I've been growing potatoes for many years and plant the usual way; I
plant them in a row, below ground level, and hill two or three times
during the growing season.
The other night we were watching a BBC series called "Foyle's War",
which takes place in England during WWII. In one scene, they were on a
farm where people were planting potatoes. They had plowed the field
with a newly acquired tractor into long, parallel ridges, about 2 feet
high and 3 feet apart, and were planting the seed potatoes along the
tops of the ridges. I guess the plan was that the plants would put
down roots into the ridges and produce tubers down there.
Would that really work or was this just poetic license of life on the
farm? I'd always heard that potato plants don't put out tubers below
the level of the original seed potatoe, hence the hilling to build the
ridges around the plants.
Paul
Posted by Wildbilly on January 1, 2010, 4:03 pm
In article
> I've been growing potatoes for many years and plant the usual way; I > plant them in a row, below ground level, and hill two or three times > during the growing season. > > The other night we were watching a BBC series called "Foyle's War", > which takes place in England during WWII. In one scene, they were on a > farm where people were planting potatoes. They had plowed the field > with a newly acquired tractor into long, parallel ridges, about 2 feet > high and 3 feet apart, and were planting the seed potatoes along the > tops of the ridges. I guess the plan was that the plants would put > down roots into the ridges and produce tubers down there. > > Would that really work or was this just poetic license of life on the > farm? I'd always heard that potato plants don't put out tubers below > the level of the original seed potatoe, hence the hilling to build the > ridges around the plants. > > Paul
Other than that, "Foyle's War" is a great series. The potato planting
seems a bit whacked though.
--
³When you give food to the poor, they call you a saint. When you ask why the
poor have no food, they call you a communist.²
-Archbishop Helder Camara
Posted by Bill who putters on January 1, 2010, 5:47 pm
In article
> In article > > > I've been growing potatoes for many years and plant the usual way; I > > plant them in a row, below ground level, and hill two or three times > > during the growing season. > > > > The other night we were watching a BBC series called "Foyle's War", > > which takes place in England during WWII. In one scene, they were on a > > farm where people were planting potatoes. They had plowed the field > > with a newly acquired tractor into long, parallel ridges, about 2 feet > > high and 3 feet apart, and were planting the seed potatoes along the > > tops of the ridges. I guess the plan was that the plants would put > > down roots into the ridges and produce tubers down there. > > > > Would that really work or was this just poetic license of life on the > > farm? I'd always heard that potato plants don't put out tubers below > > the level of the original seed potatoe, hence the hilling to build the > > ridges around the plants. > > > > Paul > > Other than that, "Foyle's War" is a great series. The potato planting > seems a bit whacked though.
Stick it the ground or cover it with leaves or just let it be about .
Stuff that wants to grow will getting out of the way vs helping all
human constructs.
Chase The Clouds Away 4:52 Chuck Mangione Chase The Clouds Away
Jazz 100 30 11/5/09 8:40 AM
Bill
--
Garden in shade zone 5 S Jersey USA
deals with Sugars
Posted by David Hare-Scott on January 1, 2010, 4:41 pm
Pavel314 wrote:
> I've been growing potatoes for many years and plant the usual way; I > plant them in a row, below ground level, and hill two or three times > during the growing season. > The other night we were watching a BBC series called "Foyle's War", > which takes place in England during WWII. In one scene, they were on a > farm where people were planting potatoes. They had plowed the field > with a newly acquired tractor into long, parallel ridges, about 2 feet > high and 3 feet apart, and were planting the seed potatoes along the > tops of the ridges. I guess the plan was that the plants would put > down roots into the ridges and produce tubers down there.
Perhaps they screenwriter was incompetent or subtly trying to say that the
planters were incompetent. During those times all kinds of people had to
substitute for workers who had gone to war so they didn't necessarily know
what they were doing to start with.
> Would that really work or was this just poetic license of life on the > farm? I'd always heard that potato plants don't put out tubers below > the level of the original seed potatoe, hence the hilling to build the > ridges around the plants. > Paul
You are correct. Plant them in holes or trenches.
David
Posted by Suzanne D. on January 1, 2010, 4:58 pm
> You are correct. Plant them in holes or trenches.
I just laid mine on top of the ground and covered them with straw. Worked
perfectly, and they weren't even dirty when I harvested them!
--S.
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> plant them in a row, below ground level, and hill two or three times
> during the growing season.
>
> The other night we were watching a BBC series called "Foyle's War",
> which takes place in England during WWII. In one scene, they were on a
> farm where people were planting potatoes. They had plowed the field
> with a newly acquired tractor into long, parallel ridges, about 2 feet
> high and 3 feet apart, and were planting the seed potatoes along the
> tops of the ridges. I guess the plan was that the plants would put
> down roots into the ridges and produce tubers down there.
>
> Would that really work or was this just poetic license of life on the
> farm? I'd always heard that potato plants don't put out tubers below
> the level of the original seed potatoe, hence the hilling to build the
> ridges around the plants.
>
> Paul