“Air Potatoes” Grow Above Ground By Jim Ruen, Contributing Editor When I fi rst heard stories about “air potatoes” sized bulbs over a 6 to 8-week period. It also that grow above ground, they sounded too produces an underground tuber, but harvest- good to be true. I learned that they’re mem- ing it kills the plant. Toensmeier says they are bers of the yam family, and that they form grown on trellises in Japan and yield more tubers in the ground and on their vines. They than 16 tons per acre. Mats are laid beneath are perennial, and the above-ground tubers the trellises to catch the tubers, which fall off are supposed to be quite tasty. I wanted to when mature. try some, but the only ones I could fi nd grow “I boil them for 10 minutes and eat them wild in Florida and are poisonous. like new potatoes,” he says. “They can be Then I read “Perennial Vegetables,” by Eric stored in a cool, dry place for 4 to 5 months.” Toensmeier. He writes about an air potato va- Toensmeier is confident the edible air riety that yields 17,000 lbs. per acre without potato would make a good addition to U.S. plowing or cultivating. I called him to fi nd gardens and small farms. Not only are they out more. He told me they were generally drought tolerant and have few pests, their considered a tropical plant, not a good fi t for perennial nature means reduced work load Minnesota. once they have been established. “One variety in India produces 33 tons “They would make a great livestock feed,” Air potatoes form on the vines, left. Photo at right shows a mature air potato. of aerial and underground edible tubers per he says. “You could run pigs under the vines acre,” he says. “There are varieties that could and let them eat the tubers as they drop.” cuttings. Then he profi les more than 100 of be grown from the Carolinas to California and Whether for livestock feed or human food, his favorites, covering how and where they into the Pacifi c Northwest.” Toensmeier is enthused about the edible air will overwinter or grow as annuals. He also The bad news is that seed tubers for the potato’s potential. Like the other 100 plus provides websites, plant and seed sources and edible air potato are not currently available edible, perennial vegetables he features in other resources. commercially in the U.S. Because of its his book, the tropical yam family requires Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Peren- poisonous relative, nurseries are hesitant to little work or outside inputs once established. nial Vegetables, Chelsea Green Publishing import it, and permits are required to grow “As a general group, perennial vegetables Co., P.O. Box 428, White River Junction, it in several states. are less work, and I like things that are less Vt. 05001 (ph 802 295-6300; www.chelsea- “The air potato is common for subsistence work,” he says. “If there’s a concern that a pe- green.com). farming in Mexico and Guatemala,” says rennial could spread, it’s best to plant it with For Chinese Yams: Tripple Brook Farm, 37 Toensmeier. “They haven’t been commercial- a zone around the plant that is kept grazed or Middle Road, Southampton, Mass. 01073 (ph ized into production agriculture because they mowed to prevent spreading.” 413 527-4626; www.tripplebrookfarm.com). produce tubers over several months.” In his book, he outlines how to use peren- Photo shows an underground potato and Toensmeier grows an air potato relative nial vegetables in your garden or yard, includ- small bulbils produced by an air potato called Chinese Yams that produces chickpea ing propagating them from seed, tubers and relative called Chinese Yams.

Greenhouse is built into side of hill, with heat from the ground keeping the greenhouse warm. Acement mixer drum is buried in the hill side behind it. Earth-Sheltered Greenhouse Doubles As Storm Shelter Mark Jenkins built a 12 by 20-ft. greenhouse up heat during the day and release it at night. For the elderly or anyone with physical limitations, planting directly into bags of pot- into the side of a hill with a combination root “I’ve had nights that got down to -10° ting mix can make gardening a lot easier. cellar/storm shelter, made from the drum off F and not had to worry about plants in the a cement mixer truck, buried behind it. greenhouse," says Jenkins. "Heat from the First Jenkins excavated the hillside to bury ground keeps the greenhouse warm." Here’s An Easy Way To Garden the cement drum. He cut off the beveled front Costs for the greenhouse were minimal, By C. F. Marley, Contributing Editor half of the drum and removed all the baffl es thanks in part to a door and window recycled Planting a garden directly into bags of pot- breaking work,” she says. from inside. That left him with a round tank, from an old camper. The real savings came ting mix may seem a bit different, but it can Dr. Alsup-Egbers says there are several 7 ft. tall and 8 ft. across. It mounts sideways in 30 pieces of glass salvaged from a nearby make gardening a lot easier, especially for the advantages to her system of planting directly on concrete blocks for drainage and he cut a factory that years before had stopped using elderly or anyone with physical limitations. into bags of potting mix. She says soil prob- door out of the side facing the greenhouse. tempered glass in the screen doors and win- The idea is to put bags of potting soil on lems are fewer in the bagged gardens. Also, “The domed roof is 3/8-in. thick with 1/4- dows they made. the ground or on raised beds, then slit the the potting soil warms up faster than does the in. sides,” he says. “I lined it with shelves "They set all the unused glass outside for bags open. The bottom of each bag should be ground. made from treated lumber and dismantled the taking, and my dad picked up thousands punctured for drainage. Once planted you can As with anything new, it’s a good idea to pallets. There’s room for 5 to 6 people to of sheets of it," says Jenkins. "I had plenty throw some mulch on top to hide the bags. go slow at fi rst. Strawberries, radishes, cherry stand and for 500 jars of canned goods.” on hand for what would have been my big- Credit for the idea goes to researcher Dr. tomatoes and other small crops may be the The greenhouse was framed against the gest expense." Clydette Alsup-Egbers, an agronomist with best way to go at fi rst. excavated hillside, in front of the root cellar/ Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Mark Missouri State University in Springfi eld. She You can keep planting into plastic bags shelter. Jenkins slipped pieces of recycled Jenkins, 12723 E. Panama Road, Nevada, got the idea after watching an urban couple from year to year. corrugated tin behind wall timbers where they Mo. 64772 (ph 417 684-3339; kyud8@ struggle to break up their compacted ground Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Dr. came in contact with dirt. The dirt fl oor and yahoo.com). to plant their fi rst garden. Clydette Alsup-Egbers, 901 S. National Ave., exposed a 2-ft. dirt bank on the backside soak “Gardening should be enjoyable, not back- Springfi eld, Mo. 65897. 1-800-834-9665 • [email protected] • www.farmshow.com • vol. 34, no. 2 • FARM SHOW • 35