How to Grow Potatoes In Some Old Tires

Potatoes are something almost everyone eats. They are easy to grow, and the flavor of freshly-dug potatoes is well worth the work. Growing potatoes in old tires saves space, speeds up growth, makes them easy to harvest, and helps to recycle one more often discarded item.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• sun
• seed potatoes
• mulch
• soil
• 4 - 5 old tires for every 4 - 6 plants

1. Plant at the right time. When all danger of frost has passed, the time is right for planting your potatoes. Although it is not necessary, you can speed up the process by starting the sprouting indoors.

2. Get an early start. To start you potatoes indoors, fill a flat, shallow container with peat moss. Dampen slightly and place the seed potatoes flat, and slightly depressed, in the peat moss. Place them so that most of the eyes are on the top surface. Keep them in a warm, moist location and watch for the sprouts. When these are about an inch long, the potatoes are ready to place in the tires.

3. 

   Choose the best location. Place one or more tires flat in the sunniest spot you can find. Make sure the soil below drains well. Fill the tire almost half way up with soil. Dig in some well-rotted compost. Add soil to just below the rim. Dig about 4 - 6 holes, depending on the size of the tire. Make these about 5 inches deep and evenly spaced. Drop in your seed potatoes, eye or sprout side up. Cover them very lightly with soil so you do not damage the delicate sprouts. There should be only a couple of inches of soil over your sprouts.

4. 

   Begin to build. When the plants have grown to about 2 inches, cover them lightly with soil. Smooth out soil and pat very gently. Continue to do this as they grow, adding more soil and tires as it becomes necessary. I like to add about 3 more tires as that height is easy to work with, but the height is up to you.

5. Know when to harvest. Early potatoes are mature when the blossoms open and die. Later varieties are only mature when the plant has withered. Ask your seed potato supplier when yours will be mature. When you are ready to harvest, remove one tire at a time and dig out the treasures. Use your hands if possible so the potatoes are not damaged. You can harvest your whole crop at once or just as needed. Good luck!

Tips & Warnings

• You can plant whole potatoes or just slices. If you use slices, make sure each slice has at least 4 eyes or sprouts.

• When planting potatoes, as with most crops, it is best to change the location from year to year.

• Children love harvesting potatoes.

• Do not add lime to the soil where you plant potatoes.