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[Lisa Kae Van Meter Perry <lisakvperry AT gmail.com>]

On Wed, Apr 1, 2009 at 6:59 PM, Leslie <cayadopi AT yahoo.com> wrote:

> Tire planted potatoes are still coming up good.   The big patch in the
> ground, nothing above ground up yet.... however, I moved some soil a bit,
> and have found some stuff coming up underground, so expect they will start
> to peek their tops out in a week or so.  It's been cold here again.


Leslie, I'm sorry for your troubles. I don't have a natural green thumb and
am struggling myself. I keep trying, but I'm not doing well. My brassicas
failed. I should have put them under cold frames I guess. I transplanted
them but I think it was too late.

I have a potato question for the list. We have space in the garden currently
used by a dozen dwarf apple trees. The trees were fairly well abused by deer
last year and we have decided to let others take the trees (if they want
them), the goal is to reclaim this part of the garden. We have other apple
trees along the garden fence and outside the garden, so we won't miss these.
Actually, we'll be glad to be rid of them--less to prune.

I'm wondering... since you can supposedly grow potatoes in straw, could I
possibly put seed potatoes on the ground (some straw under them) in the
dwarf apple tree area, cover them with straw and keep adding straw as they
develop leaves? The trees don't produce much foilage. I'm trying to make use
of that space to better serve our needs and save space in the existing
garden bed for other veggies.

Is this just a really stupid idea? (I have so many of them). Offering my
vulnerable self to the homesteading experts for your sage advice once
again....

Thanks,

Lisa