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Potatoes question: Im trying the pile on method to try to produce as many tatos as possible in one of those 5 gallon bags. How often should I pile on more? Like an inch a week? a few inches whenever I feel like it?
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Mar 5, 2021 05:25
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CommonShore posted:I asked the thread this a while ago: Makes sense, some people in the UK do crazy things with Leeks for similar reasons. Though whether it’s a good idea to put things in a trench depends on climate and soil a lot. “Forced” Rhubarb is a thing in some areas too, literally grown up through an old chimney to keep it pale and sweet.
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Mar 5, 2021 10:14
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My grandfather grew individual asparagus in plastic tubes with a sponge in the top for a similar effect, which was much less work than heaping up soil.
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Mar 5, 2021 13:21
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silicone thrills posted:Potatoes question: Im trying the pile on method to try to produce as many tatos as possible in one of those 5 gallon bags. How often should I pile on more? Like an inch a week? a few inches whenever I feel like it? I did something similar last year, and basically once a week I looked at it and would pile on more if the plant was a few inches above the current level, piling up to leave maybe an inch of the stem/leaves sticking up, until I hit the top of my buckets/containers. So not a set amount a week, just have to go by how much plant is sticking up at the time.
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Mar 5, 2021 15:11
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I remember reading about an Irish technique for potato cultivation that was similar, basically cut out a rectangle of turf and then flip it over like a pancake then plant in the trenches in between. Insulates the plants a bit and gives them a nice micro climate, plus when you're done you flip the turf back in and get the soil cover back.
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Mar 5, 2021 15:19
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Just remember that infinite mound of stem cover does not equal infinite potatoes, at least not for most varieties.
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Mar 5, 2021 15:36
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I watched a video that basically said not to do potatoes that way because you’re just covering the leaves that help the potato grow. Sounds like people’s experience here is different.
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Mar 5, 2021 15:45
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I don't have the link handy, but a helpful goon once pointed me toward an article that made a convincing case to mound only enough to protect the developing tubers from sun exposure (as sun exposure makes potatoes produce a toxic substance), so maybe 6 inches or so. Additional mounding won't help generate additional stolons (and thus potatoes), and there are no known studies showing otherwise. This applies to both determinate and indeterminate potatoes; the latter can grow larger potatoes if the season is long enough for them to do their thing (albeit while taking up more space, since the foliage will continue spreading out), but they won't grow additional stolons, even if mounded way up. I didn't do a deep dive into the concept beyond that article, but I've yet to find a video where someone uncovers their multiple tires of mounded potatoes and has loads of potatoes growing all up the tires, which you'd think would be very easy to find if that worked as well as people say it does. Most videos seem to show people stacking up their potato towers, but not following up with a harvest video, at least not one that shows the whole tower being full of potatoes. Anecdotally, the container potatoes we grew with loads of mounding (in some tall-rear end grow bags) did no better than the ones we grew with only a few inches of mounding (in shorter bags). I'll stop being lazy in a bit and go find the link. Shine fucked around with this message at 17:46 on Mar 5, 2021 |
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Mar 5, 2021 17:43
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Found it: https://www.cultivariable.com/potato-towers/
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Mar 5, 2021 17:45
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Any old heads ITT have any types for gardening during a cicada-pocalypse? Obviously you have to protect young trees and shrubs, but any other effects? Do they make good composting material? I remember they stink.
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Mar 5, 2021 18:19
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Shine posted:I don't have the link handy, but a helpful goon once pointed me toward an article that made a convincing case to mound only enough to protect the developing tubers from sun exposure (as sun exposure makes potatoes produce a toxic substance), so maybe 6 inches or so. Additional mounding won't help generate additional stolons (and thus potatoes), and there are no known studies showing otherwise. This applies to both determinate and indeterminate potatoes; the latter can grow larger potatoes if the season is long enough for them to do their thing (albeit while taking up more space, since the foliage will continue spreading out), but they won't grow additional stolons, even if mounded way up. this is basically what I was trying to say but I didn't have the right vocabulary at hand. So 
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Mar 5, 2021 18:23
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Chad Sexington posted:Any old heads ITT have any types for gardening during a cicada-pocalypse? No gardening specific tips, but two things to keep in mind are that cicadas are going to be mostly fat and protein (which means they're not going to compost well with traditional methods) and as a consequence they attract other animals (like raccoons). If you're feeling adventurous, they're edible if cooked.
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Mar 5, 2021 19:24
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poeticoddity posted:No gardening specific tips, but two things to keep in mind are that cicadas are going to be mostly fat and protein (which means they're not going to compost well with traditional methods) and as a consequence they attract other animals (like raccoons). but if you have a shellfish allergy you probably have a cicada allergy too
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Mar 5, 2021 19:27
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Shine posted:I don't have the link handy, but a helpful goon once pointed me toward an article that made a convincing case to mound only enough to protect the developing tubers from sun exposure (as sun exposure makes potatoes produce a toxic substance), so maybe 6 inches or so. Additional mounding won't help generate additional stolons (and thus potatoes), and there are no known studies showing otherwise. This applies to both determinate and indeterminate potatoes; the latter can grow larger potatoes if the season is long enough for them to do their thing (albeit while taking up more space, since the foliage will continue spreading out), but they won't grow additional stolons, even if mounded way up. Appreciate the info. I started them a little shallow so i'll build up a little bit more but wont worry about continuing to pile too much on.
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Mar 5, 2021 19:28
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Tunicate posted:but if you have a shellfish allergy you probably have a cicada allergy too I hadn't considered that. Good to know. 
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Mar 5, 2021 19:33
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Huh. Cool, I thought maybe we just weren't growing the right variety of potatoes to take advantage of grow bags and extra hilling. I stopped deep hilling several years ago because there didn't seem to be much point. We tried grow bags one year. They tended to fall over when they got too tall and dried out more between waterings than the beds. This led to soil cracking and gave click beetles paths to reach the tubers. Their wireworm larvae ruined everything in the bags. Meanwhile the potatoes growing in beds a few meters away had no wire worms.
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Mar 6, 2021 02:03
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poeticoddity posted:No gardening specific tips, but two things to keep in mind are that cicadas are going to be mostly fat and protein (which means they're not going to compost well with traditional methods) and as a consequence they attract other animals (like raccoons). Chickens love to eat cicadas. If you have a neighbor with chickens you could trade them for eggs!
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Mar 6, 2021 03:23
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Got into the garden again today. Mainly doing cleanup in prep for when I can actually plant. Got some more of my leaves cleaned up and chopped for using them as mulch. Attacked one of my boxwood bushes a little more and I think it’s finally in the shape I want it in. A lot of the yard was allowed to overgrow by previous owners and I’m paying the price. Not much planting, but did get two blueberry bushes planted. Indoors started some tomatoes, long green peppers, and poppies. Here’s hoping they start well. Now I’m planning on ordering at least three more raised beds!
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Mar 7, 2021 01:40
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I did get some planting done just as we got 20 minutes of rain. A couple varieties of pok choy, some radishes, and a bunch of peas that I hope germinate and if they do then I thin them and eat the pea shoots. Raised beds and the soil isn’t too cold, so hopefully they start okay. Next year I’ll do starters for some of the early greens so I can put out the plants and use a row cover. I’ll have to do cucumber and eggplant starts still, but everything else is started and the tomatoes are already transplanted into 4” pots. I’m hoping the clay in the raised beds doesn’t make this more difficult than it should be, but I have too many other projects that rebuilding garden beds isn’t going to work yet.
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Mar 7, 2021 02:07
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It sucks for the gardener, but it’s great for the plants to get stuff in the ground on rainy days.
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Mar 7, 2021 03:37
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Solkanar512 posted:It sucks for the gardener, but it’s great for the plants to get stuff in the ground on rainy days. Hah. That’s most days between October and April here. It’s not a deep heavy constant rain for hours, but it’ll rain for an hour or two regularly enough. I just managed to pick the time when it started and was done just before it ended. It then rained again a couple hours later. I didn’t need to water my winter garden at all and it grew pretty well. Just some of the radishes didn’t get enough warm/sun before the days got short. I will have to water things in the summer, but I’m going to run pipe and pump for easy water for a lot of the stuff from my rain barrel.
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Mar 7, 2021 04:03
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I'm building a raised bed with redwood boards. Is it worth it using some kind of wood sealer or preservative on the inside before adding soil?
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Mar 7, 2021 19:36
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FogHelmut posted:I'm building a raised bed with redwood boards. Is it worth it using some kind of wood sealer or preservative on the inside before adding soil? Not really, no.
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Mar 7, 2021 19:43
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Solkanar512 posted:It sucks for the gardener, but it’s great for the plants to get stuff in the ground on rainy days. Not good to work clay when it's wet though, if anyone else has soil like me.
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Mar 7, 2021 19:44
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FogHelmut posted:I'm building a raised bed with redwood boards. Is it worth it using some kind of wood sealer or preservative on the inside before adding soil? I would apply some outdoor deck sealant to the inside. You don't have to but this is the last time you're going to have easy access to the inside of that wood. Redwood will still rot eventually, even sealed, but to me it's worth the $30 to help it last as long as it can. It will stand up to getting rained on and poo poo for ages so the outside should be fine, but letting it sit against damp soil that you're going to be continually watering without additional sealant risks letting moisture hang around in it for long periods of time which is what will cause it to rot. Wallet fucked around with this message at 19:53 on Mar 7, 2021 |
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Mar 7, 2021 19:50
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Also considering polyethylene sheeting.
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Mar 7, 2021 21:02
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It’s pointless (the wood will be wet and in contact with the soil anyway) and I’d strongly question putting anything that isn’t food safe in contact with the soil if you’re growing anything edible. The wood will rot eventually, but you’ll probably be bored and want to change something by then. Plus you don’t really even need wood for raised beds anyway, it just makes them neater. I’m in the damp UK, wooden sides gives slugs a helpful place to hide, so I’m planning to just go without when my current beds give up the ghost.
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Mar 7, 2021 22:27
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Compost pile turning day. https://i.imgur.com/cnSX4Ru.gifv Always nice to see it working.
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Mar 7, 2021 22:33
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Fitzy Fitz posted:Not good to work clay when it's wet though, if anyone else has soil like me. Yep. Till this Piedmont clay when it's soaked and you might as well pave a garden. I'm in a pickle because I normally throw a couple tons of municipal compost at the garden every year but I'm pretty sure if I drive it down there I'll get stuck again. The cardboard we put down over winter is loving everywhere and I haven't even dragged the seed lights/mats out of the tobacco barn. I think I'm still burned out from last year. Edit: Motronic reminding me why I need to just get a tractor. Jerk. mischief fucked around with this message at 22:40 on Mar 7, 2021 |
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Mar 7, 2021 22:36
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mischief posted:Edit: Motronic reminding me why I need to just get a tractor. Jerk. You know how much easier it will make your life. Evan a very basic old boat anchor.
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Mar 7, 2021 22:59
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30 cubic feet of dirt looks a lot less impressive in the beds than it did on my driveway, but definitely feeling it all after running it up the hill in my backyard a wheelbarrow at a time. Turning the sod under these and leveling them was also a treat. Still to do: get some compost delivered to amend the soil in the beds and build the anti-deer fence.
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Mar 8, 2021 16:40
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Chad Sexington posted:the anti-deer fence a bullshit claim if I ever saw one
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Mar 8, 2021 16:50
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Ok Comboomer posted:a bullshit claim if I ever saw one I'm not saying it's going to work, but I have to try! I'm hoping that it's too small a space for them to be able to land, but I'll run the material over the top if it comes to that. Chad Sexington fucked around with this message at 17:27 on Mar 8, 2021 |
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Mar 8, 2021 17:23
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My poly tunnel has been ordered via my friend who has an industry connection! It shouldn't take too long for delivery and then we're going to put it up as soon as the ground is thawed enough to get a post hole digger into it.
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Mar 8, 2021 17:32
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Ended up ordering three more raised beds. Got the metal ones off Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08FC8242X/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08FC82RZD/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1). If you were thinking about ordering the second one I'd suggest getting your order in right now. Ordered yesterday and set to arrive in "four weeks" I won't be surprised if it's not here in four weeks with the way everything is going in supply chain management. Also ordered some coconut coir for those beds as I won't be watering those three beds as much since the hose isn't close to them. Probably a once a week watering verses every third day for my main garden area. I also bought 16 bags of the miracle grow in ground compost soil; 14 bags of 2ft^3 and 2 bags of 1.5ft^3. That was a lot of work to get it in the car, home, and unloaded. Menards has their 11% off right now so I made sure to buy from them. Grabbed some hardware for my espalier tree trellises too. Going to have to try to get that installed soon. Finally closed out the day with putting nine strawberry plants in. Was at Walmart and they had their bagged plants in. The last thing I needed to buy for my existing raised beds was strawberry plants. If the new raised beds come soon enough then I intend on putting potatoes and ginger in them and will have to buy those. Maybe some more onions too. I'm much happier now that I can be outside gardening again.
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Mar 8, 2021 17:58
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^^ Take pictures of the tunnel and post them. You have the sort of space I'll never have and I want to live vicariously. Chad Sexington posted:I'm not saying it's going to work, but I have to try! I'm hoping that it's too small a space for them to be able to land, but I'll run the material over the top if it comes to that. The original design spec for a Faraday cage was to keep deer out of gardens. Go with speed.
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Mar 8, 2021 17:58
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Jhet posted:^^ Take pictures of the tunnel and post them. You have the sort of space I'll never have and I want to live vicariously. I'll try to remember to do a bit of a photo diary for the thread. I've also decided, too, that my 3-4 year goal for this project is to learn about establishing this kind of greenhouse, so I can help other people do it too. I'm very closely modelling my plans on Red Gardens's "black plot polytunnel" and Charles Dowden's "New Polytunnel" approach, as well as that Zone 5 winter gardens guy who someone linked for me above. I'm actually planning to join the Red Gardens Patreon pretty soon, once I actually stop procrastinating and make a Patreon account to support a few internet people who I'm overdue to pay for all I've learned from them.
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Mar 8, 2021 18:10
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wooger posted:It’s pointless (the wood will be wet and in contact with the soil anyway) and I’d strongly question putting anything that isn’t food safe in contact with the soil if you’re growing anything edible. Yeah, I'd worry about poisoning the soil too. We're in an area of coastal British Columbia that the original British colonists found damp and oppressive. We've got 4 raised beds built from 2x10 untreated cedar that are seven years old now, no sign of major rot yet. At the price of cedar we probably won't replace all of them when they do rot. They make a significant difference growing sweetpotatoes though. An extra 2o soil temperature over the mounded raised beds makes for more and bigger tubers. We seem to have kept the slugs and snails at bay using cedar shavings on the border of the garden. It's starting to break down and the invasives are starting to invade. I'd really like to ship the green garden snails and black garden slugs back where they came from (Europe). Ok Comboomer posted:a bullshit claim if I ever saw one Maybe there's gun towers and claymores involved? Motronic posted:You know how much easier it will make your life. Evan a very basic old boat anchor. Oh hell yeah!
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Mar 8, 2021 18:43
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Just put 40 amish paste tomato seeds into 40 home-made soil blocks in a plastic tote and set them in a warm spot. It begins.
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Mar 10, 2021 03:09
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I anxiously await your post on canning all those tomatoes at the end of summer. Does sound like a ton of fun.
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Mar 10, 2021 03:30
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