When I decided to build a couple of potato towers a few months ago, I placed them off to the side of the house. The potato patch is sort of hidden actually, it is not something I notice everyday when I am out working in the raised garden beds. So I was a bit surprised when I rounded the corner and my former neat and tidy potato towers had gone wild.
Now what?
One Hundred Dollars a Month reader Christa {who had also planted a potato tower this spring} recently asked, ” I wonder if i should clip the growth coming out the side to promote vertical growth?”
Talk about perfect timing!
I have no idea what the correct answer is. But, Christa, were are going to find out. Together.
If you look closely you will notice I added another layer of dirt on top of the new potato leaves. Now normally I would have added straw to the sides to prevent the dirt from falling out. But since we are all out of straw, I just went ahead and used the protruding potato stems to act as a retainer for the dirt.
I did this with 2 of our 5 potato towers.
I have no idea if I just killed my potato plant, or if this will actually help the potatoes that are inside the tower to grow larger. What do YOU think? Will I see more potatoes because I clipped the excess leaves? Or did I just make a huge mistake?
If you would like to learn more about growing potatoes, check out the book The Complete Book of Potatoes: What Every Grower and Gardener Needs to Know
LisaB says
Excellent! You are supposed to bury them at certain intervals of growth and each time you bury them that is what will spark potatoes to grow there. For example burying every 6 inches should get you lots of little potatoes (only 6 inches between them for growth room) and if burying at 8 to 10 inches you should get fewer but bigger potatoes. I’ve got mine in plastic barrels. Good luck!
Mavis says
Lets hope it works! 🙂
Tracy says
I have “heard” that you should never cut or trim the foliage as it will affect the growth of the potatoes underground. My understanding goes along with LisaB when it comes to burying in intervals. We were going to make towers, but after much research decided we would get a better crop from our mounds in our raised beds. Our are going nuts too! Love it!
Good Luck sister!
Mavis says
Oh Boy! LOL
becca says
I am also doing a potato tower this year. We built it with a frame for added stability and went with the method of filling the whole tower up at once. I was/am very worried that we waited too long, planting a little over 1 week ago, and that I’ve done it wrong. I’m just starting to get foliage coming out – with two teeny starts out one side so I still have hope I didn’t screw up.
Either way – I have no advice to give you but do wish you luck! You are inspiring me to grow more food and I hope this year turns out a great harvest.
You can see our lone potato tower from the posts through this tag: http://smiles4u2have.blogspot.com/search/label/yard
Mavis says
Thanks Becca!
Katie says
We also did a tower this year. Filled the entire thing with layers of straw, compost, and seed potatoes. We are in SC, so we were able to start ours in February and just knocked over both towers last week. All the foliage had died back. We had success, but not as much as we could have. The compost really compacted over time and most of the potatoes were in the first 12-18″ of soil. The bottom was too dense. I think we would have had better luck with the technique you are using. And since we have time, we replanted and are going to do the layer by layer technique on the second set. The potatoes are formed at the nodes of the stem, so burying them encourages production. Looking forward to our 2nd harvest and seeing how you do!
Heather says
I have potatoes in the ground. Thinking of buidling a couple of towers .. too late???
CathyB says
I would think that clipping the foliage would not be helpful, as the leaves are what collect the energy from the sun which is eventually stored in the potatoes. So I would think that you would want to leave the excess foliage. But I am no expert – just thinking the process through out loud:)
Dawn says
haha, my potatoes kind of took over my garden. I didn’t know they were there (the landlords had thrown potatoes into the ground last year I think) until they had already started and I had planted my seeds already. So now I went and got the burlap sacks you had talked about and am about to transplant them. I did take two of them early on and put them in the ground (we have horrid clay soil here) they are sickly and small. Oh well, it was only two of the 8 plants. As it is I planted my whole garden and then got notice last week from our landlords that they are moving back in July 31st and aren’t renewing our lease. Well she will have a nice garden! My snap peas and sweet peas are so pretty right now. I will put my potatoes into my burlap and take them with me… I think I will transplant my tomato plants into pots too and take them with. I hope they survive! The kids love them….
Christa says
ok, so BEFORE reading your update i decided today to trim afew of my wild shoots coming out the sides of my tower. after reading some comments i fear i have made a mistake in doing so…. that being said…the ones that i cut had had some little sluggs (i believe) munching on them. so which is worse, cutting to try and get vertical growth, or cutting slugg damaged leaves???? i guess we will find out….lol. (fingerscrossed)
Mavis says
Yep, we are in this together. LOL… I only one way to find out for sure I guess. We will just have to wait. Yikes!