1 for the rule books

[starbaby]

http://www.almanac.com/video/growing-potatoes-trash-can

 

[Jogeephus]

That's pretty neat. Thanks for sharing. I cringed when I saw her knife work though.

 

[cowgirl8]

I've done this and it doesnt work. Found out you have to have a special type potato for them to grow like this and produce potatoes as they grow. Regular potatoes will make potatoes only at the base and nothing as they grow. Where i live, potatoes like being in the ground. When people make videos like this, i wish they'd show it from start to finish.

 

[CottageFarm]

LOL, Jo, I was thinking the same thing. A sharper knife might have helped.

Cowgirl, not sure what you mean by "regular" potatoes. I've grown potatoes in square bins many times with great success, with several varieties, and all have performed well. I generally use mid season varieties. Mid and long season varieties will easily put out additional roots as you bury the stem of the plant. Early season varieties are less likely to put as much energy into additional root development, however.

 

[skyhightree1]

LOL, Jo, I was thinking the same thing. A sharper knife might have helped.

Cowgirl, not sure what you mean by "regular" potatoes. I've grown potatoes in square bins many times with great success, with several varieties, and all have performed well. I generally use mid season varieties. Mid and long season varieties will easily put out additional roots as you bury the stem of the plant. Early season varieties are less likely to put as much energy into additional root development, however.

Was she using a butter knife?

 

[CottageFarm]

It kinda looked like one, but then I thought it was just a really worn/dull steak knife. :lol:

 

[skyhightree1]

It kinda looked like one, but then I thought it was just a really worn/dull steak knife. :lol:

:lol2: if its a steak knife and its that dull thats ridiculous she must have been eating shoe leather steaks.

 

[cowgirl8]

Any potato will grow in a bin, it takes a certain type that will continue to make potatoes as it grows. The theory behind the trashcan potato plant is to have potatoes all the way to the top of the trashcan. A yokan gold, red potatoes, the typical type people grow will make potatoes in a container, but not all the way to the top. The plant will indeed grow to the top as you add dirt, but all the potatoes will be in the base of the container. Someone told me the type of potato, but i dont remember, but i can find out.

 

[CottageFarm]

Any potato will grow in a bin, it takes a certain type that will continue to make potatoes as it grows. The theory behind the trashcan potato plant is to have potatoes all the way to the top of the trashcan. A yokan gold, red potatoes, the typical type people grow will make potatoes in a container, but not all the way to the top. The plant will indeed grow to the top as you add dirt, but all the potatoes will be in the base of the container. Someone told me the type of potato, but i dont remember, but i can find out.

Hmmm, let me try this one more time...
I use square wooden bins instead of trash cans, but the method is the same.
They do grow roots along the full length of the plant, and they do grow tubers from those roots.
They are not particularly special potatoes, although I don't grow any russet type, YG is one of the varieties that I generally grow. The only time I've not had success with this method is the year my plants died back early because of grasshoppers. Unfortunately I'm not growing any potatoes this year or I could post pic's at the end of the season to show their growth habit.
I do use B1 for root stimulation through about 2/3 of the season.
It's a shame that it didn't work for you, perhaps your season was too short, or you had other growth issues.
But whoever told you it needs to be one "special" variety, was mistaken.

 

[greybeard]

Being in Texas, I wouldn't think the cause was a season too short--even if in North Texas.