I suspect I may have over-watered. It was very difficult to tell how wet the soil was deep inside the bags. On closer examination, I think they hold water really well and don't need to be watered that often. I also think I should have planted the seed potatoes sooner. Next time, I will buy seed potatoes from a Southern California source. I have a feeling they'll be available earlier around here than they are from Seed Savers in Iowa. (Does anyone know where I can buy seed potatoes in Los Angeles, preferably somewhere east of Vermont?)
So, this year was a complete potato-growing failure. On the bright side, when I dug into two of the bags I found this:
The bag was chock full of healthy, wiggly worms--and their highly-prized poop! While failing to grow a single potato, I managed to create a surprise worm farm. There were a few in the compost I added to the potato bags in June, and in the warm, wet, composty environment of the bag, those worms multiplied.
I took this rich mix of soil, worms and their poop and spread it on one of my garden beds. Hopefully the worms will be happy there, and continue to poop and procreate for years to come.
i have had success with growing a pretty
good harvest of potatoes in old tires.
there is good drainage, and some solar warmth
during early spring and again in the fall.
[i live in the Ga.Piedmont]
deep dig a 3'square area, plant spuds about 3'deep, and mulch. as the plants grow, mulch
more[hay, dry leaves-something loose]and start your tire pile...as plants grow taller
keep adding mulch and a tire. you can add
compost into the mulch mix...
the goal is to keep just ahead of potato
plants growth. i had five tires stacked
when i grew them. they do very well with
waterings of liquid fertilizer- i use
fish/seaweed mix.
since they produced above the starts, you'll have several vertical feet of clean spuds.
you can even pull off a tire or two and
prolong your harvest. they are also held in
winter storage,just as if packed in straw.
works well in middle Ga.[ zone 7]
no reason not to do well in California.
i just discovered this blog. am enjoying
it very much. vty, a fellow gardener