1ST TIME POTATO GROWER AND POTATOES

Dunkinjean 7/17/2011, 5:22 pm

Hi everyone!

I am so excited about growing potatoes for the 1st time.

My hubby & I picked them from our potato box on Wed and got about 30 new fingerling potatoes and 3 Kennelbeck potatoes.

We took them to DC and just cooked them up for breakfast this AM - they were delicious!! sunny

I can't wait til we can pick them all when they are full grown....

Fully enjoying my SFG gardens.

Dunkinjean

boffer 7/17/2011, 5:36 pm

I'm with you.

Most folks don't realize there is a big difference between store bought and homegrown potatoes. The difference isn't as dramatic as tomatoes or corn, but it's big enough to make it worthwhile to grow my own.

Big agriculture is able to store potatoes up to 6-8 months. No wonder they lose flavor.

FamilyGardening 7/17/2011, 5:40 pm

Congrats on your taters!!!!! 1ST TIME POTATO GROWER AND POTATOES 832433

hugs
rose....agree....there is nothing like a home grown tater!

Dunkinjean 7/17/2011, 5:58 pm

Thank you Boffer and FamilyGardening:

I feel there is nothing like a vegetable from a garden!

I just made homemade fettucini on Friday for dinner with my daughter-in law in DC - there is also nothing like homemade food!

Enjoying my SFG garden.

Dunkinjean

itsablondething 7/20/2011, 5:24 pm

I'm excited to see what my 'tater plants produce as well. It is a first for me!

Are the tops of the plants dying back for anyone else? I can't tell if mine are dying back, or just flopping over!

mijejo 7/20/2011, 5:42 pm

Mine are dying back, as well. From what I have read, that seems to be okay.
A couple of plants started to bloom, but I pinched them off before they opened. However, most of the plants had no buds.

I plan on waiting until they completely flop over before I unearth them. I understand they are okay for a couple of weeks in that condition, but they should be removed before a heavy rain.

I grew horseradish with mine as a companion plant. I need to check and see how/when to harvest it. That plant is not dying off.

itsablondething 7/20/2011, 5:57 pm

I just put in horseradish this year as well! However, I put it back in a corner of my yard where it wasn't likely to spread (or at least not make me upset that it spread). So, I have a bed of mint and horseradish, and they can now spread where they like... back in the back corner of my yard. LOL.

I am anxious to have some fresh horseradish to grind... I remember my grandfather grinding it when I was little.. boy, you didn't want to be upwind of him while he was doing it! I love the taste though!

itsablondething 7/20/2011, 5:58 pm

I just saw bags made form growing potatoes.. I am thinking about trying that next year, and using the extra space in my SFG for other things.

unmadecastle 7/20/2011, 10:26 pm

We planted red potatoes in buckets this year. One of our buckets died back and we dumped it today. We found plenty of potatoes but they were no good. They were soft and starting to rot. Sad

From what I could tell by googling it is a blight. We disposed of the potatoes and the dirt.

Goosegirl 7/20/2011, 10:29 pm

unmadecastle wrote:We planted red potatoes in buckets this year. One of our buckets died back and we dumped it today. We found plenty of potatoes but they were no good. They were soft and starting to rot. From what I could tell by googling it is a blight. We disposed of the potatoes and the dirt.

So sorry about your potatoes! That is heartbreaking!

GG

HouseofWool 7/21/2011, 7:44 am

That is so disappointing. I am growing my potatoes in containers for the first time this year and I am really concerned that the heat will stunt the potato formation.

**Kelejan** 7/21/2011, 9:10 am

I have a question.

mijejo wrote:Mine are dying back, as well. From what I have read, that seems to be okay.
A couple of plants started to bloom, but I pinched them off before they opened. However, most of the plants had no buds. .

My potatoes have lots of blooms, should I be pinching them off? I have not read anywhere else that this should be done but I may have missed it.

So much to learn but never too late.

Tril 7/21/2011, 11:05 am

itsablondething wrote:I just saw bags made form growing potatoes.. I am thinking about trying that next year, and using the extra space in my SFG for other things.

I'm growing potatoes for the first time... in these bags! I'll let everyone know how they do when I harvest them.

I didn't pick the flower buds off my potatoes. Never heard of it or seen it done... and we have LOTS of potatoes grown here in ME. That's one of the reasons I've never grown them, I can buy new potatoes (50# for next to nothing... and in many cases, we have them given to us since dh does work at some of the potato processing plants).

itsablondething 7/21/2011, 6:35 pm

Tril, I will be anxious to hear how they worked out for you. I'd love to be able to plop that bag in the bag of my flower beds rather than take up numerous sqaures in my raised beds.

I also saw someone recommend growing them in old tired.. starting with one, then stacking them on top of each other and filling with dirt as the "tater plants grow... but I wonder about chemicals from the tires leaching into the dirt.

Tril 7/21/2011, 10:17 pm

Tires make GREAT growing containers... I grew HUGE zukes in them. The black rubber absorbs the heat. Just have to keep them watered well! Smile

Dunkinjean 8/27/2011, 7:57 pm

What do you do with all the soil after harvesting the potatoes?

Can I use the same box for growing potatoes again?

Tks.

Chopper 8/27/2011, 9:55 pm

That is one place where rotating matters. Because of the issues of fungal infections in potatoes it is wise not to use the same dirt year after year. I would simply distribute it on your current beds if it is MM. Otherwise give the yard a treat.

**Kelejan** 8/27/2011, 9:56 pm

I think I remember reading that the answer is No!. The answer will be on one of the potato threads. I will try and see if I can find it.

shannon1 8/28/2011, 1:33 am

Two words, POTATO BLIGHT!!!!!!!

mijejo 8/28/2011, 7:42 am

If one should not reuse the soil/MM in which the potato grew, can it safely be used elsewhere in the SFG? What are the pros and cons of dumping it in the composter?

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