Potato Towers II

[Harry]

I planted my first potato tower this year and so far all is going great. I planted both red potatoes and white potatoes. My question is can you plant sweet potatoes this way also. Would you just raise the runner up and keep filling with dirt like you do with the reg potatoes? Has anyone tried this? Am I crazy for wanting to do this? I heard that you can raise peanuts this way so I thought why not sweet potatoes.
Pop Moon

[jeffpcox]

What is a potato tower... never heard or seen of this before.. details please...

[benjieok]

I am glad to hear someone else tried a "tower". We always called them potato cages. Wire or even old Pallets made into a circle or square, plant seed potato around the bottom and as they grow keep adding dirt or mulch such as straw. You can grow a lot of potatoes in a small spot and normally produce more than if just planted in rows and hilled. They tend to dry out faster so you need to water a little more often. Very easy to harvest, just take down the wire and get your basket ready to fill. I have never done this with sweet potatoes but you will never know unless you try it.

[TC]

I am curious about his subject?
Is it too late to get one started for this year?
Any info on the amount of seed potatoes needed for a cage or tower would be appreciated?
I would like to know what size seems to work best also.
Thanks, TC

[Harry]

TC
I have been always told to get your potatoes planted by Feb. 14. I don't know why but my Grandad swore by this. This is my first yr to try this although I had an Uncle in Calf. That raised his this way for years. I didn't get mine planted till around the 14 of March. Mine are really growing and this yr I am only going 4 tires high. I am using old tires for my towers cause this is what my Uncle had used. From these post I have learned that you can use many ways to build your towers. I am doing it this yr. as a learning experence for next yr. I am also going to experiment with trying to grow sweetpotatoes this way as well and probly wont get them planted till the middle or last part of this month. I would say try them and see. They will be a little latter than the regular harvest but as long as you keep them watered so what. We are lucky here in Texas cause the growing season is longer than farther North. Only thing here that can hinder us is the long hot and dry season and bugs. Good luck if you try it. I will keep everyong posted as to my findings and how well my towers do.
H Moon Greenville Tx

[TC]

Correct me if I am wrong here:
1. I just make a circular cage out of wire or other material
2. Apply a nice organic pile of dirt in the bottom
3. Add seed potatoes
4. Cover the above with mulch
5. keep adding mulch as the plants grow

Sounds pretty cool. I may be late but I think I'll give it a try

[Harry]

TC
I think you got it. Be sure to keep moist.

[smallfriar]

Dirt Dobber,

Wonder what was so magical about Valentine's Day? I learned the same thing about potatoes from my grandfather (by way of my mother as he had passed on before I was old enough to garden). I still plant potatoes at the same time each year. I have not tried the tower method yet but may try it this year.

My grandfather also said to get onion transplants into the ground by the last day of January. This has worked well for me, too.