Growing potatoes in bags part 1

This is something I'm trying out this year. I got the idea from the idea of raising potatoes in tires. I didn't have a bunch of old tires sitting around, (nor did I really want them!), so when I saw these bags advertised at Farmtek.com for $8.95 each, I thought they might do the trick. And in the Fall, when the potatoes are done growing and harvested, I can use them for leaves too. Also, I read an article on the Backwoodshome magazine site about raising potatoes in straw and composted manure. . . Hmmm. So, here I am combining the two -- raising
potatoes "vertically" by mulching them with some some waste hay with goat manure mixed in. Here is the addy for the article on raising potatoes in straw: http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/salloum100.html

I'm always lookiing for ways to garden in less space as well as something easier than conventional gardening.
Hopefully, this experiment will have me harvesting lots of delicious, Yukon Gold potatoes. Follow along and see if the results will be feast. . . or folly. : )

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• growing potatoes
• homesteading
• hobby farming
• gardening
• Michigan
• zone 5
• no til gardening
• lasagna gardening

[DoctorsWife56]

You can see Sarah's videos @

exploreourplanet(dot)org

[Michigansnowpony]

Oh! Good to know! Thanks so much for posting this.

-- Renee

[daafies]

"cook" the soil? interesting. And what would you put the soil into? and for how long and how high will the oven have to be set? :) sorry for all this questions. I have a tiny yard, and pretty much everything that I've planted are in containers.

[Michigansnowpony]

Well, as I said, Sarah who had the Pioneerliving channel on youtube took down her videos showing this, BUT I did some research and this is what I found:

You spread your soil (with roots, vegetable matter removed ) out in a deep baking pan no more than 4" deep, covering it tightly with tinfoil and a meat thermometer stuck in it. Then, you "cook" it at approx. 180 degrees for 1/2 an hour. You don't want your soil to get above 200 degrees however (hence the thermometer). cont. . . .

[Michigansnowpony]

cont. . . .

If your soil gets above 200 degrees, it gets "toxic" to plants. If you suspect it got too hot, you can always test it by trying to germinate radish or some other seeds in it. If they don't grow, the soil is likely toxic and has to be discarded. (But I wouldn't think it would be too hard to avoid over-heating). So there you go. Good for you growing what you can in containers! Many plants do amazingly well that way -- more people should try it!

[mrshammer516]

great video. Now i know what to do this spring with our potatoes!!! :) thanks for showing us your results!!!

[cousin229]

@DoctorsWife56 Thank you for posting Sarah's address!

[cousin229]

@Michigansnowpony oh I love Sarah's videos too she has some videos back in youtube by find her by searching by "explore our world"

[CynthiaZenn]

I love the nail idea!

[Michigansnowpony]

Well, the bags are completely let out now and there's leaves poking out of the top. I too, am very eager to see how many potatoes we get from each bag. . . . I hope this experiment works! But, if it doesn't, at least I can tell people what NOT to do. : )