potatoes

welllllllll..not sure if anyone is interesting in potatoes or not..but here goes..just in case

good friday is when my f-i-l always planted potatoes and i have tried to follow that time table
each year the weather dictates the day but i plant as closedly to good friday as i can

this year we are trying to downsize for a garden for two...sigh.. i have yet to learn the correct amounts to buy
so i not only have the smaller garden we are going for..which is a test but the old larger patch as a control
so it should be interesting

i hope someone gets something out of this..i am being as basic as i can for beginners..and hey, you guys, with experience..jump in
and share...all info is good info that a new gardener can process

i started with 5 pounds each of seeds potatoes yukon gold and red pontiac
this year the price put me in sticker shock at a dollar a pound..big jump from last year

you can use last years potatoes that are growing stems in your fruit cellar ..but i have been buying
seed potatoes for years now...might be reverting next year...that is if you can even find seed potatoes

here some of them they are..with the garden sulfur i will dredge them in before planting



you want to cut the potatoe so that you have an 'eye' on each piece to be put into the ground





this potato



this many pieces



if you wouldn't eat it..don't try to get it to grow...it's the old adage..junk in - junk out...toss it
better a small loss now than whatever caused this to spread thur YOUR patch



dunk each exposed side in the sulfur..this is to keep it from rotting before it starts to grow



when they are all cut..you're ready to plant..




hopefully your soil is cultivated and waiting for you
this is my new plot
that is a bale of straw and my tools for spacing the rows.
two sticks with string and an old wooden ruler
ready to be uncovered..which i did the night before planting



yeah it looks pretty rough but i have big plans..lol
i intend to brick around the beds with some old bricks i have




i use a board to walk between rows while i am planting..this is so i don't compact the soil..
the lighter you can keep your growing space the easier for the growies to send out roots


as you can see i have only space for 30 pieces here so i will do 15 pieces of each type of potato..and since i bought too many this will be a test to see if that is too many pieces in that small of a space or not..the rest will go in the garden the way i normally plant and will act as my control

gotta run..will be back to finish

Sky !!!!

Potatoes you say ?

That was very informative for me at least as the only spuds I've grown were from the ones that have grown in the cupboard. Proper seeds spuds is something I've been meaning to look over for long time!!!!!

Thanking you my friend :)

lol..hey Soma..the ones that grow in the cupboard are what i grew to start with..they work..but these are a bit better..
in that they grow bigger and don't go to seed as fast in storage ..i'm just finishing up last years batch today..

well just in case you don't know..it's 'eyes to the sky" when planting your potato pieces
and i only go into the soil about one knuckle...yeah i know it isn't your granddad's potatoe planting



ok.. here's why i don't "hill' them....when you dig potatos in the fall the old way is to use what is called a potato fork..yep looks like a giant fork..i ruined more potatoes than it was worth..so years ago when i heard about this method ..i tried it and i luv it..no fork
no hills..easy to harvest..all things to like

what you do is not to plant deep..you just go into the top layer of soil...mine is super cultivated so it's easy..new soil will take a big more effort..
pull the soil over top of the piece and then mulch..and as the potato grows..continue to mulch...basicaly the potato likes a hot head and cold feet..so mulch works just fine..and when you are ready to harvest..you can just go along and roll back the mulch and pull out your potatoes by hand....then the mulch can either be used as a winter cover or you can compost it...either way..it works great
then the next spring you can till it in if it is broken down enough or compost it and use it later as beautiful black gold..


it's been exceptionally dry here and on friday it was 85..so i watered in the pieces and then covered them up with straw
and watered down the straw
which almost completely blew off in the last two days..now it is gusty winds...it's always something






ok.. here's a tip if you have never opened a straw bale before...

let it lay in one spot and cut the cords at the knot...when you have used what you want..just retie the string to move the extra
i let my straw beside the patch and let it weather..it will be just fine





oh yeah and i had some furry help too..till i waterd the starw down that is..hehehehehehe




and then it was out to the garden patch to do four more rows..using the same method of sticks with strings for a straight line and
a board that i pull out when done
the little sticks on each side mark the row for me till the plants are up...i probably will not cultivate between the rows but with the row marked..i could
the little sticks are 12 inchs wooden things i bought 100 for 99 cents in the kitchen isle..i will pull them out as soon as the row is visible

this is before mulching so you can see...the spacing between the pieces is about double what i did in the new box..
we'll see how much difference it makes later...
so actually it's a good test.

good growing

You are definitely an organised grower sky. I am picking up knowledge left, right and centre here on how to grow and what to do.

Your furry friend is an absolute sweetheart, cuddles for him/her, kisses. xo

hi biggs
glad there is something here for you..i will try and update as things grow so you will know how they are doing
the kitty is mokie...queen of the whole place..lol

Silly question but does this also apply to sweet potatoes?

Trying to stay away from the white carbs

Cool pics sky. Mr. Kitty's lookin pretty lazy in the hay there, maybe strap a wee yoke on him, til them tater plots a bit easier?

I'll bet you've seen this b4 but I actually just tried it awhile ago with pretty good (tasty) results.

How To Make Potato Chips In The Microwave

Ri have only a tiny bit of info on sweet potatoes..they need a longer growing time than we have here and mostly grow in the watmer south..i have tried to grow them twice and was disappointed in the price vs yield..

but if you do a search there are tons of info on them..for the last couple of years they have been selling them as vining plants to grow on your porch..go figure..

and hey Raul..that cat runs the place..i'ld just like to see a yoke on her...when she wants in and out she sits and looks at the door
if you don't get there fast enought she comes and bops ya one and heads back to the door of her choice...hahahahahahahah

oh and R..the carbs won't be that much bother..now that you are working outside and makin muscles hurt..

Ha, ha, what a joy they are, cat stories like this just crack me up sky, he,he.

The way they hide sometimes and then jump out at the dogs or people to try and scare them too, they make me laugh they do.

Thanks sky didn't know it was a little trickier to get those sweet ones.

I actually don't mind the carbs, just not to overload on them. I only go for brown rice, bread, sugar etc less refined and tastier. I also like those red/spanish onions you posted..the sweeter the better.

Down the track when the dust has settled on moving R, I can see a little vegie and herb garden being planted.