The "Great Potato Experiment" has drawn to a close and we came to a few interesting conclusions. If you recall back from blog post, dated 3/14/2011, I planted some seed potatoes in a garbage can cut in half. I also planted a handful directly into a raised bed. I waited for the green tops to flower and start to die off pretty good before harvesting.
As you can see in the pictures below, I easily pulled the garbage can off the potatoes and broke apart the mound. There were a decent amount of potatoes, but seemed smaller than the ones that I planted directly into the ground. Also, I found significant ant damage to many of the potatoes in both circumstances. Will treat soil with DE (Diatamcious Earth) next time I plant. If I had a garden with limited planting space, I would recommend using the garbage can situation. But I think next spring, I will devote more bed space to my plantings. I still will use the garbage cans. Another factor in regards to potato size may be that I need to get them planted sooner. It got very warm down here early and that may have effected the potato. We have eaten about half of them, and they were extraodinarily creamy and yummy!!!! Just as I had hoped. The thought of eating our own organic potatoes made us "giddy"! Grocery store potatoes are one of those vegetables that are inundated with chemicals.
As you can see in the pictures below, I easily pulled the garbage can off the potatoes and broke apart the mound. There were a decent amount of potatoes, but seemed smaller than the ones that I planted directly into the ground. Also, I found significant ant damage to many of the potatoes in both circumstances. Will treat soil with DE (Diatamcious Earth) next time I plant. If I had a garden with limited planting space, I would recommend using the garbage can situation. But I think next spring, I will devote more bed space to my plantings. I still will use the garbage cans. Another factor in regards to potato size may be that I need to get them planted sooner. It got very warm down here early and that may have effected the potato. We have eaten about half of them, and they were extraodinarily creamy and yummy!!!! Just as I had hoped. The thought of eating our own organic potatoes made us "giddy"! Grocery store potatoes are one of those vegetables that are inundated with chemicals.
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