growing potatoes in tyres or beds?

[barefootlinzi]

Got my seed potatoes today, and was wondering whether i should plant them in our raised beds or in tyres. I have never grown potatoes before so after some advice! What is the pros and cons of using tyres? I can get them for free so no expense there. Also, if I do use tyres, how many spuds per tyre can i put in (they are normal sized car tyres) and how many tyres high will it end up being?

[becks77]

We did them in tyres last year and they were really successful, but because we only had a few tyres it was limiting on the amount we could put in , but on the whole a great space saver and of course protected. Would do it again

[MuddyWitch]

Start with first tyre full of soil/compost, place 1 spud in that & add tyre 2. When the foliage reaches out, earth up and put tyre 3 onto stack, when foliage reaches top earth up again & put tyre 4 on stack. I usually stop earthing up at this point & let the plant grow as much as it likes.

When you have harvested the crop put the 'used' soil onto your raised bed, but remember tomatoes are in the same 'family' as spuds & don't grow them in the beds that the spud soil has been put on to.

Using tyres frees up your raised beds for other crops and the tyre stack can even be stood on concrete, just line the bottom tyre with thick cardboard with holes pricked in to stop the soil washing out, and raise the bottom tyre up slightly to allow for drainage.

Good luck

MW

[Green Aura]

I would definitely use the tyres. Two reasons

1 - you can keep stacking the tyres and adding more compost/soil. Much easier than earthing up and less space involving than in your beds.

2 - once you've planted them in your beds you'll be digging them out for years to come. I've just dug over the polytunnel bed where we chucked the compost we'd grown last years spuds in and picked out loads of the little buggers. So I've no doubt we'll have spuds in there this year

[barefootlinzi]

Sounds good, think I will be doing spuds in tyres. Do I only put 1 spud in each tyre? I have just bought lots of seed potatoes so thats a lot of tyres!!!

[Green Aura]

You should get 6-7 spuds in each tyre, depending on their size. Fill them with your growing mixture and then when the shoots have grown above the top put another tyre on top and fill that too. You can keep doing that until they flower. Then when the flowers die off it's time to harvest them.

[barefootlinzi]

I have got 23 duke of york seed potatoes, and 19 charlotte potatoes. If I put 5 potatoes in each tyre, I need 4 tyres for each type of potato then each will go 4 high.....so I need 32 tyres in total!!!! Thats a hell of a lot of tyres, and spuds too!

[JulieSherris]

Yep, lots of tyres.... I'm doing about 5 or 6 spuds per tyre tower this year, but I only do mine 3 high - so, if you stagger the planting a little as well, a long spud season is in store for you - and 10 towers should be a fine crop. OK, maybe not quite enough to last you through the entire year, but it gives you a good start!

So, yep, 30ish tyres - I have 15 at the minute, but will get some more (or barrels) a little later on... I could only get 15 tyres in the back of our car when I found some....

[2+bump]

tyres are a good idea, I've been looking at the potato bags but thought they were quite pricey, might need to see if I can pick up any old tyres

[frozenthunderbolt]

Most garages/tire shops will give away worn/broken tires free - they are a major waste problem in many places so just ring around a bit and see who's feeling charitible.

[barefootlinzi]

I am getting mine today from a little tyre place run by 2 old boys, they are happy to give me them for free as they have to pay to have them disposed. So it benefits us both!

[2+bump]

I am getting mine today from a little tyre place run by 2 old boys, they are happy to give me them for free as they have to pay to have them disposed. So it benefits us both!

thats what i thought, if taking them away for them saves them money they'd be silly to refuse

[shell]

tyres are good but watch your hands,i cut myself rolling a tyre to the boot of my car(to join the other 10),there was a bare metal thread running through it and it cut into my hand

[2+bump]

tyres are good but watch your hands,i cut myself rolling a tyre to the boot of my car(to join the other 10),there was a bare metal thread running through it and it cut into my hand

oh thanks for the warning

we've managed to acquire 4 already, and there's plenty more where that came from