What's Up? Yukon gold potatoes!

Yukon gold potato plant plus a volunteer -- probably zinnia. This bed is nothing but leaves on top of the seeds potatoes, which were started right on the ground. I don't know what I'm doing, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Just bury the potato in a pile of leaves about a foot high, keep it topped up and in about 45 days, pull a bunch of baby yukon gold potatoes for roasted spuds.

No_Such_Reality wrote:Just bury the potato in a pile of leaves about a foot high, keep it topped up and in about 45 days, pull a bunch of baby yukon gold potatoes for roasted spuds.

YES! I did something right! 

They are the creamiest bestest!

Scorpio Rising wrote:They are the creamiest bestest!

I've never had them -- can't wait to try them.

countrynaturals wrote:

Scorpio Rising wrote:They are the creamiest bestest!

I've never had them -- can't wait to try them.

You will never go back...they can do it all.  They can be early and super soft skinned like reds (but with a buttery flavor).  Can be nice bakers, just really all purpose and wonderful taste!

Scorpio Rising wrote:

countrynaturals wrote:

Scorpio Rising wrote:They are the creamiest bestest!

I've never had them -- can't wait to try them.

You will never go back...they can do it all.  They can be early and super soft skinned like reds (but with a buttery flavor).  Can be nice bakers, just really all purpose and wonderful taste!

Ooooo, now I really can't wait!

They were planted on August 17. Here they are, today. Will they be ready for Christmas dinner?

No_Such_Reality wrote:Just bury the potato in a pile of leaves about a foot high, keep it topped up and in about 45 days, pull a bunch of baby yukon gold potatoes for roasted spuds.

I just went back and re-read this. 45 days? Really? OMIGOSH! There could be spuds under there right now, just waiting and counting the days until Christmas.

So, when I harvest, should I keep some to re-plant or buy more for seed potatoes? Little ones, big ones, leave whole, cut 'em up?  Should I plant again immediately or wait until spring. So many questions.

Congrats Suz!  This is one of the things I want to start growing when my compost is done and I can make my MM.  LOVE me some Yukons!  Did you start them from grocery store potatoes, or from seed potatoes?

No Such - if we leave them longer, they just get larger, right?

Yes longer just means bigger. Yukon goods only make one set so the set and then grow.  I still don't know what triggers setting,

saganco wrote:Congrats Suz!  This is one of the things I want to start growing when my compost is done and I can make my MM.  LOVE me some Yukons!  Did you start them from grocery store potatoes, or from seed potatoes?

No Such - if we leave them longer, they just get larger, right?

I started them from seed potatoes. My concern is that the plants are still green and beautiful, but everything I read says they should be dying when the potatoes are ready. I'm afraid I over-watered when the plants were young and there won't be anything there when I go to harvest them. 

If there's anything there, can we eat them right away or do they need a rest period like sweet potatoes?

So, can we grow from grocery store organic potatoes, or do we HAVE to buy seed potatoes/starters?  What do you mean by "setting"?

saganco wrote:So, can we grow from grocery store organic potatoes, or do we HAVE to buy seed potatoes/starters?  What do you mean by "setting"?

I started with a grocery store sweet potato and would have done fine if the grasshoppers had left them alone.   I bought seed potatoes for red potatoes and only one of them sprouted. I got desperate and bought from Etsy -- never again. I'll know in a few days if there's anything in the ground besides roots.

I think "setting" means forming potatoes.

saganco wrote:So, can we grow from grocery store organic potatoes, or do we HAVE to buy seed potatoes/starters?  What do you mean by "setting"?

Setting like setting fruit.  Or in this case, having the roots grow tubers.  I've had plants side by side, planted at the same time, one has a bunch of tiny potatoes, the other has none, I've planted and pulled up 2-3 months into growing, looking like Country's and sometimes they've got a bunch of little spurs and other times a few big spuds and sometimes nothing of few pea sized.

Basically, what triggers tubers formation?  More hit than miss but something sometimes goes off the rails

I've grown from organic store bought potatoes.  Technically it's a bad thing as potatoes can carry disease like scanned infect your growing area. Basically I take the healthiest looking potatoes and use those.  I know my seed potatoes I've bought are 'certified' disease free it big they look rough and frankly I'm really beginning to doubt a lot of certification and agri-labeling claims.  As a safety measure grow any store bought in containers.

Edited really hating the hyperactive autocorrect t on my Amazon fire

We have successfully grown potatoes from store bought potatoes. I don't think they were Yukon Gold. This past summer we grew Yukon Gold from seed potatoes and they were great.

So if you want to grow from an organic potato from the store, you just put it in the dark, let it sprout, then bury it?  Sorry to be ignorant, but I've never grown potatoes before! 

Good question.  Potatoes in the mainstream are one of the most manipulated veggies.  YUK.  They (producers ) kill them down etc.using chemicals.  Grow them!

saganco wrote:So if you want to grow from an organic potato from the store, you just put it in the dark, let it sprout, then bury it?  Sorry to be ignorant, but I've never grown potatoes before! 

I use seed potatoes from my nursery...organic might be OK?

saganco wrote:So if you want to grow from an organic potato from the store, you just put it in the dark, let it sprout, then bury it?  Sorry to be ignorant, but I've never grown potatoes before! 

I use seed potatoes from my nursery...organic might be OK?

In a small rural town in the winter - think I can get seed potatoes?  The question still stands about planting the entire potato once it sprouts eyes...  I guess I need to "dig in" to learning more about potatoes for sure!
 

I like this stock photo of cut sections of potatoes with spouting eyes.  Let the cut side dry for a day or two, then plant with cut side down and eyes up.

It's true - a picture is worth a thousand words!  Thanks for the "clear picture".  So I could just "encourage" my organic store potatoes to sprout (and now I have to learn how to do that too), then cut and plant!  I think I might can do this!!  Just started making my compost today, so I am not nearly as close as I want to be yet.  But with so much to cram into my brain, I have to get started on that part while the "dirt's a cookin"!

Haven't you ever forgotten a potato to only discover that it sprouted? That usually happens if I forget to take them out of the cupboard after housecleaning leaves. I think the only reason to have them pre-sprout before burying is to make sure they will sprout. They should be supper easy to grow.

We have a 147 threads on potatoes and sweet potatoes. https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/search?search_keywords=potato

Sanderson - didn't know if there was something special I needed to do to them other than the "accidental sprouting"!  I'm happy to know that my organic Yukons from the store are sprouting.  Now if my compost would just hurry up so I can get my MM made!  This is such a great group with so many helpful folks here!!