Growing potatoes inside a small, fenced area is a space-saving technique that allows you to have a potato crop without a traditional in-ground garden. The method lets you plant seed potatoes closer together than you could in an in-ground garden, maximizing space. The result is a crop of potatoes that grow closely together and form the appearance of a stone fence, which you will see when you dig them from the soil. A good rule of thumb is that 1 pound of seed potatoes produces about 10 pounds of edible potatoes.
Cut a section of wire mesh fencing to a length of about 10 feet. Overlap the fencing's short ends by about 3 inches, and secure them together with 3-inch long pieces of wire to create a tube.
Set the tube in a sunny area so that one of its open sides faces down. Mark the ground around the tube's circumference. Remove the tube from that place, and dig 6 to 8 inches deep in, and several inches wider than, the marked area. Remove the site's soil.
Set the tube, or fence tube, in the hole with one of its open sides facing downward. Pack soil around the fence tube's exterior to fill that part of the hole and to hold the fence tube in place. Mix compost with the remaining soil you removed from the hole, using a soil-to-compost ratio of 3 to 1. Add the soil-compost mixture to the inside of the fence tube until the top of the mixture is even with ground level.
Set potato seeds on top of the soil-compost mixture, spacing them about 8 inches apart. Place a 3- to 4-inch thick layer of the soil-compost mixture on top of the potato seeds. Plant potato seeds in spring after the risk of a hard frost passes.
Moisten the soil-compost mixture inside the fence tube so it is damp but not wet. Monitor its moisture several times each week, and add water as needed to keep it evenly moist. Avoid saturating the mixture, which can cause potato rot.
Add about a 4-inch deep layer of soil to inside the fence tube when the potato plants reach 6 to 8 inches in height, covering the bottom of each stems. The soil promotes additional growth. Keep the plants' green foliage above the soil line.
Monitor the foliage for the presence of defoliating insects. Apply Bacillus thuringiensis San Diego to plants infested with Colorado potato beetle, or pick off the insects and destroy them. Spray plants with water to remove aphids. Several treatments may be required to eliminate the pests.
Harvest the potatoes when the plants' stems and leaves begin to turn brown. Carefully dig into the fenced area to remove the soil covering the potatoes.
Things You Will Need
- Wire mesh fencing
- Tape measure
- Wire clippers
- Potato seeds
- Potato insecticide
- Line the inside of the potato fence tube with newspaper or straw to prevent soil from spilling through the mesh fence holes if they are too large.
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