Another dumb potato idea...

MawkHawk · February 7, 2007

I'm wondering if I could take some of these containers:

http://www.mortonproducts.com/page.cfm/1480

cut the bottoms off then dig a hole a few inches down, stick the pot in there, plant potatoes at the bottom, then fill the pots with soil or mulch as the plants grow. Would this work as alternative to the usual hilling method?

Worth1 · February 7, 2007

If the pots aren’t buried all of the way would the sun heat up said containers and cause the potatoes to not make as well due to the increased temperatures the sun would cause to them?
If this is not so then I don’t see why not.

Worth

MawkHawk · February 7, 2007

Worth, that is a good point. I'm hoping Mr. Wagner can chime in.

**Tom Wagner** · February 7, 2007

At various times, I have grown potatoes in 1 gal. containers. The black pots do heat up a bit, but it helps if they are side by side. I like the idea of being buried in the soil as that aids in avoiding too dry of soil in the container. If the seed piece is not planted too close to the bottom of the pot, harvest is easy. Too far down and tubers form outside the vent holes.

If you have plenty of space outdoors, I wouldn't do this container thing unless space, time, and isolation is of utmost importance. Greenhouse growing in containers works good for increase of stock, but I wouldn't count on it as a superior method of producing potatoes to eat.

Tom

MawkHawk · February 8, 2007

Tom, thanks again for another quick and intelligent reply.

February 7, 2007	#1
MawkHawk Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Metro Detroit/Z6 Posts: 168	Another dumb potato idea... I'm wondering if I could take some of these containers: http://www.mortonproducts.com/page.cfm/1480 cut the bottoms off then dig a hole a few inches down, stick the pot in there, plant potatoes at the bottom, then fill the pots with soil or mulch as the plants grow. Would this work as alternative to the usual hilling method? __________________ Mark

February 7, 2007	#3
MawkHawk Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Metro Detroit/Z6 Posts: 168	Worth, that is a good point. I'm hoping Mr. Wagner can chime in. __________________ Mark

February 8, 2007	#5
MawkHawk Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Metro Detroit/Z6 Posts: 168	Tom, thanks again for another quick and intelligent reply. __________________ Mark

February 7, 2007	#2
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	If the pots aren’t buried all of the way would the sun heat up said containers and cause the potatoes to not make as well due to the increased temperatures the sun would cause to them? If this is not so then I don’t see why not. Worth

February 7, 2007	#4
Tom Wagner Crosstalk™ Forum Moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: 8407 18th Ave West 7-203 Everett, Washington 98204 Posts: 1,157	At various times, I have grown potatoes in 1 gal. containers. The black pots do heat up a bit, but it helps if they are side by side. I like the idea of being buried in the soil as that aids in avoiding too dry of soil in the container. If the seed piece is not planted too close to the bottom of the pot, harvest is easy. Too far down and tubers form outside the vent holes. If you have plenty of space outdoors, I wouldn't do this container thing unless space, time, and isolation is of utmost importance. Greenhouse growing in containers works good for increase of stock, but I wouldn't count on it as a superior method of producing potatoes to eat. Tom