Experiments in Potatoes

[urleft]

Used the vac and collected fish waste, and used a bunch of waste water from the filter.  Added to the plant.  Hopefully the nitrates in the mix will make the plant happy. 

[nookiebear]

Best of luck............Over the years here,I have tried potatoes,broad beans and beetroot without any success.The potatoes and beans never gain any girth to the stems eventually keeling over,the beetroot on the other had had a lot of foliage with a marble on the bottom!

[Tassie]

nookiebear, if the soil is too hot, potatoes, broad beans and beetroot you will have not.
Regards

[nookiebear]

nookiebear, if the soil is too hot, potatoes, broad beans and beetroot you will have not.
Regards

I know ,I tried all ways in a sheltered area,under covers...........all to no avail.

[Adam]

I had great success with beetroot a few years ago and had some UK radishes which grew to the size of beetroot yet were still very tender (not woody). I must have just caught the weather right, I seem to recall harvesting around December, so I must have planted at the end of the rainy season as Tassie suggested. Dumb luck!

[nookiebear]

I had great success with beetroot a few years ago and had some UK radishes which grew to the size of beetroot yet were still very tender (not woody). I must have just caught the weather right, I seem to recall harvesting around December, so I must have planted at the end of the rainy season as Tassie suggested. Dumb luck!

Radishes seem to grow any time of the year without a problem

[urleft]

The advantage to a "bucket" is that you can move it.

What I have found is that after a few hours under the Thai sun the plant starts to wilt.  I have tried to shield the soil from the heat, but it seems the acutal plant cannot handle the direct sun. 

So I have the plant placed for indirect sun, and it is doing OK.  The plant has not expanded like I hoped, but it continues its growth. Have no idea how the underground taters are doing. 

When I mentioned it to my Brit Bud he said taters do fine in England as there is no direct sunlight. 

[clarkycat]

looking good, true about the bucket, do you plan to re-plant it into the garden eventually?

[urleft]

looking good, true about the bucket, do you plan to re-plant it into the garden eventually?

No, as I mentioned in the 1st post, look at the vid, it is fun, short and enjoyable:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXuYR-96gQc

So this is my bucket potato Thailand experiment.

[Tassie]

Tassie,

Had a thought last night, no it did not hurt.  I am thinking about using Redneck inguenuity (and duck tape) to build a insulating box around the planter and soil while letting sun hit the plant, this should allow for extended direct sunlight hours.  What are your thoughts?

Thanks.

urleft
If you use any insulation around the box you plant your spuds in, you will only retain the heat from the sun, magnifying the soil heat and killing your plant.  Remember it is the temperature of the soil that is paramount.  If the soil temperature is too high the tubers will not set.  Also do not ignore that the noon day heat will  burn the leaves of the plant.  That is why in tropical areas, like Buriram, shade cloth greatly assists the juvenile potato plant in establishing itself.  In tropical areas always grow potatoes into the winter season.  I wouldn't plant my spuds until mid October or perhaps a tad later, say end of October.  Your chances of successfully growing potatoes in Buriram is not very good but I am looking forward to hear a success story from you.
Regards

[urleft]

Tassie,

I put the shield on before the sun so when the plant wilted I finger checked the soil, it was not hot.  In fact is was about the same as when I put the plant in the sun. 

In my opinion the soil never got hot under the Thai sun.  However, the plant wilted.  But after taken out of the direct sun, and some water added the plant recovered. 

Which means I agree with you, trying to grow taters in Thailand during the summer will not have good results.  But may work in the fall winter months.

[Tassie]

urleft
Your potato plant shown in Tater plant Sep 27.jpg (379.97 kB, 747x1328 - viewed 0 times.) is not healthy.  It is spindly and seems to have not had enough sun.  You need to put more soil in the pot, perhaps at least 3 inches. We have to be careful of the type of soil medium we place in a container.  Unbroken down manure or other organic matter uses nitrogen to break down its components so that the plant can absorb the benefits of the fertiliser. Therefore until this chemical and bacterial process is completed your plant will be starved of nitrogen,   Unbroken down organic plant or animal manure raises the temperature of the soil therefore adding another stress factor to your plant. All organic fertiliser must be well broken down before it is used especially critically important with potted plants.
Regards

[urleft]

Tassie,

You actually state what I felt, the plant is not healthy. 

I will try the more soil option.  However I really can't do too much more as I am headed out of the country for several weeks. 

I fear the plant will not survive. 

Must be my heriditary black thumb.