Monday, May 2, 2011

Potato Twin Towers

A recent seasonal garden magazine I was reading at a big box tire repair waiting room showed a article on potato towers.  The particular gardener planted the potatoes then circled them with a concrete reinforcing wire circular cage and added straw and compost as the plant grew vertically. For aesthetics they covered the outside with reed covering. It gave me the concept to change it up a little. I had some tomato cages made out of galvanized hog panel. One of then was taller and wider than the other three so I cut that one in half.

Bed laid out with flags where potatoes are planted - compost added as mulch and also amended with such.











Panel was added on left to grow tomatoes vertically, I had to move one row of potatoes to the right. The flags mark the potatoes.



















I'm sure some of you that do not grow veggies think this is a little "clunky or junky" but when the veggies are done I can remove everything for aesthetics. Unfortunately this is the only part of the gardens that gets full sun.

Here is a shot from last week with the cages added and recycled cedar shakes taken from a roofing project down the street.

Chipper mulch and compost added as plants grow. Tomatoes left of cages.













A look inside. I will continue to add mulch, compost as the plants "climb" up the cages. Not sure how tall I will go. Nothing better than potatoes straight out of the garden and onto the dinner table. Filet Mignon. How are your potatoes doing?

6 comments:

  1. This is a great idea. I agree, fresh picked potatos from your own garden are the best!

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  2. Potatoes just popping up; in the ground 6 weeks! If that's not an indicator of cool soil temperatures, I don't know what is.

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  3. What a great idea! Do you have to worry that pedestrians will sample the tomatoes? I like the fact that others will be inspired by you to plant their front yards.

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  4. This is an interesting method of growing potatoes. I have never seen it used before and look forward to reading about your progress. Fresh from the garden potatoes and a filet mignon sounds great!!

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  5. Now THAT looks like an impressive engineering feat!

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  6. I like those cages in the last photo!

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