For a number of reasons, I planning to grow potatoes in cedar frames above ground. How high can I build the frames over the initial planting? It seems I remember my grandfather going a couple of foot, but I was a lot shorter then.
I've built the courses in 8" increments and can go as many as 4 high. Is 32 inches too deep?
The Varieties are two types of Fingerlings and German Butterballs.
Thanks
I grow Yukon Gold regularly in cedar containers. They're roughly 2 feet high and wide. I don't think 32" would be too high (though I'm not familiar with those types of spuds so I don't know if they have any special requirements). Other than that, I don't forsee a problem except that you'll have to dig as far as you plant in order to harvest them. For most, that would be the fun part.
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A really cool technique I have read about for growing spuds is to use tires, and you can increase the yield by stacking them over the season.
Start out with two tires. When the plant is grown well above the tires, put on another one and fill it with a mix of soil and straw. Continue this to up to 6 tires.
By burying the stems deeper, it's supposed to induce the growth of more rhizomes, and harvesting is made simple by just removing the tires. :-)
I tried it with tires once and had bad luck, but I lived in an area that received a lot of water when it rained. It seems that they tires kept all of the water inside of them and caused the roots to rot. You could do the same thing with tomato cages, and the excess moisture will evaporate through the sides and the top.
Dwayne
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