Anyone grown potatoes in carboard boxes?

Ive got a lot of cardboard boxes, and I read an article in Mother earth news I think it was about someone who grew potatoes in cardboard boxes, by the end of the year when the potatoes were ready to harvest the boxes were fairly decomposed and added to the compost pile.

I will be trying this this year for the first time, anyone else done it? I think its an interesting way to recycle, compost and grow some potatoes at the same time.

 

I haven't tried it but it sounds like it would work, as long as the boxes hold togather long enough.

 

Good idea.

Hey I met a lady who told me a neat bit of gardening history. When settlers decided to pull up stakes and head west via wagon trains they used potatoes to keep fresh cuttings of plants and vegetables viable for the long trip. They made slices in the tuber and inserted fresh cutting and the moisture and carbohydrates in the potatoes nourished the cuttings through the journey.

8I

 

I once heard a method for growing potatoes (tatties where im from!) using old car tyres. What you do is plant the potato in one tyre filled with compost, then as the plant grows you keep adding more tyres and compost on top. You can end up with a massive crop this way.

 

ripple that's a good one, especially since the tyres would absorb heat from the sun, being black and all, warming the soil and aiding root and spud development.

 

drumminmama,

I never tried that method, but I would be interested in your results if you give it a whirl. heh my name...didn't think of it.
I had thought to use burnt beyond recognition but of course it wouldn't fit.
Did you know some ancient folks used spider silk and moss to bind minor cuts, like we use band aids?

8I

 

I have used this method for potatoes and it works really well. Add some sand to the soil so that it drains better and also makes the potatoes easier to harvest. When you are ready to harvest, just remove the tires and the hill of potatoes falls apart, making the potatoes very easy to get to.

 

ive use the old car tire method with good results....
im going to try this method again this coming season.

i got all my tires for free, and you probably could too.

 

This method uses up moldy hay/straw, and the growing method makes harvesting handicap accessible. You put several bales side by side, put a little dirt on top, put the seed potatoes on, cover them as usual with hay/straw, adding more to keep the potatoes covered as they grow. Temporary fencing can be put around the bales to hold the hay/straw on if you live in a windy area.

 

I have never grown potatoes in a cardboard box.

But I am considering growing them in Barrels.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/1980-03-01/Taters-in-a-Barrel.aspx