Potato bin

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The potato barrel and its varieties such as the potato tower are similar to the classic raised bed . They are mainly to be found in near-natural horticulture and have not yet been used for commercial cultivation due to the work steps that cannot be automated. The cultivation method for potatoes is part of hobby gardening as well as urban farming and urban gardening , whereby it allows the sensible cultivation of potatoes with only little space available.

The reason for this cultivation method is that the plants form their storage tubers (the harvested potatoes) near the surface of the earth. For this reason, potato plants are cultivated in rows (in the field by machine), the rows of plants then have a cross-section like a truncated cone . The plants form new roots in the heaped up soil and more tubers on the enlarged surface . This can increase the yield.

Basic structure

Potato tower

A potato tower is a garden bed that is not laid out at ground level, but rises above the usual bed level and is built up layer by layer as the potatoes grow. The first layer will start at the end of April / beginning of May. Potatoes that are capable of germination or pre-germinated, or even just cut and dried germs are placed in the soil. If the leafy green (potato tops) grows up to approx. 10 to 15 cm above the ground, the next layer of soil can be filled in (compost made by yourself is best). It is not necessary to add more potatoes, as so-called daughter potatoes grow from the leaf axils of the potato herb. With every layer of soil, the surrounding raised bed grows with it. The volume of the earth is around 200 to 400 liters, depending on the size of the potato tower. Common dimensions are 40 cm × 40 cm, 60 cm × 60 cm or 80 cm × 80 cm. Depending on the weather, a height of up to 80 cm can be achieved. The harvest results are around 10 kg if 0.40 kg of potatoes are sown. This results in a ratio of sowing to harvest of 1:25. However, it is also possible to prick out the individual germs (eyes) from the seed potatoes (with apple core remover); these approx. 1–2 cm long pieces dry for 1–2 hours and put them in seed containers (empty yoghurt cups or equivalent) as early as the beginning of April in order to plant these 15 to 20 cm high potato plants in the potato tower after the ice saints (mid-May) and immediately fill up the first layer of soil (preferably sandy compost).

In addition to the garden version, there is also the smaller balcony version.

harvest

When the leaves wither, the time for harvest has come. The tower is removed layer by layer and the potatoes tumble out as if by themselves. The potatoes can, however, remain in the ground for several weeks after they have ripened, which improves their shelf life because the skin of the potatoes develops more strongly. The potato tops should only be put on the compost if they are not infested with vermin or fungi. Otherwise, we recommend burning the herb or disposing of it in the household waste.

construction

It can be bordered with a wide variety of materials as you wish:

The potato tower can be used over a number of years, is easily dismantled, screwed on or made of prefabricated plug-in parts. Durable plastic is more suitable for annual manipulation than rotting materials. If wood is used as a building material, the same guidelines as for the raised bed should be followed. This relates in particular to the separating layer between earth and wood, which consists of plastic film or dimpled film, as is also used to separate masonry from earth in house construction. If larch wood boards are used, the potato tower can be used for seven to ten years (if the boards are stored dry over winter).

See also

Web links

literature

  • Kenneth A. Beckett, David Carr, David Stevens: The mobile garden - splendor of plants for balconies, patios and courtyards. Munich 1985, pp. 13, 31.
  • Joachim Mayer: Mini-Raised Beds: Self-sufficiency on the balcony and terrace Gräfe and Unzer , p. 43 [1]

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Description of different variants of the potato bin, wrongly called the potato tower : Explore International Ltd: The potato tower on the page Spannbauer krisenvorsorge.com - Financial crisis - The comprehensive crisis prevention , accessed on April 28, 2018.