Planting potatoes

Planting potatoes

Out in the garden tonight planting potatoes no it wasn’t any kind of moon thing, it was just like I’m way behind and I’m got a flight tomorrow morning and if I don’t get these potatoes in the ground right now, they never will get on the ground.

I planted about 70 ounces Which is about 4.375 pounds… Yikes the calculator makes me sound very very very precise which is not an all true.

Which is about 4.375 pounds… Yikes the calculator makes me sound very very very precise which is not an all true.

These are small little blue potatoes. I’m going to try and upload a photo here

These are small little blue potatoes. I’m going to try and upload a photo here

Down on the bottom is the little gray kitty, named “Little bear” who just seems to get into everything.



Comments

  • Marc Thoma
    Marc Thoma Posts: 77 ✭✭

    You seem to be repeating yourself - or maybe that's the forum software? Nice blue potatoes. And cute kitty.

    A few weeks ago I found a potato plant (already sprouted with green leaves) where I grew some last year in grow bags, so just popped it into the ground and we'll see what we get! My daughter prefers sweet potatoes, so we're hopefully growing those as well.

  • Merin Porter
    Merin Porter Posts: 1,026 admin

    Marjory, what specific type of potatoes are those? I'm not familiar with blue potatoes..... Thanks!

  • Marjory Wildcraft
    Marjory Wildcraft Posts: 1,615 admin

    Hi Merin,

    I'm not sure! I'll go ask Lizzy - the one I got the seed potatoes from.

  • Marjory Wildcraft
    Marjory Wildcraft Posts: 1,615 admin

    Uh oh! I'm a tad bit worried. Last night while watering the potatoes in.... I left the sprinklet on overnight by accident.

    DANG!!! Now I'm owrried they are going to be toooooo wet and rot instead of grow.

    Let's see! I'll keep you posted.

  • Marjory Wildcraft
    Marjory Wildcraft Posts: 1,615 admin

    Hi @Marc Thoma ,

    Hmm, I am going to see if we can get nested replies setup here...

    I didn't see a repeat??? COuld you take a snippet and post it for me? I think it is the s/w...

  • burekcrew86
    burekcrew86 Posts: 248 ✭✭✭

    I’m planning on growing my seed potatoes in grow bags this year. Has anyone ever had any experiences doing that? What were your results like?

  • greenleaf
    greenleaf Posts: 19 ✭✭

    Those are seriously tiny potatoes. Don't think I've ever seen any like them, and I've planted my share of potatoes! Do you have the scientific name for them somewhere? Love the kitty!

  • Jimerson
    Jimerson Posts: 291 admin

    I've never tried growing potatoes (other than the secret closet science experiment I performed when I was a child that really, really started to smell.. my mother was not happy when she found it), I think I'll give it a shot this year.

    Thanks for the inspiration Marjory, time for yet another trip to the local feed store! 🤣

  • Leanna
    Leanna Posts: 12

    My potatoes will be going in a bit on the late side for Oklahoma, but it's been crazy trying to dodge the rain this Spring.

  • Marjory Wildcraft
    Marjory Wildcraft Posts: 1,615 admin

    UPDATE (and controversy?)

    OK, so apparetnly the sprinkler all night didn't bother them too much. Nor the frost nights we've had.

    BUt I spoke with one expereinced gardening friend and she said the sprouts were too long - the potatoes would grow bushy bushes, but not make much potatoes. SO I was thinking about ripping them out.

    But Lynn Gilispie came by and said she thought it would be fine.

  • Blair
    Blair Posts: 46

    sounds like experiment time. take out half and replant without sprouts and see the difference (if any)

  • Marjory Wildcraft
    Marjory Wildcraft Posts: 1,615 admin

    Lisa,

    I am going to plant some other variety just so I have some potatoes just in case.


    I'll update the thread through the growing season, and definitely post the final weight(s) of harvest. .

  • Marjory Wildcraft
    Marjory Wildcraft Posts: 1,615 admin
  • StacyLou
    StacyLou Posts: 89 ✭✭

    Finally got around to planting our potatoes today! We put in Kennebec and purple fingerling potatoes. Better late than never. :)

  • Merin Porter
    Merin Porter Posts: 1,026 admin

    I've never tried my hand at potatoes, either. Don't think it's going to happen this year, although it's on my radar for ... sometime. Next growing season, maybe? :)

  • Wnon
    Wnon Posts: 7

    I am so jealous of you guys planting so early. I got snow last night. Still waiting for spring...

    I plant purple caribe, kennebec, a yellow that my grandparents grew and passed along to the family, Yukon gold, Russian and French fingerlings...I have a bit of a market garden.

  • Marjory Wildcraft
    Marjory Wildcraft Posts: 1,615 admin

    Yikes @WendyO'Neill are you neighbors with Santa Claus? I thought I was living in the North here is Colorado..

  • Barrel Potatoes: It's May 11th. Here in Ontario and we usually have to wait to plant seedlings until after the full moon in May (May 18 this year) or the new moon as it presents the possiblity of frost at those times. If potatoes go in early enough to pop their heads out near frost time, we just cover them with more soil. This year, because of lack of garden space, I am trying something new that I read about. The procedure is that one plants potatoes in a 45 gal. barrel. Start by placing 6" of soil in bottom of barrel, place about 5 or 6 whole potatoes on soil, cover with a bit more soil and water. When the plants start to come through, cover with more soil. Do this all the way up to the top. Apparently the potatoes send out roots with tubers all the way up, so there is the potential to have a barrel of new potatoes. When tops die, just dig in and harvest as needed.

    My barrels are clean plastic with drain holes in bottom for water drainage. They will be outside for sunlight and rain but I kept the cut-off tops so as to cover barrels if too much rain. I will post my progress along with photos (if I figure that out).

  • burekcrew86
    burekcrew86 Posts: 248 ✭✭✭

    Finally planted my potatoes over the weekend. I tried something new this year. Due to space, I planted mine in half whiskey barrels.

  • bmaverick
    bmaverick Posts: 175 ✭✭✭

    IF you have the time, don't let them grow out to be bushy. prune back the bush in a way that the greens only grow upwards and not outwards. You should be fine then.

  • Marjory Wildcraft
    Marjory Wildcraft Posts: 1,615 admin

    As promised, I've planted another smaller patch of some other potatoes... Yikes, I totally forgot the variety these are. Uh, I really need a better journalling system.

    Anyway, I planted these on May 17th. As you can see they don't have the long shoots, but only small 'buds'. I planted about 2.3 lbs. of them.