Thursday, September 19, 2019

Large scale potato bag experiment

Club members Geoff and Dee Carson decided to try growing potatoes in a livestock feed mini-tote (holds 1000 pounds of feed), as their 2019 garden experiment. 



On 23 May 2019, Geoff planted 5 whole "Yukon Gold" seed potatoes (about 3" long), bought from "North 40", into a soil mixture of "Byar's Special Compost", then added about 15% perlite, and some granular organic fertilizer.  










Geoff added more compost as the plants grew up into the sunlight, and watered daily until 28 August 2019, as the cubic yard of soil drained really well.  Shortly thereafter, Geoff raised the heavy tote into the air with his beloved tractor, cut open the tote, and harvested 14 pounds of medium-sized potatoes.  

Geoff suspects the spuds would have been larger and heavier had he continued watering the plants for another month - maybe next year.  Nice job Carsons, and thanks for the photographic reportage:

jim


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