I planted my potatoes at the end of March this year using a new-to me method – one that was recommended in my Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening
,{I love this book!}, – the No-Dig Method. I blogged about how and why I decided to try out the new no-dig potato growing method. A lot of people have asked me how that method worked out, and since I have now harvested all of the potatoes, I think it’s time to share the results…
I was really skeptical when I planted my potatoes because the weather was soooo nasty and cold and wet. I really thought the majority of my seed potatoes would just rot in the cold, damp ground. Well…I was WRONG!
Official Results of the No-Dig Potato Planting Method
I planted approximately 8 pounds of seed potatoes and harvested over 200 POUNDS of potatoes from my garden this summer!
Pictured above are most of them, but not all. We have been eating quite a lot of potatoes and I have given a bunch away, too.
All in all, I would say that the No-Dig Potato Planting Method was a big success and I will use it again next year. Clearly there were other factors that contributed to my great potato crop {ideal weather early on in the summer, killing the Colorado Potato Beetles before they could harm the crop}, but overall, I am very pleased.
Now, I have to figure out what to do with all of those potatoes! I plan to freeze some and store the rest in a make-shift root cellar. I’m curious how long they will last down there and will let you know in the spring!
Did you grow potatoes? I’d love to hear how your crops fared!! And if you have any experience with long term potato shortage, I would love to hear about it!!
mjskit
Thursday 29th of August 2013
WOW! Look at all of those potatoes! I'm going to be looking into the no dig method next year. There is a group board on Pinterest that you should check out. It's called Yummy Potatoes - lots and lots of great potato recipes. Looks like you need them. :)
Michelle Marine
Tuesday 3rd of September 2013
Thanks, MJ. I'll have to check it out!
Pam
Thursday 29th of August 2013
I planted potatoes in a 55gal food grade barrel this year for the first time, with about a foot of soil/compost mix on the bottom, then laid on the cut and cured potatoes. As they sprouted and grew I covered them w/straw. To water I stuck a section of soaker hose in the barrel (the rest of the hose waters a nearby garden bed). The plants are now over the top and not showing any signs yet of being done. There have only been a couple if flowers and I pinched them off to encourage growth of the potatoes. The barrel has gotten much heavier. Once the plants die off I plan on tipping the barrel over to harvest.
mbw
Thursday 29th of August 2013
How may "row feet" do you think you planted? I use more of a square foot method, but I think I can translate row-feet into square-feet. I never know how much to plant to get enough to last for a while. I just plant then eat and can/freeze what we can't keep up with fresh. I am trying figure out how to plan for more "keeping." Thanks for all the great posts!
Michelle Marine
Tuesday 3rd of September 2013
I finally measured my rows! I had 3 rows around 30 ft long and one row about 25 feet long, so I think I had about 115 total row feet. :-) I had a pretty darn big potato patch! :-)
Ann
Wednesday 28th of August 2013
Wonderful crop! On the east coast, potato and tomato blight has been a real problem.
Michelle Marine
Wednesday 28th of August 2013
That's a bummer, Ann. :-( Hopefully next year will be better!
Stacy
Tuesday 27th of August 2013
Oh that is a fabulous crop of potatoes. I hope they store well for you. Heading over to see the growing method.