Got taters!

Gourd, sorry to be so late responding. Got a sick kitty that's taking lots of time. I will have to check the stake to see what date's on it, but I think I got those seeds in the tires in early March. That's later than I intended and I may have problems with the heat.

I see Paul recommends USDA as a source for choosing potatoes. I'll have to look into that. Not knowing any more than I do, I ordered from a CO company just because they're in the same part of the country. Though I'm sure they're at a higher elevation. They sure are going like gangbusters and I'm having a hard time keeping up!

Thanks Paul,

I'll be checking with them for next years potato crop.

I found one that had a stem growing sideways, now I know why they say to keep building up the soil around them. The neighbor here said to wait till the flowers dry to harvest. I'm still going to pull one up next week for some soup.

Not All Poatoe Plants Flower

Wow, I didn't know that, thanks Paul. Do they get any taller or do they stay small and bushy of sorts? I think these are about a foot high if that. (they are wider)

They Should Grow Just Like Ant Other Poatoe The Reason They Flower is To Make TPS True Poatoe Seeds they look like very small poatoes that are full of small dark seeds theres a link in one of the top threads that will explain it better paul

This message was edited May 3, 2008 10:35 AM

Planting potatoes from seed has apparently been a long-standing goal of researchers interested in making it easier to grow potatoes in developing countries where there isn't the money or means to use expensive seed potatoes. I went looking for some info and found this site. It's a little long but very informative.
http://www.worldandi.com/public/1987/june/ns3.cfm

And if you want to grow your own potatoes from seed, here's a place you can start! I think I'll order some. Intriguing. Anyone else?
http://www.territorialseed.com/product/1063/s

I grew some a few years back Paul

When I lived in Bolivia, they had 100's of varieties, all colors, some looked like carrots, some were brown and lookted rotten (they were dehydrated I think, the whole potato was black, some with spots, etc... They grew them up in what is called the Altiplano, high in the Andes mts.. there was quite a history with the Inca's and the potatoes.

God, I wish I had paid more attention... with my work, I barely got to enjoy the scenery there.

What Kind of Work did you do There? Paul

I was working at the Embassy there. Didn't get out too much into the jungle, but when I did, boy was it something.. things you only see on Discovery Channel, waterfalls, death hiway.

A.

Okay, I finally dug some up.. I posted it on the other thread and finally found this one...

You were right Paul, they are small, about the size of a small lemon and I'm very happy though.

I put the plants back into the ground, will it still produce or should I just compost the two.??

Leave it in am Going to Dig My Poatoes at the End of the week as the plants have all died back now Paul

Paul,

While you're digging your potatoes, mine are just getting started.

Here's a pic of one of my tires. I put the seeds in the bottom of the tire and filled it with dirt, then added a wire cage around it to keep filled with straw as they grow up. I did find that it's trickier than it looks to get the straw in between all the stems so that there are no "holes" in the straw and yet not pack it too tight. I hope I'm doing it right.

Karen

look Good For All You Planting in Straw Dont For Get To Add Some Extra Fertlzer And a Little EPsom Salt To As Straw Has Nothing in it that the Poatoes Can Use Paul

Paul,

Thanks. I'll do that.

Karen

Gourd Those Poatoes look like Nice White Boiling Poatoes Paul

I am mixing straw with composted horse manure and sawdust. Should I add anything else? My plants are just starting to grow.

Yes Fertlzer 666 will do

Thanks.

OK, big reminder here. What fertilizer should I be using and how much? I'm afraid to encourage these plants to grow any higher, but after all this I really want a big potato crop!

Another question: Some of my plant stems are wilting. Could this be caused by too much water? Too much heat? I think I need to get shade over these potato condos pretty soon. Anyone have a suggestion about how much shade?

to much heat the tires draw heat fertlizer 666

I wonder if painting the tires white would help cooling them.

Do you mix the fertilizer to reach those numbers? or do they sell some like that?

They Sell It like that painting the tires white may help some Gourd Your Poatoes should be ready to dig this month Paul

Thanks, one plant has buds on it, getting ready to bloom.

I found buds on one of mine, too. It's the Bintje variety. Can't wait till it opens so I can see what it looks like.

Paul, is 666 the formula or the brand?

The Formula Any Brand will Do

had these for diner last night with ribs

Paul, I'm just turning green with envy over here! I sure hope I get some good taters out of all this work. They're just getting taller every day but I'm going to add any more tires. I'll wrap some wire around and fill with straw. It should be cooler. I put umbrellas up today.

Hows Every ones Poatoes ? Ill Be puting in a order soon for my fall seed poatoes Paul

HElp! and WHAT!?!

This is my first year growing potatoes and I'm really confused as I read about all the layersing of tires.

I did not grow from seeds but spuds with eyes, or is that the same thing?

Do I need to pile soil on top of my nearly 12 inch tall plants?

Any advice?

Show me a Picture

This is my largest plant - over 12 inches. As you can see they are planted in the ground (Pennsylvania) It is still in the 50s during the day.

This message was edited May 20, 2008 12:44 PM

Go ahead and put some soil up around theam many be a few inches Paul

You need to cover those vines completely. What are you using for cover? Leaves, straw, a mixture?

What am I using for cover? Well, until one hour ago I had no idea I needed to cover them - so, off the cuff ... I do have a pine tree with lots of decades old needle humus...I could grab that and pile it on...

Is that a good idea? I understand potatoes like a high acid (or is it alkaline) soil...

I've go thtem behind my blueberry bushes.

That should work nicely, since they prefer a slightly acidic ph of about 5.8-6.2. I use oak leaves which have really eliminated our problems with potato beetles. They don't like the oak leaves.

great - I'm on it!

Mine are doing great. I noticed that several are blooming and some have white flowers, and others have purplish tinted flowers. I dont' remember which ones were which, but I guess the darker ones are the red potatoes..

Paul,

When are you planting the fall potatoes? I want to do that also.

A.


edited to ask: Can we plant in the same spot, or do we need to rotate crops ...

This message was edited May 20, 2008 1:36 PM

I think ill go with the last week of August you can plant in the same spot for a couple of years but then rotate

Amazing- a 158 response thread on potatoes and not one photo or comment on Irish potatoes has been added to Plantfiles this year.