Growing Potatoes like an Egyptian

Sido

About a year or so ago. I watched a television programme about Egyptian potato growers. They were planting out in the desert (sand) and were watering their crop from a naturally occurring aquifer system under the desert.

Presumably, the technique involved the use of manufactured fertilisers applied with the water or mixed in with the sand. The programme was not specific about the technique (being principally about the underground water system).

I have Googled - How to grow potatoes in sand - and the sites I have found make various recommendations and indeed promise 100 lbs a barrel!

Various suggestions from these (by and large American) sites suggest using sand, ground coconut coir, straw even sawdust.

The first part of my question is - non of these sites mention specifically the doses and types of fertiliser that should be used. You are hardly going to get 100lbs of potatoes out of thin air, sand and a couple of shriveled up seed potatoes

The second part of my question - A lot of these sites grow in barrels and suggest using an acid soil at the bottom of the barrel. However it occurs to me that this is a luxury not available to the Egyptian potato farmer - who by and large only has sand, water and chemicals.

So does anyone know anything about a sand only technique?

wotzgoingon

I just happened to come across this thread and I hope I don't come across as rude, but why would you want to grow potatoes in sand? We have plenty of good soil. Do they taste better?

Sido

Hi wotzgoingon - I've grown potatoes in soil. And am now bored with it. I don't see why I should give up on my dreams.

johngalway

Look up how they grow spuds on the Aran Islands, I believe they use sand and seaweed.

gooner99

Live beside the sea and we used to use seaweed in our sandy ground. sandy spuds have a different taste imho. only problem is that the sand only seems to produce good spuds for 2/3 years before needing to be rested for a few years, so we used to rotate patches.

johngalway

How does the taste differ?

Cardinal Richelieu

Early potatoes in Rush Co Dublin were for years grown in sandy fields with wore(seaweed) to dress the fields. They even used wooden ploughs up to the 1930s. In parts of my own back garden that I grow potatoes in I still find seashells. The soil is a little too free draining so needs frequent use of farm yard manure. In the old days of Dublin City Market, the farmers from this area would deliver by horse and cart into the Market early in the morning then stop off at one of the many city dairies and slaughter houses to pick up dung and blood for the return journey which would be then spread on the sandy fields. No EHOs then!