Prepping Potato Tower Plot

I decided to place the potato tower next to my square foot garden.  I have been thinking of expanding my square foot plot. This work will be the first step towards the new plot preparation.

I measuring off a 4' (1.2m) x 4'(1.2m) area next to my original plot. Right away I ran into a problem. There appeared to be a square foundation from a basketball backstop in the far corner. This won't hamper the area for the potato tower but will need to be removed to expand the garden area.

My plan was to dig down 2" (50mm), cover the area with weed control fabric. I happened to purchase some of the same fabric at a  garage sale last year for $3.00. The fabric is a 4' (1.2m) roll and I am not sure of its length, but I was confident there was enough for this project.

I went into my garage/dumping ground/workshop and found a piece of 2" (50mm) x 2"(50mm) lumber which actually measures 1.5" (38mm) square and I cut the length to 4' (1.2m).  I planned to use it to flatten the area to the same depth.

Once I was near the depth of the plot, I put the 2" x 2" x 4' wood in the work area.  Both sides were deep enough but the areas between needed to be adjusted. I worked the wood back and forth as if I were screeding concrete. Taking soil from the high areas and depositing in the low areas. I pivoted the wood and made an arc from the bottom towards the concrete foundation. I repeated the same action on the other side until the whole area was flat.

I then put the roll of weed barrier fabric in the flattened area. The roll was 4' wide and I rolled out 4' and cut the fabric.

The plan was to cover the fabric with pebbles. Pebbles will keep the fabric in place and won't allow weeds to grow.

The day I was working on this project there was a slight breeze and the fabric was lifted out of the area several times. To keep the fabric in place until I purchase the pebbles, I figured I needed to pin down the fabric with some kind of staple.

I brought two wire clothes hanger from the house. These wire hangers are fairly stiff and can be shaped with just a bit of force.  Without untwisting the hanger at its twisted joint, I made my first cut quite close to the twisted joint. I figured a 10" (25cm) length would be sufficient to make the staple. 10" lengths would give me close to 5" (125mm) for each leg of the staples to tap into the ground.

My out stretched hand from tip of my pinky to the tip of my thumb is approximately 10".

I used my hand as a measuring tool and cut the hanger wire into four pieces.

I took all four wires and estimating the center, bent the wires slightly. If they didn't look close to center I would have straightened them and tried again, but my estimate was close enough.

I finished bending each wire individually. If you are unable to bend the wire barehanded, by all means use the pliers.

I placed the staples on three corners of the fabric, tapping them into the ground with my heavy ball-peen hammer.

On the corner with the concrete foundation I used two staples.

I cut the other wire hanger to make four additional staples, one I used near the concrete foundation the other three I used to staple down the potato tower.

Time to fill the tower and plant the potatoes.

©Damyon T. Verbo - all rights reserved

Make an E-Z No Dig Potato Tower

I saw an e-z method of growing potatoes and I am trying it out this year. The goal is to grow potatoes without digging and with very little work.


The most difficult part is to make a tower in which the potatoes grow.


Items needed to make potato tower


Tools

1. Pliers with wire cutting capabilities
2. Tape measure
3. Scissors and or utility knife

Materials

1. 63" (1.6m) length of 3' (91cm) wire fencing
2. Weed Control Fabric/Burlap

Several years ago, I used 2" x 3" (50mm x 75mm) x 3' (91cm) wire fencing to create a bin to hold autumn leaves to be composted.  I no longer compost in that area of my yard, so I had no need for the wire bin. I used that wire fencing to make my potato tower.

I coiled the fencing to actually see what diameter tower would look manageable. An 18" (46cm) diameter looked good to me. I counted the rectangles in the coil, multiplied by 3" (75mm, the width of one rectangle) and decided 60" (1.5m) would be the length to cut.  

I added one more rectangle to the length to increase the size to 63" (1.6m). The three extra inches of length would facilitate tying the two ends closed.

I cut the fencing using the wire cutter portion of a pair of pliers.  Once the cutting was finished the result was a 36" (91cm) x 63" (1.6m) rectangle of wire fence with 2" (50mm) x 3" (76mm) openings.

I then rolled the fencing lengthwise to form a tube with an 18" (45cm) diameter. (Used fencing isn't necessarily straight.)

With the two ends of the fencing touching, I bent the wire on one of the ends around the other end of the fencing creating a seam.

I then bent the wire on the other end around closing the two ends into a tube. I also made sure the free end of the closure wires were wrapped under the upright wire to facilitated the easy opening of the tower when the potatoes are ready to harvest.

I cut a length of weed control fabric to line the inside the tower.  The 2" x 3" openings were large enough to allow the tower contains to escape. This fabric would help retain the leaves and potato plants. I added 6" (15cm) in length to the fabric so it would overlap itself. That overlap would also help retain the tower contents. The circumference of the tower was 60" (1.5m). The cut fabric measured 48" (1.2m) x 66" (1.7m).

Starting at the wire fencing seam, I spread the fabric around the inside of the tower, as best I could, while folding over the extra 1' (30cm) at the top. To help keep the fabric in place until I filled the tower, I used some clothes pins at the top of the fencing.

At this point, the tower was complete and ready to fill with leaves and potatoes.


©Damyon T. Verbo - all rights reserved