tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3161424655689380473.post802233633304500711..comments2024-03-26T06:30:07.649-05:00Comments on Green Roof Growers: Potato Box - An ExperimentBrucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04901484046810490059noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3161424655689380473.post-43193677214336509992009-07-23T09:22:28.541-05:002009-07-23T09:22:28.541-05:00Babel Fish does a pretty decent job of translating...Babel Fish does a pretty decent job of translating. Here's the site Bruce shared translated into English - http://bit.ly/8Iko5. Thanks for the link Bruce!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15290946163893486781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3161424655689380473.post-27132986687838235412009-07-22T13:34:12.143-05:002009-07-22T13:34:12.143-05:00If you speak french, check out this site. Plenty ...If you speak french, check out this <a href="http://forums.lesinsoumis.org/viewtopic.php?f=168&t=2411" rel="nofollow">site.</a> Plenty of good pictures, including a series showing potatoes grown in a straw pile held together with branches.Brucehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04901484046810490059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3161424655689380473.post-7964411083328437772009-07-16T06:09:22.055-05:002009-07-16T06:09:22.055-05:00how is this potato box growing? can we see some u...how is this potato box growing? can we see some updated pictures.<br /><br />I'd like to do this next year.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15709101959271607476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3161424655689380473.post-52794034197164067872009-06-15T22:32:35.529-05:002009-06-15T22:32:35.529-05:00I am doing this using the smart pots. However, I ...I am doing this using the smart pots. However, I am wondering if these are going to be tall enough. Anyone have any innovative ideas on how to add on height to these? Knock wood, my spuds have had a recent growth surge. <br /><br />For whatever my research might be worth to Summerbean: I planted one planter of mid-season reds and one planter of late season fingerlings. I read on one or two of the many potato box blogs that this planting method will work with mid season potatoes as well-- I too had unwittingly purchased some mid-season potatoes and was concerned.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3161424655689380473.post-27007929068266445982009-05-28T08:48:07.397-05:002009-05-28T08:48:07.397-05:00Hi Rich,
Thanks for the update.
I'm trying potat...Hi Rich,<br /><br />Thanks for the update.<br /><br />I'm trying potatoes this year for the same reason - they seem more substantial/nutritionally dense than everything else I'm growing. <br /><br />I can't plant acres of wheat or miles of beans. Potatoes are manageable.Brucehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04901484046810490059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3161424655689380473.post-20558506583550113792009-05-28T01:19:04.542-05:002009-05-28T01:19:04.542-05:00Hi Bruce, I had communicated with you last year th...Hi Bruce, I had communicated with you last year through Flickr regarding my small rooftop garden near UIC. I grew about 10 buckets of potatoes last year, half on my roof and half on my back patio area. I suspect they don't yeild as well as if they had more root space, but I got 4 or 5 decent potatoes per bucket and a bunch of small ones (which I just rinsed off and through into soups or stew). I started them kind of late around this time last year. I had filled the bucket about half full, and added dirt as the leaves and branches grew, analogous to an article I had read from a fellow growing them in old tires. <br />http://www.flickr.com/photos/richhagen/2622487691/<br />Those were Russet potatoes and not seed potatoes, just some that had sat long enough to start to grow, so I planted them. I still have some from last year canned in my cabinets. This year I have been busily converting all of my buckets to the double bucket sub-irrigated variety, and plan to grow potatoes again as well, about 10 buckets worth again if I can manage, although I do not have them in yet. I like the idea of growing potatoes, because with them and some other vegetables I can basically make a hearty meal from stuff I've grown. RichUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01676490108965709539noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3161424655689380473.post-37290373036554516432009-05-24T16:07:02.008-05:002009-05-24T16:07:02.008-05:00Hi Summerbeam,
Trial and error, isn't it. If I r...Hi Summerbeam,<br /><br />Trial and error, isn't it. If I remember/have enough energy, I'll do a post in the fall on my results. I'm curious to hear what other methods yield, hope you leave a comment there. <br /><br />Hi Lauren,<br /><br />Well, I don't really know. This is the first year for me.<br /><br />I'm using 1 year old potting mix that my neighbor was throwing out. (Thanks Charlie!) To that I'll add maybe a gallon of earthworm castings that I got from <A HREF="http://greenroofgrowers.blogspot.com/2009/03/making-sips-at-chicagos-greenhouses-of.html" REL="nofollow">Nance Klehm</A> and some Espoma 5-3-3 tone.<br /><br />The link to Sinfonian mentions he uses--I think--a souped up potting mix plus some 15-15-15 fertilizer.Brucehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04901484046810490059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3161424655689380473.post-16124085329238527662009-05-23T16:50:54.785-05:002009-05-23T16:50:54.785-05:00Hi Bruce,
What soil and fertilizer did you find w...Hi Bruce, <br />What soil and fertilizer did you find was appropriate for the box? Thank you, LaurenAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3161424655689380473.post-18996163945356820022009-05-22T21:29:29.109-05:002009-05-22T21:29:29.109-05:00I started some in empty feed sacks this spring. I ...I started some in empty feed sacks this spring. I didn't know about the need to use late season potato varieties, though...I'm pretty sure I used a mid-season potato. We'll see how it goes/grows!folk cityhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06871536584829723249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3161424655689380473.post-91012160214580442072009-05-13T14:35:00.000-05:002009-05-13T14:35:00.000-05:00Thanks for the compliment Chris.
I'm fascinated b...Thanks for the compliment Chris.<br /><br />I'm fascinated by all the little 'tricks' that I'm learning about growing food. Potatoes in a box, or bag, is the latest one.<br /><br />Zane,<br /><br />You're right about the soil spilling out. My thought was by the time I open the bin in the fall, all the plants surrounding the box will have died away, and so it won't matter that they're covered in dirt.Brucehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04901484046810490059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3161424655689380473.post-60413391623413397652009-05-13T06:36:00.000-05:002009-05-13T06:36:00.000-05:00I am using exactly that a potato bag or a smart po...I am using exactly that a potato bag or a smart pot to grow mine. It is essentially the same idea. I found mine online and purchased them. However it is exactly the same idea. Pile up a little dirt when the stems reach about 9-10 inches tall and continue to do so till you get to the top. BTW all three of your rooftop gardens look great.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18245277069908630941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3161424655689380473.post-16903329777484375132009-05-12T14:43:00.000-05:002009-05-12T14:43:00.000-05:00Hmm. Seems like you could also do this with some ...Hmm. Seems like you could also do this with some kind of bag, and if you sewed in sleeves/tubes periodically, that you could tie off, and then untie when you wanted to reach in and root around for a spud, you wouldn't have to worry about soil falling out when you pry off the boards.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3161424655689380473.post-44225027333779245782009-05-11T21:38:00.000-05:002009-05-11T21:38:00.000-05:00We'll be over later this summer with something to ...We'll be over later this summer with something to trade for a few of those spuds, Bruce. Nice box!H2https://www.blogger.com/profile/05697081429612903875noreply@blogger.com