How to Grow Potatoes in a Wire Cage
Homegrown potatoes usually taste better than the bagged ones you purchase at the grocery store. If you have limited space or your garden suffers with poor soil, you can grow potatoes in wire cages. You can assemble the cages yourself. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Chicken wire
- Wire mesh with 1-inch squares (optional)
- Pliers
- Wire cutters
- Seed Potatoes
- Straw
Instructions
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1
Make your cages from a piece of chicken wire that is 5-feet wide and 3-feet high. Connect the ends with small lengths of wire, twisting them and clipping them off with wire cutters. Dig a circular trench that's 8- inches deep, and a little larger than the cage.
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2
Place wire mesh with 1-inch squares in the bottom of the hole, bending it up along the sides of the hole. When you've finished, the edges of the wire bottom should be above ground level. This wire bottom prevents gophers from getting into the potato cage.
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3
Put four pieces of seed potato in a 1-inch square, leaving 18 inches between each planting. Cover the seed potatoes with soil up to ground level. If you don't use the wire bottom, just plant your seed potato groupings 18 inches apart.
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4
Position the cages on the soil over the planted potatoes. Moisten the soil, but avoid adding too much water. Place straw around the plants, when they begin to sprout. Leave the tops of the potato plants uncovered. Continue to add straw as they grow, packing it tightly in the cage.
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5
Add water from the top of the straw, allowing it to filter down to the bottom of the cage. It's important to avoid adding too much moisture, since this could cause mold or rot. Use a moisture meter to prevent overwatering.
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6
Watch for the potatoes to bloom. This is an indication that the tubers are forming. When the plants begin to wilt and die, the potatoes are ready for harvesting. This usually takes from 90 to 120 days, depending on the variety of the potatoes you've planted.
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7
Dig the potatoes from the rows at the top of the cage. Remove the straw so you can pull the cages away to harvest the rest of the potatoes.
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