Potato experiment.
rossr...@forteinc.com
from potatoes we've missed when digging the previous year's crop.
These volunteers always seem to produce a large healthy crop of
tubers.
Because of this, we've been meaning for several years to try some fall
planted potatoes and finally, this year, we managed to plant several
different varieties in about 50 feet of row. It'll be interesting to
see how well they perform.
Ross.
Southern Ontario, Canada.
AgCanada Zone 5b
43� 17' 26.75" North
80� 13' 29.46" West
Pat Kiewicz
>
>
>Every year we seem to have volunteer potato plants which have grown
>from potatoes we've missed when digging the previous year's crop.
>These volunteers always seem to produce a large healthy crop of
>tubers.
>Because of this, we've been meaning for several years to try some fall
>planted potatoes and finally, this year, we managed to plant several
>different varieties in about 50 feet of row. It'll be interesting to
>see how well they perform.
*sigh* All this talk about potatoes. I decided to give them a pass
this year because the previous two years running the mice/voles
ended up eating more potatoes than we did.
Apparently keeping the garden safe from deer, racoons, possums,
and woodchucks also ends up making it a haven for small rodents.
Picked a good year not to grow potatoes, what with the blight
outbreak. (And with that, recommendations from the extension
service -- which barely survived the state budget slashing -- not to
let any potatoes overwinter in the field.)
--
Pat in Plymouth MI
"So, it was all a dream."
"No dear, this is the dream, you're still in the cell."
email valid but not regularly monitored
rossr...@forteinc.com
<balve...@invalid.net: wrote:
>
>rossr...@forteinc.com wrote:
>
>>Because of this, we've been meaning for several years to try some fall
>>planted potatoes and finally, this year, we managed to plant several
>>different varieties in about 50 feet of row. It'll be interesting to
>>see how well they perform.
> I'd be interested in your results. How will you protect the
>foliage? When do you expect to harvest?
I will post whatever results we get next summer.
We have covered the row where they are planted with shredded leaves.
Other than that, we'll just leave them to their own devices, the same
as the volunteers that we get every year.
Since we planted some of each early, mid-season and late varieties,
the harvest time will be somewhat extended. We'll harvest after the
foliage dies off as usual.
Referring to your email address, how'd you like to try this one from
our provincial liquor control board?
72 BALVENIE VINTAGE CASK (WILLIAM GRANT&SONS
VINTAGES 954917 | 700 mL bottle
Price: $ 799.90
Wildbilly
Balvenieman <balve...@invalid.net: wrote:
> rossr...@forteinc.com wrote:
>
> I'm in peninsular Florida, U.S.A. where normal potato-planting time
> is December, which makes obtaining seed potatoes a bit of a problem . . .
From http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/HS183 it would appear that you could get
seed potatoes from your local store, or order potatoes that store well
this Spring, and store or refrigerate until next Fall.
--
"When you give food to the poor, they call you a saint. When you ask why the poor have no food, they call you a communist."
-Archbishop Helder Camara
http://tinyurl.com/o63ruj
http://countercurrents.org/roberts020709.htm
biig
<rossr...@forteinc.com> wrote in message
news:0ka3g5lk2e9c9m2rs...@4ax.com...
Ross, I'm also in SW Ontario Canada. Last year I planted potatoes in a
garbage pail. I harvested them too soon, on the advice of a friend (didn't
wait until the tops died off). I want to do it again, but the cost of the
soil is prohibitive and I've been told not to use the same soil over again.
Have you any experience with this? Planting directly into a garden plot
uses the same soil. Do you do anything to prepare the garden for
it?...thanks...Sharon
biig
"Wildbilly" <wldbilly@without_a.net> wrote in message
news:wldbilly-01D2D3...@c-61-68-245-199.per.connect.net.au...
> In article <BKOdnVJ_vP5udZzW...@earthlink.com>,
> Balvenieman <balve...@invalid.net: wrote:
>
>> rossr...@forteinc.com wrote:
>>
>> I'm in peninsular Florida, U.S.A. where normal potato-planting time
>> is December, which makes obtaining seed potatoes a bit of a problem . . .
>
> From http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/HS183 it would appear that you could get
> seed potatoes from your local store, or order potatoes that store well
> this Spring, and store or refrigerate until next Fall.
> --
pail as an experiment. I had some russets that had started to sprout. I
cut them with an eye on each piece (as my husband's grandfather did many
years ago) and let the cut edges dry before I planted them. Is there any
reason to buy "seed potatoes"? I would have had a decent crop fot what I
had planted, had I not listened to a friend and dug them before the tops
dried off.....Sharon in SW Ontario Canada
Bill who putters
wrote:
y
> Is there any reason to buy "seed potatoes"?
Varieties some are great keepers some more disease resistant some
eatable traits that you like etc etc.
<http://potatoes.wsu.edu/varieties/>
<http://www.umaine.edu/paa/var.htm>
<http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=heirlom+potato&ie=UT
F-8&oe=UTF-8>
Bill
--
Billl Garden in shade zone 5 S Jersey USA
rossr...@forteinc.com
Hi Sharon,
The main reason for not using the same soil over again is to guard
against the carry over of disease organisms. When planting directly
into the garden, most gardeners practice crop rotation, i.e., don't
plant the same crop in the same spot where it grew the year before.
That being said, I don't think you'd have too much of a problem if you
used the same soil over again for one more year, particularly if you
started with certified seed potatoes last year.
As far as soil preparation, we have our old faithful TroyBilt Horse
tiller and the gardens get tilled and have compost worked in at the
same time.
Why do you want to plant in a container? No room for a small garden?
Ross.
biig
<rossr...@forteinc.com> wrote in message
news:vfd0p59qp00hcip89...@4ax.com...
able to cultivate. Containers work for me. I only grew the potatoes, but
this year will do some radishes and carrots, also in containers. I have a
selection of potted herbs on an outdoor table through the growing months.
I'm not really much of a gardener, but use herbs for cooking and just wanted
to experiment with the potatoes. I actually used russets from my pantry
that had started to sprout. This year, I'll do yukon gold or some such.
It's just a "dabble" into gardening. We are away a lot in the summer with
our camper van so I don't get too involved. What is the difference between
certified seed potatoes and what I used. My husband's grandfather always
used last year's leftovers to plant a new crop. That was many years ago
though...thanks...Sharon
phorbin
> Is there any
> reason to buy "seed potatoes"? I would have had a decent crop fot what I
> had planted, had I not listened to a friend and dug them before the tops
> dried off.....Sharon in SW Ontario Canada
London ON here.
Well....
Table potatoes may be chemically treated or irradiated to inhibit
sprouting.
I'd suggest googling the subject.
If you're in London ON, seed potatoes are available right now from the
TSC stores.
-- I bought ours yesterday even before they put them out on the floor.
--I'm told they sell out very fast so move quickly.
biig
"phorbin" <phor...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.25fa53326...@news.execulink.com...
that were in my pantry and had started to sprout already. They would have
produced a decent crop if I hadn't dug them up too soon. A friend said I
could dig them before the tops turned brown....wrong.... I got some nice
sized ones, but many little ones. I a lso planted them a month too late in
the season. thanks for the reply....Sharon
rossr...@forteinc.com
> I planted in the container because we have really poor soil and I'm not
>able to cultivate. Containers work for me. I only grew the potatoes, but
>this year will do some radishes and carrots, also in containers. I have a
>selection of potted herbs on an outdoor table through the growing months.
Containers work for many people including Gerry and I. She also grows
herbs in a raised bed during the summer and moves some of them into
the sunroom for the winter.
I just thought that container growing potatoes would result in a
rather small crop.
>I'm not really much of a gardener, but use herbs for cooking and just wanted
>to experiment with the potatoes. I actually used russets from my pantry
>that had started to sprout. This year, I'll do yukon gold or some such.
>It's just a "dabble" into gardening. We are away a lot in the summer with
>our camper van so I don't get too involved. What is the difference between
>certified seed potatoes and what I used. My husband's grandfather always
>used last year's leftovers to plant a new crop. That was many years ago
>though...thanks...Sharon
If the russet potatoes you used were Russet Burbank (Netted Gem) they
are a very long season potato. You will probably have better luck with
mid-season varieties like Yukon Gold and Kennebec, or one of the
popular early varieties like Norland (red skin with white flesh).
If you have access to straw, here's a method you may want to try:
Partially fill your container with soil, lay your seed pieces on the
soil and then cover with about 8 inches of clean straw. As the plants
grow through you can add more straw. Several advantages, less
watering, cleaner more evenly shaped spuds with no digging - just
remove the straw. A word of warning though, don't substitute hay for
the straw. Hay can be loaded with weed seeds.
As to certified seed potatoes, they are grown under fairly strict
conditions and are subject to regular inspections. They will by no
means guarantee disease free planting stock but will substantially
reduce the risk of introducing unwanted "stuff".
Your husband's grandfather is certainly not alone in using some of the
previous year's crop as next year's seed stock. That's pretty well the
way agriculture used to function. We do it here as well but, every few
years we do buy certified seed potatoes.
Our garden is dedicated to open-pollinated and heirloom varieties
where ever possible and we do save seed from tomatoes, beans, peppers,
squash, etc.
Enjoy your garden.
biig
<rossr...@forteinc.com> wrote in message
news:6cp2p5d4o0qts54ha...@4ax.com...
Thanks Ross, the straw would cut the cost of buying new potting soil
every couple of years. I can get some from local farmers we know. I'm not
looking for a large harvest and originally did it just for fun. I'll try
Now I'm interested in trying carrots and radishes. My arthritis prevents me
from doing "real" gardening...lol......Sharon
biig
<rossr...@forteinc.com> wrote in message
news:6cp2p5d4o0qts54ha...@4ax.com...
PS...what is the right time to plant? Thanks again.....Sharon
rossr...@forteinc.com
>
> PS...what is the right time to plant? Thanks again.....Sharon
>
In your (our) area, last week of May should be relatively safe from a
heavy frost and will still give you lots of time for a good harvest.
Ross.
biig
rossr...@forteinc.com
>Every year we seem to have volunteer potato plants which have grown
>from potatoes we've missed when digging the previous year's crop.
>These volunteers always seem to produce a large healthy crop of
>tubers.
>Because of this, we've been meaning for several years to try some fall
>planted potatoes and finally, this year, we managed to plant several
>different varieties in about 50 feet of row. It'll be interesting to
>see how well they perform.
>
Well, the verdict is in and, even though we had the mildest winter in
living memory, the experiment was a total failure.
No sign of life in any of the potato rows. Dug up about 10 feet of row
and there wasn't even any sign of the potatoes we planted last fall. I
guess they were turned into worm fodder.
Live and learn.
Ross
Pat Kiewicz
I gave up growing potatoes as most of them would be eaten by voles.
When you fence out racoons and groundhogs, you end up creating a
sanctuary for small rodents as you've also fenced out cats, foxes, and
coyotes.
--
Pat in Plymouth MI
"Vegetables are like bombs packed tight with all kinds of important
nutrients..." --Largo Potter, Valkyria Chronicles