I have a question about growing vegetables

[gufus]

What is the best way to grow tomatoes and potato plants?

I never have any luck with either one, I was told last year that I used to much cow manuer...lol

I plan to grow the veg. in containers this year so I can move them around, I hope that helps.


hugs

 

[moslowjj]

If you have no established garden plot, or if there just isn't enough available space within your garden, you can still grow a respectable crop of spuds, and do a little recycling at the same time. Potatoes thrive in the warm environment of a soil filled tire!
Four tires + Two pounds of seed potatoes + Good soil = 20-30 pounds of winter potatoes!
Pick a spot where you can stack your tires which is out of the way and preferably out of sight. Loosen the surface of the soil just enough to allow for drainage, and set your largest tire in place. Fill the inside of the tire casing loosely with good topsoil, and then set 3-4 potato seeds into the soil. (Use sticks or rocks to keep the casing rings spread open.) Add enough soil to the tire "hole" to bring it to the same level as the soil inside the tire.
When the new plants are eight inches tall, add another tire and soil to the stack, as in the first level. Repeat the process for your third, and if desired, fourth tires. As you add tires and soil to the stack, the 8" of the plant stalk is covered with soil. By doing this, the existing stalk essentially reverts to a root status and the plant is forced to grow upward to once again find the sunlight which it needs. (much like if you were to try to eliminate a dandelion by covering it with a scoop of soil) By raising the soil level this way (in 8" increments) the plant is able to continue growing without suffocation, and at the same time you are creating a 24-30" tap root from which many more lateral roots can develop. Each lateral root can then produce additional potatoes (at 3-4 levels rather than the normal single layer). When you water, be sure that the soil is thoroughly moistened all the way to the base of the pile.
The tires act as an insulator and heat "sink" for your potatoes. This added warmth will cause the lateral roots (where the new potatoes form) to multiply more rapidly, thereby giving you more potatoes. When you need fresh potatoes next fall and winter, harvest the crop from the top tire, and remove it from the pile. More potatoes??? Next tire...


Heres the site to read all about spuds. http://www.thegardenhelper.com/potato.html

For tomatoes I know they like full sun and I use a good bag soil for gardens. Hope this helps gufus...mos



:grow:grow:grow:grow:grow:grow

 

[gufus]

Thank you Jamie-I think I will try the tires for potatoes.
I don't have much room to grow anything thats why I am going with containers.:grow:grow

You are a sweetie..


hugs

 

[judyb57]

I used to have a giant garden every year when my kids were growing up and I canned what we didn't eat. I grew so many different things that I didn't want the potatoes taking up all the room so we used tires to plant them. Worked great.

 

[gufus]

I will try the tires since 2 people think its the way to go.

TY Judy:friends

hugs

 

[CALizzz]

Jamie is Da Kine gardener!!

He's the man I'd go to.

Home grown organic! Ya ya Ya!


XoX
Liz

Question.... Where do you get all the tires?? I have 4 and my car needs them!?!

Kind Love

 

[sorcer3ss (RETIRED)]

I'm not much of a vegie gardener but we had one house with a very large backyard so decided to plant potatoes one year, and I was interested to see that you talked about potato seeds, we used seed potatoes, which are potatoes with the eyes already growing, and you just cut them into about 4 pieces I think from memory, and off they went. We live in an area with clay soil, so the nutrients are great for clay and also breaking up the soil if you want to plant a garden afterwards.

 

[judyb57]

Yes hon, that is what he meant, lol not potato seeds.

 

[CALizzz]

I'm getting vegie/gardening envy!! Sorcer - I thought they were talking seeds too. But, you plant the potatoes when they have eyes??

I have great memories of planting with my Dad!!! By the time I was born we had an apricot tree, peach, nectarines, plums, blackberries and grapes. The grapes sucked- hate biting into a seed!!

When I was older, we even sprouted, planted pot!! My dad never smoked in his life. Came home from school one day- and they were all gone!! OMG!!

Couple months later I found the plants hanging in a closet! All leaf, but we were kids! lol! :swing

Cheers to my buds (no pun intended) :friends

XoX
Liz