growing potatoes in tyres

tipptom

Was thinking of trying this method as an easy and cheap entry in to the unknown to see how it goes.A friend of mine who grows 3 acres annually for sale says i could still sow within the next couple of weeks?,I dont have a clue so i was looking on anybodys opinion on this or have i missed the boat for now.

redser7

If you can get reasonably good seed potatoes you have time. You have more flexibility when you plant in containers. Just keep them watered in dry periods. Like we'll ever get one

tipptom

redser7 wrote: »

If you can get reasonably good seed potatoes you have time. You have more flexibility when you plant in containers. Just keep them watered in dry periods. Like we'll ever get one

Thanks,thats good,the idea of the tyres and to keep stacking them i really like though.Some sites just mention straw and others just compost,do you sow them all around the bottom tyre at the start and would i have enough when they grow to have a reasonable amount do you think.

fodda

http://www.grow-your-own.ie/vegetables.html See paragraph on ... vegetable growing trendy fads.

http://www.grow-your-own.ie/potatoes.html

Mentions about growing spuds in tyres about half way down in the vegetable page and gives a link to a report on wiki at the bottom .... Reference "42 Chalker-Scott, Linda"

Sorry should have said. Reasons why not to grow in tyres.

redser7

Never did it myself in tyres. There are a few videos on youtube, here's one ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4M7qki-wp20&feature=related

Get them in quick and you should get a nice crop.

tipptom

Thanks for the links guys,i still think i will chance the tyres for now just for the crack as i like my fads,you can start this in 5 mins with a tyre and a bag of compost. I hope that maybe i will get the "grow your own" fever out of it and go on to bigger and better practises.Just on the guy in the clip,it was hard to hear him but he sowed actual potatoes,i thought you tipped down to the garden centre and bought a little bag of seeds?.I know these basic quetions are very ignorant especially from someone who actually delivers lorry loads of compost and farm manure to people who are DIYing.

redser7

no worries. They are called 'seed' potatoes but are not actually seeds. They are actually potatoes kept back from last year's harvest. Search again on youtube, you'll get lots of demos. Good luck and enjoy it

tipptom

Thats great ,thanks guys.

TheFatMan

Careful of this method, read somewhere else about chemical leechings from tyres and railway sleepers into the soil and being picked up by the veg you are growing! Worth doing a bit more research

fryup

make sure the tyres aren't bald

tipptom

fryup wrote: »

make sure the tyres aren't bald

Do they need to be balanced as well,is that you Charlie Dimmock?.:D

balon

I tried this last year and got 4-5 foot plants and a few marbles of potatoes. Total waste of time IMO. My uncle had the exact same results.

I have 5 deep tyres out back if anyone wants to take them....

redser7

Tht wouldn't be down to the tyres, they are just a container afterall

tipptom

None of the nurseries have any seed potatoes,think we will have to try lidls roosters!.

Zuiderzee

Im using this method for Oca and it looks promising this year, but I think I'll be going for the polyculture mound next year

cold case

Does anyone know if you can still plant seed potatoes that were left too long in the garage, and they sprouted like mad.

Degsy

cold case wrote: »

Does anyone know if you can still plant seed potatoes that were left too long in the garage, and they sprouted like mad.

Course you can..rub off most of the sprouts and keep one..bung the potatoes in and they will grow!