Growing Potatoes in a Pot

Discussion in 'The Green Patch' started by Motomom34, Mar 8, 2017.


  1. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    I was looking for a simple clean way to grow potatoes in a small space. I have to be neat and I want things camouflaged. I found this video and the idea is interesting. Makes harvesting easy and simple, or at least it looks wonderful. Many of the videos are deceiving.



    I like this Nifty channel/site. Interesting ideas.
     
  2. chimo

    chimo the few, the proud, the jarhead monkey crowd

    Tully Mars likes this.
  3. Bandit99

    Bandit99 Monkey+++ Site Supporter+

    MM34... You know what my wife did last year and it turned out really well? She made a sack of Landscape Paper. You know that black paper they put down to keep the weeds from growing but allow water to pass through? I think that's what they call it but I am out of my pay grade here as I'm just the slave labor. So, she made these sack (not sure how she did it but can ask if you're interested) and she placed them all around wherever she had a small spot, big sacks, small sacks. We got tons of spuds! Cheap to do and very low-keyed, no planter or anything, stick them anywhere.
     
  4. Bandit99

    Bandit99 Monkey+++ Site Supporter+

    Yeah, we use old tires also, put some holes on the underside for better drainage...She grows something else in them also which I can't remember but they make a decent planter. We painted ours.
     
    Motomom34 likes this.
  5. Ura-Ki

    Ura-Ki Grampa Monkey

    I like that sack idea, something that can be grabbed and moved in a hurry! Will look into that, we have a lot of stuff growing that would be nice to be able to move around out side of the green house.
     
    Motomom34 likes this.
  6. Bandit99

    Bandit99 Monkey+++ Site Supporter+

    Yeah, I can't remember what she used to close the sack. I wrote her but won't know until late tonight. I am betting she folded it a special way...
     
    Last edited: Mar 8, 2017
  7. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    The problem is that I now live in HOA land and all things have to be pleasing to the eye. This pot idea will just look like a pot of greenery on the front stoop and show not raise any flags. I have seen other townhomes with large pots on the porch so I think I could mask some crops if I make it look pretty. I actually am enjoying the challenge of finding ways to hide in plain site.
     
  8. Ura-Ki

    Ura-Ki Grampa Monkey

    My Grand Mother used to hide herbs and such with Petunias ( I think) and I know my mom hides stuff with Mint ( Straw Berries) so might give that a look!
     
    Motomom34 and Bandit99 like this.
  9. Bandit99

    Bandit99 Monkey+++ Site Supporter+

    "The problem is that I now live in HOA land and all things have to be pleasing to the eye."
    Yeah, that's tough... I think your pot idea is a good one. I mean, are people going to get close enough to actually tell what they are? Besides, potatoes greenery is kind of pretty...
     
  10. T. Riley

    T. Riley Monkey+++

    I would like info on the sack method as well and a picture if possible.

    @Bandit99
     
    Mountain mama and Motomom34 like this.
  11. DKR

    DKR Raconteur of the first stripe

    I've used trashcans. You will have to split the container (30 gal or larger) into 3 'layers' - otherwise no sunshine will reach the spuds.

    As the plants get taller, add another layer (section) and more soil. Should be easy to get 50 lbs or more from a large trashcan. Use sticks inside the container to keep things together.

    Good luck, spuds is real food!
     
  12. DKR

    DKR Raconteur of the first stripe

    Just found this:

    The International Potato Center (CIP) launched a series of experiments to discover if potatoes can grow under Mars atmospheric conditions and thereby prove they are also able to grow in extreme climates on Earth. This Phase Two effort of CIP's proof of concept experiment to grow potatoes in simulated Martian conditions began on February 14, 2016 when a tuber was planted in a specially constructed CubeSat contained environment built by engineers from University of Engineering and Technology (UTEC) in Lima based upon designs and advice provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in Ames Research Center (NASA ARC), California. Preliminary results are positive.

    The Potatoes on Mars project was conceived by CIP to both understand how potatoes might grow in Mars conditions and also see how they survive in the extreme conditions similar to what parts of the world already suffering from climate change and weather shocks are already experiencing.

    "Growing crops under Mars-like conditions is an important phase of this experiment," says Julio Valdivia-Silva, a research associate with the SETI Institute who has worked at NASA's Ames Research Center (NASA ARC) and now works at UTEC in Lima. "If the crops can tolerate the extreme conditions that we are exposing them to in our CubeSat, they have a good chance to grow on Mars. We will do several rounds of experiments to find out which potato varieties do best. "We want to know what the minimum conditions are that a potato needs to survive," he said.

    The CubeSat houses a container holding soil and the tuber. Inside this hermetically sealed environment the CubeSat delivers nutrient rich water, controls the temperature for Mars day and night conditions and mimics Mars air pressure, oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. Sensors constantly monitor these conditions and live streaming cameras record the soil in anticipation of the potato sprouting.

    According to CIP potato breeder Walter Amoros, one advantage potato great genetic capacity for adaptation to extreme environments. CIP has tapped into that capacity by breeding potato clones that tolerate conditions such as soil salinity and drought, in order to help smallholder farmers grow food in marginal areas that could grow harsher under climate change.

    In 2016, CIP brought Mars analog soil from the Pampas de La Joya desert in Southern Peru to its experimental station in La Molina, Lima. There CIP was able to show proof that potatoes could grow in this dry, salty soil with some help from fertilized Earth soil for both nutrition and structure.

    "We have been looking at the very dry soils found in the southern Peruvian desert. These are the most Mars-like soils found on Earth." Chris McKay of NASA ARC. "This [research] could have a direct technological benefit on Earth and a direct biological benefit on Earth," says Chris McKay of NASA ARC

    From the initial experiment, CIP scientists concluded that future Mars missions that hope to grow potatoes will have to prepare soil with a loose structure and nutrients to allow the tubers to obtain enough air and water to allow it to tuberize.

    "It was a pleasant surprise to see that potatoes we've bred to tolerate abiotic stress were able to produce tubers in this soil," Amoros said. He added that one of the best performing varieties was very salt-tolerant from the CIP breeding program for adaptation to subtropical lowlands with tolerance to abiotic stress that was also recently released as a variety in Bangladesh for cultivation in coastal areas with high soil salinity.

    Amoros noted that whatever their implications for Mars missions, the experiments have already provided good news about potato's potential for helping people survive in extreme environments on Earth.

    "The results indicate that our efforts to breed varieties with high potential for strengthening food security in areas that are affected, or will be affected by climate change, are working," he said.

    The Potatoes on Mars project has been conducted by CIP with the advice of NASA ARC and construction of the CubeSat technology was done by student engineers and their advisors at UTEC. NASA and UTEC scientist Julio Valdivia-Silva collaborated extensively with teams of UTEC and CIP scientists on both phases of this experiment. He identified the soil from Pampas de La Joya desert and led the effort to construct the sophisticated CubeSat.

    If they can grow spuds on Mars,@Motomom stands a chance, 'eh?
     
    Motomom34, Ura-Ki and Tully Mars like this.
  13. Tully Mars

    Tully Mars Metal weldin' monkey

    The tire trick works VERY well, so I see no issue with the "flower" pots. I would say go as big as you think you can get away with. Some HOAs are more anal than others... I would shoot for what are commonly referred to as whiskey barrels if you have the room and there are no size issues from the libtards err, HOA. You will have much better results as they are deep enough to grow some good sized spuds(BTDT)
     
    Motomom34 and Ura-Ki like this.
  14. Meat

    Meat Monkey+++

    In Colorado, much like Washington, it's perfectly legal to grow potatoes in pot. You can marry your boyfriend too. Eww.
     
    Motomom34 likes this.
  15. chimo

    chimo the few, the proud, the jarhead monkey crowd

    HOA camo - put a junk car in your front yard, up on blocks. They are so fixated on the car that they don't notice other things. ;)
     
  16. arleigh

    arleigh Goophy monkey

    Some folk make a 3x3 x3 box "on wheels" that as the potatoes mature you can take boards off the sides at the level the potatoes are growing and not disturb the top at all . The box is rolled in and out every day as required.
     
    Motomom34 likes this.
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