I hope I’m not too late for late potatoes, but the weather’s still quite warm so…
Today I went to the local tyre-fitting shop and asked for 5 old tyres to make a tyre tower with. I’ve dropped them off at the allotment and am going back tomorrow morning to plant my potatoes. I found these simple instructions for a tyre tower at the Ravenswood Community Garden website.
If you have some old car tyres you can grow some potatoes.
Spread some newspaper on the ground.
Stack two tyres on the newspaper, and fill them with straw or soil.
Bury ten potatoes in the straw or soil and water your tyre tower.When potato sprouts peep through, add another tyre and fill up with more straw or soil. Keep doing this as your potatoes grow, until you have at least four, five or six tyres in your tower. After the plants flower, take the tower apart and count your potatoes.
Photographs to follow and potatoes for December (I hope).
It’s an excellent idea. I just found the same thing a couple of days ago on the Good Life blog I linked to from here. I’m hoping to scrounge some tyres somewhere over the next while and do this next year. It’s ideal for me as I live in rented accomodation and it’s not possible to dig up the whole garden for veg growing. Will be really interested to hear how you get on! - Jean
Comment by Jean — September 5, 2006 @ 9:47 am
Hi. Did you know that Chris Evans is encouraging his R2 listeners to grow their own potatoes for Christmas Day? There was quite a discussion during one show and the tyre method was mentioned.
When you say put in 10 potatoes, can they just be ordinary potatoes you have bought for eating, IE new pots, or do they have to be special tubers. If they can just be regular spuds in a tall container i am going to start straight away.
PS thanks for your continued interest in my blog. I am about to post a reply to you about cavity wall insulation on there.
Comment by Lizzy Allen — September 5, 2006 @ 3:25 pm
Hi Lizzy and Jean,
Thanks for the comments and good on Chris Evans!
Lizzy, I’ve used late seed potatoes supplied by Dobies. I would think that for growing winter potatoes, you will need a type that can handle the cold. But this is my first go, so I’m no expert.
Comment by Tracy — September 6, 2006 @ 9:28 am