Potatoes!

John
John Posts: 163 ✭✭✭
edited November 2020 in Vegetables

One of my favorite things to grow is potatoes. I've grown them in the regular garden, in old whiskey barrels, in garbage cans with areas cut out to allow the leaves to grow through and get sun, and even in small pots. I've grown several different varieties over the years and have had pretty good luck with them all. I recently came upon a store bought bag in the area I store veggies in the house and they had sprouted! They were a small variety potato and as I had a small pot yet unplanted near the raised bed, I prepared and planted them. And...they are growing! I'm hopeful for a nice little crop. What's your experience with potato gardening?

Comments

  • AngelaOston
    AngelaOston Posts: 249 ✭✭✭

    Purples in the back. Yellow fingerlings in the front. All in potato bags. Planted around May 24. Definitely my best show so far

  • John
    John Posts: 163 ✭✭✭

    Wonderful! The harvest will be awesome.

  • greyfurball
    greyfurball Posts: 591 ✭✭✭✭

    I planted two different varieties- 24 plants total - in my 4X4 raised beds (8" deep) this year just to see what happens. (I did mound a couple more inches of soil around each plant when they were about 6" tall)

    Normally I always plant mine in ground because I know they need depth to produce but I am an experimenter and I was hoping since I can't give them much more depth than the 8" they would compensate and grow laterally instead. So I am no where near harvest time yet but from looking at the foliage above ground - it has grown to about 4 feet in most spots - the foliage is gorgeous. It looks the best than what I've had any of the other 4 years which I had planted potatoes.

    So I am anticipating a good harvest since I do know I have beautiful bushes.

    Time will tell.

  • SuperC
    SuperC Posts: 952 ✭✭✭✭

    I gifted Klondike white to my mother and she planted them. Each time she visits their site she pile on more soil since more leaves have sprouted each time.

  • Torey
    Torey Posts: 5,679 admin

    We don't have enough space right now to put in a crop of keeper potatoes that would see us through the winter and there are local farms where I can buy organic potatoes at a very reasonable price.

    So when we do plant potatoes, we usually do the speciality potatoes. This year we have Russian Blue and one called Ambrosia which has a red flesh. We've grown the blue ones before but this is a first for the Ambrozia.

  • chimboodle04
    chimboodle04 Posts: 286 ✭✭✭

    We grow two different varieties with an emphasis on storage - Kenebec and Katahdin (I think that's spelled right?!) We have had great luck with both and usually grow them in raised beds and sometimes containers (when I overbuy and just have to find a spot for them!) We planted our current crop of 37 plants in April - they are flowering now and will be ready to harvest about mid July based on past experience - I have another 24 still to plant after we pull the Garlic and Onion bed that will be harvested for a later fall crop - trying to see if we can grow enough this summer to take us through most of the year! Looks good so far :)

  • seeker.nancy - Central Texas
    seeker.nancy - Central Texas Posts: 795 ✭✭✭✭

    Does anyone grow them in-ground in clay soil? Do you have to dig down and replace the clay with a better draining soil? Can potatoes even push through the clay to grow? I have far more questions than answers lol.

  • shaley1357
    shaley1357 Posts: 33 ✭✭✭

    Just harvested 75 lbs of potatoes (Klondike Gold, Kennebeck White and Pontiac Red) from a 4X4 Ruth Stout bed and two 3 ft towers. Overall the Ruth Stout bed produced the most. About 25 lbs of potatoes from 9 seed potatoes. We will be canning them in the next few days to enjoy all year.

  • John
    John Posts: 163 ✭✭✭

    Sounds like you are right on track to me. We are not anywhere near harvest time either here in zone 4A. Mounding helps them grow more tubers and hopefully increase your yield. Well done.

  • COWLOVINGIRL
    COWLOVINGIRL Posts: 954 ✭✭✭✭

    This year is my second year growing potatoes and I've just been using organic store bought potatoes and just letting them sprout and then planting. It's worked really well for me and I get plenty of potatoes! Honestly, potatoes are one of my favorite things to grow!

  • John
    John Posts: 163 ✭✭✭

    I usually get seed potatoes at a local garden store, but I've planted sprouted ones too and have had good success. I agree, and potatoes are also one of my favorite things to grow. Hope you have a bumper crop. :)