well for me with some pretty big
Daikons:

Make a couple of passes down the future row with the rototiller so the
soil
is nice and soft;

BZZZT! Thanks, but our soil is heavy clay, and rototilling it just compacts
it more. I never had "nice and soft" soil when I tilled it; it was only
after I stopped tilling and started to build my own soil with organic stuff
did it finally become plantable. I did try carrots in it back when it was
only clay, and they looked like little radishes!
--S.

In article ,
"Suzanne D." wrote:

"Gary Woods" wrote in message
...
"Suzanne D." wrote:

Now, if someone can tell me how to grow carrots
aboveground, I'd be very appreciative!

Not exactly aboveground, but this worked well for me with some pretty big
Daikons:

Make a couple of passes down the future row with the rototiller so the
soil
is nice and soft;

BZZZT! Thanks, but our soil is heavy clay, and rototilling it just compacts
it more. I never had "nice and soft" soil when I tilled it; it was only
after I stopped tilling and started to build my own soil with organic stuff
did it finally become plantable. I did try carrots in it back when it was
only clay, and they looked like little radishes!
--S.

Buckwheat, and rye can do wonders to clay soil. I grow it until May,
when I plant, cover it over with alfalfa, water, and wait two weeks
before I plant. When I pull weeds, nearly all the roots come up.
--
³When you give food to the poor, they call you a saint. When you ask why the poor have no food, they call you a communist.²
-Archbishop Helder Camara

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satelli...cle%2FShowFull
http://countercurrents.org/roberts020709.htm