[imp]

Originally Posted by ContainerTed

Huntsman, when I asked all of my family elders, they told me to cut up the potatoes so that each piece has at least two eyes on it. Then, plant them with the eyes up at least 4 inches down with well tilled soil below that level. Soil with a goodly amount of sandiness to it is best.

Now, I'm in growing area 6a, but the methods can't be all that different. In your climate, I might look at shading the soil where you plant them.

I've thought about doing a season using the old tires method. This is where you stack old automobile tires up one at a time and adding soil as you add a tire, filling up the space inside of the tires and planting the potato sets in that big hole in the middle. When the above ground plant is large enough, you add another tire and this allows the potatoes to grow deep. Pictures I've seen usually stop when the stack gets to about 10 or so. And, those same pictures show the tops of the stacks have wooden frames that provide shade for each stack. Harvest time consists of taking the tires off the stack one at a time and looking for tomatoes while you do that.

But, the "growing potatoes" basics are to cut seed potatoes to allow multiple eyes on each piece and enough potato to support the seedlings to get above the soil level. Then, mounding up the row to allow the new tomato tubers to get larger and taking care that no part of the potato is above the soil level.

Lots of work in a potato garden with a good garden hoe.

???