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Potato Condos, Old & New

Jess Lundie — Mon, 23 May 2011 11:41:37 +0000

Happy Spring, everyone!

Lots of catching up to do around here – and, first up – the potato condo. Many of you may remember my major garden experiment last year (let’s face it, in spite of extensive mental staging, I didn’t end up getting much actually IN the ground).

For the most part, the potato condo went pretty well. We ended up going out of town for two weeks during peak growing season. Because I felt like our housesitter was overburdened already, I did not ask her to add boards and soil to the condo as the potatoes grew. That may have been a mistake, as when I returned the potatoes were huge! There is a good chance that I hurt my yield by failing to keep up with the growth there. Live and learn.

Lesson #1: Keep up with potato growth.

In Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, Barbara Kingsolver mentions that when you’re running a farm, going on vacation during growing season is basically impossible or must be impeccably timed. Good thing it was just a potato condo and we weren’t actually depending on it as a major food source during the fall and the winter. But point taken.

Actually, it’s a really good thing we weren’t depending on it, because….

I Am A Super Procrastinator

I am recovering perfectionist. I’m a work in progress (aren’t we all?) and while I’ve gotten so much better than I used to be, the perfectionist-procrastination definitely still gets me sometimes.

The garden has been a big one for little ex-perfectionist me. I have a tendency to wait until AFTER I should have harvested whatever it was. It’s like I have to wait to see what WAS the perfect moment that tomato (or cut that perfect baby basil – totally waited too long on that one) in order to be able to recognize it. Perfect for next time, basically completely useless for this time.

This is one of those places where the internet really isn’t helpful. It’s so hard to explain what something should feel, smell, look like over the internet. And everyone has a different opinion or trick or method – great for experts, terrible for beginners. So my perfectionist procrastination won out.

Lesson #2: Just freaking harvest it already. Stop being such a paranoid baby.

So Many Potatoes

In spite of all of it, the potato condo was a huge success. I ended up with so many potatoes, a little weird from staying in the ground for so long, but still – so many potatoes! I harvested, washed and dried them, cured them, and stored them lovingly in my pantry.

We ate some of them – they were delicious. But then one day I opened up my pantry, heart intent on baked cajun fries and – oh no! – potato TREES.

Lesson #3: store my potatoes colder. Oops!

The good news is that they’re all sprouted and ready to put back in the ground to try again this year. Woohoo! I’ll totally do that any day now, I swear. /procrastinate, procrastinate…

How is everything going in your garden? Any repeats from last year or new projects for this year? Are you as behind as I already am?

Garden Update

Jess Lundie — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 21:38:16 +0000

It’s been rain-central in the Pacific Northwest, so it’s hard to remember that it’s already June! While they’re a bit delayed, my plants definitely seem to realize that it’s supposed to be summer. They are growing like crazy.

My strawberries are oh so tall.

The rhubarb has recovered well from its cross-country flight, although it appears something is munching on the leaves.

Raspberry starts from my lovely friend have decided that living with me is not so bad.

And fruit trees…

Fruit trees still feel like cheating to me. They are so totally free food. (Are these plums? Anyone know?)

And last for today, but certainly not least, the potato condo.

What’s growing in your backyard?

How To Build A Potato Condo

Jess Lundie — Fri, 14 May 2010 17:57:42 +0000

Last week, I built a potato condo. (Superman helped. He supervised. Har har.)

What Is A Potato Condo?

A potato condo (sometimes called a potato box or a build-as-you-go box) is basically what it sounds like – a tall, vertical home for your potatoes. Instead of growing your potatoes in rows along the ground, you grow them UP, and harvest them vertically as well. If that sounds a little weird, it will make more sense once I show you how to build it.

As far as I know, this ingenious contraption was spread across the internet by the Shibaguyz. I discovered the Shibaguyz while I was living in DC, and was so excited when I moved to Olympia and they were *gasp* in Seattle! That meant I got to be a fangirl in person at the West Seattle Edible Garden fair, where they gave a panel on container and small space gardening. They are experts at growing an incredible amount of food in a very small space. The potato condo is only the beginning.

We’re not small space or rental gardeners any more, but I still wanted a potato condo. So when my wonderful neighbors gifted me with some seed potatoes ready to go, I knew it was time.

What You Need

First of all, salvaged wood. Salvaged from a friend’s garage. She was super-awesome and did ALL the cutting for me!

2x2s – Four of them, tallish (the eventual height of your condo)
2x4s – A bunch, depending on the dimensions of the condo you intend to build. However, you won’t need them all at once, so you can get more as your potatoes (and their condo) grow.
Screws – long enough to go through your 2x4s
Some sort of screwing device. Me = electric drill = love.

Since my wood was leftover, my 2x2s are just the length they are. They’re about 3’ tall, and I may need to rig something sneaky if my potatoes get substantially taller than that. My 2x4s are 30 inchers and a set of 27 inchers, half each. You can build a different size condo, and I’ve seen several sets of dimensions floating around on the internet. Whatever size you choose, you have to be sure you have room for your long boards to overlap your short boards on the corners – 3” total. So you could also do 33s and 30s, 36s and 33s, etc.

Second, a spot – make sure that whatever spot you choose will have enough sun. For me, because I live in a jungle, choosing a spot also involved mowing. I probably should have flipped the grass where I put the condo, but I didn’t. Because I’m a rebel *cough lazy cough* like that.

Third, seed potatoes ready to plant. Don’t forget the potatoes!

What Next?

Next, you build. And if you’re like me, you do it without any kind of foresight or planning. And then you have to take it apart and do it the right way. So don’t be like me.

First, attach one of your SHORT 2x4s board to two of your 2x2s, one at each end. (This pic is me doing it WRONG. Don’t be like me. Use a short board.)

Once you’ve done that with two short boards and each of your 2x2s, attach the two Stonehenge-shaped pieces with two of your longer boards to make a box.

Half the box, and…

Whole box!

As you can see, I added soil. And then I added potatoes.

Please don’t use my potato spacing as an example. Unless it’s right, in which case go ahead. No guarantees though.

Then cover up those potatoes. Voila!

The Fun Part

So what on earth do you do with that whole pile of 2x4s? Here comes the fun part – putting the “condo” in potato condo. Soon your potatoes will sprout and start to grow. As they grow, you add boards and additional soil one level at a time. Let your vines get about 12” long before you bury them, and only cover 1/3 of the vine.

When it’s time to harvest, remove one of your bottom boards and start snagging your oldest potatoes from the bottom level. Gradually work your way up the condo until you’ve harvested all your potatoes!

I’m really excited to see how the potato condo works out. Rumor has it that it increases yields substantially over standard planting methods. I have no perspective on that, but I’ll keep you guys posted. Maybe those of you who actually know about these things will let me know how my potato condo measures up!