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Prep of The Day Thread

Anyone grow potato in a container before?

My MIL sent down a growing tub, seed potatoes and potato fertilizer for me to try out as a birthday gift. I've done research in to how to plant them in the tub etc. I am just wondering if it is still to early to start?

It's a 20 gallon tub so I am thinking around 10 seed potatoes. Look forward to the advice.
 
If you have potatoes that are not full sprouting with long shouts yet, then maybe you could start now. If your potatoes have shoots, I would wait two more weeks.

Also add worms to the bin.
 
Did a runtime test on the solar batteries up north this weekend. Shut the grid off on Friday morning, intentionally stripped off a couple on non-critical standby loads (beverage cooler, microwave and range standby) to drop battery draw once night fell. Also removed 3 bulbs in the 6 light circuit. Used less than 25% of the batteries' available load overnight even charging a laptop and running DSL modem.

I think when I add 2 batteries more to the stack, I should be able to run the house on subsistence power for 3 days with no sun. I am going to add a few more lighting circuits from the grid-only panel to the solar one after I get the fixtures replaced with low watt LED's. Also plugged in the MEP this morning and ran a full load test by running the washer, electric dryer, well, and charging the batteries. The thing is a beast, but it is due for oil and filters PM.

You get into a very miserly posture about watts right away when you realize they are a finite resource. Ordered a few lincoln flint strikers so I don't need to power the standby for the propane range
 
Heh. This reminds me of when I was a kid. My brother's wife's family had a camp on an island in Winnipesaukee. They had propane lighting, and no electricity. Running the propane was kind of a big deal, because they were nervous about burning the place down. Then, I remember they had an old car/boat battery hooked up to an old car radio. We'd put that on to get news and weather reports. That was a big deal too. I think they used jumper cables to run the radio. You know, I miss those days.
 
Went to an Amish farm that I buy plants from and picked up a couple of flats of tomato plants and half a flat of Stone head cabbage plants. I like giving the guy a little business each year.
He was asking me if I had or knew of any place that had any 30.30 ammo, I told him I didn't as I don't own that caliber rifle but would check with a couple of friends. He said he and several friends were looking for that ammo. I guess it's a popular caliber with the Amish farmers in the area.

Started some pickling cuke seeds and zucchini seeds. Had rain here yesterday so have to wait a couple of days and will be planting beets, kale and more cabbage seed. Beans go in about three weeks from now.
 
I’ve ordered the meat birds and staggered their delivery throughout the season. Upped the order as the farm is expanding and I will be selling some this year with eggs and vegetables.
Egg layers are due in two weeks. I have six to slaughter and thirteen laying. Grabbing at least 15 more.
Planting additional seeds this weekend and potting on seeds started a month ago.
Busy time of year.
 
Zabos X2 said:
and still, this thread misses the opportunity to genuinely help someone to prepare.
Click to expand...

Just exactly what do you mean by that?

This isn't a barter thread or a handout thread, it's an information thread where some might be be reminded of a possible area of prepping that they may have overlooked.
 
Zabos X2 said:
and still, this thread misses the opportunity to genuinely help someone to prepare.
Click to expand...
🤔 Could you be more vague? What part of being prepared hasn't been covered in this thread? The group of contributors to this thread could surely help you with any concerns.
Matt
 
Zabos X2 said:
and still, this thread misses the opportunity to genuinely help someone to prepare.
Click to expand...
Still not seeing anything useful from you. If you don't like this thread, feel free to stay out of it. I am sure there are forums dedicated to preparedness, this isn't one of them. This forum is called Northeast Shooters, not Northeast Preppers. There is a wealth of information and ideas in this thread, but it's not designed to be a thread where it holds someone's hand.
 
Anyways, @xtry51 wife is all in on the potato towers. We have plenty of scrap fencing, hay, and compost. So, she wants to give it a whirl. We planted some in ground and buckets last year, had more success with the buckets.
Also, the wife ordered a load of what my buddy calls "screened, composted loam". Not sure what her plans are, but I am sure I will find out.
 
Tallahassee said:
Anyways, @xtry51 wife is all in on the potato towers. We have plenty of scrap fencing, hay, and compost. So, she wants to give it a whirl. We planted some in ground and buckets last year, had more success with the buckets.
Also, the wife ordered a load of what my buddy calls "screened, composted loam". Not sure what her plans are, but I am sure I will find out.
Click to expand...

Fill the towers basically overflowing the top when you plant them because they will settle 6-12" over the summer. Make sure to top with hay.

I also watered mine a crap ton which is more important in the beginning to encourage worm movement uowards. They drain well so you won't drown the plants. I'm talking full open garden hose. Spray the perimeter liberally and then set the hose on top and let it run for about 30-45 seconds.

There were some monster earthworms in my towers when I took them down. I did not fertilize them after planting.
 
So some general info. 40F is considered min soil temp. So don't plant them too early. If you have potatoes shooting now (I do) just leave them in a basement or dark place until night temps rise. I'm going to target 3 more weeks to put mine in.

I've never planted inside and then transplanted. I'm sure you could do this to get a jump start if you're like me in NH where this week it will still hit the teens at night making outdoors a no go yet.

Some random temp data:
Potatoes are cool season crops that like cool, moist conditions when tubers are forming. Optimal tuber set takes place with a night soil temperature of around 55F (13C). When night time soil temperatures exceed 68F (20C), tuber growth is reduced, and it stops above 84F (29C).

Do NOT harvest your potatoes too early. You're going to get some tubers growth in spring, but the maximum growth will be in fall with basically none in July/Aug due to high temps. I left mine until they were all yellow stemmed and/or light brown and we had a very light frost overnight. The potatoes aren't going to go bad if they sit in the tower for an extra week or two. Just get them out before the tower freezes.

When they start to yellow, back off on the watering some as your close and its easier to harvest if the towers are not super wet.
 
xtry51 said:
So some general info. 40F is considered min soil temp. So don't plant them too early. If you have potatoes shooting now (I do) just leave them in a basement or dark place until night temps rise. I'm going to target 3 more weeks to put mine in.

I've never planted inside and then transplanted. I'm sure you could do this to get a jump start if you're like me in NH where this week it will still hit the teens at night making outdoors a no go yet.

Some random temp data:
Potatoes are cool season crops that like cool, moist conditions when tubers are forming. Optimal tuber set takes place with a night soil temperature of around 55F (13C). When night time soil temperatures exceed 68F (20C), tuber growth is reduced, and it stops above 84F (29C).

Do NOT harvest your potatoes too early. You're going to get some tubers growth in spring, but the maximum growth will be in fall with basically none in July/Aug due to high temps. I left mine until they were all yellow stemmed and/or light brown and we had a very light frost overnight. The potatoes aren't going to go bad if they sit in the tower for an extra week or two. Just get them out before the tower freezes.

When they start to yellow, back off on the watering some as your close and its easier to harvest if the towers are not super wet.
Click to expand...
Partial sun then, or full sun?
 

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