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Garden Gate:  Potato Information  |
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electricdunce
True Blue Farmgirl
2544 Posts
Karin
Belmont
ME
USA
2544 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 26 2009 : 09:15:56 AM
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It seems to me somewhere recently, maybe on this forum, I read something about growing potatoes in straw. I would love to grow a few potatoes again, but have no garden plot to plow up for them. My raised beds are really tall so I can plant in them easily (old $ arthritic) and I thought it might be fun to try an alternate potato planting adventure. Any information would be appreciated. Thanks
Karin
Farmgirl Sister #153
"Give me shelter from the storm" - Bob Dylan
http://moodranch.blogspot.com
http://domesticnonsense.etsy.com |
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SheilaC
True Blue Farmgirl
1948 Posts
Sheila
Vermont
USA
1948 Posts |
Posted - Mar 29 2009 : 7:45:57 PM
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| I don't know much about it either, but am going to experiment this year :) |
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StasiaSpins
True Blue Farmgirl
78 Posts
Stasia
Augusta (Eau Claire)
WI
USA
78 Posts |
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Mumof3
True Blue Farmgirl
3890 Posts
Karin
Ellenwood
GA
USA
3890 Posts |
Posted - Mar 30 2009 : 05:30:33 AM
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I grew mine under straw last year and they did quite well. I did have a large colony of yellow jackets take up residence in the straw, as well as a brown worm snake which made it a bit tricky harvesting. The straw gets very slimy underneath so wear gloves!
Good luck!
Karin
Farmgirl Sister
# 18 :)
www.perfectlittlemiracle.blogspot.com
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La Patite Ferme
True Blue Farmgirl
623 Posts
Jenn
CA
USA
623 Posts |
Posted - Mar 31 2009 : 11:56:42 AM
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| Last year our 4-H club planted potatoes in straw, savings and a mix of those plus peat moss. They all did quite well. We don't have the space for a potatoe bed so we planted them in rectangular storage bins with holes drilled in the bottom. Harvest was easy - just dump it over and start pulling out the taters. |
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SheilaC
True Blue Farmgirl
1948 Posts
Sheila
Vermont
USA
1948 Posts |
Posted - Apr 01 2009 : 06:40:56 AM
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| Jenn, could you explain a little more? Very interesting. . . Thanks! |
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electricdunce
True Blue Farmgirl
2544 Posts
Karin
Belmont
ME
USA
2544 Posts |
Posted - Apr 01 2009 : 5:42:03 PM
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Stasia, thank you so much. I've got lots of hay so I am certainly going to give it a try. My favorite potatoes are Green Mountains, and they sell the seed potatoes here in the spring, but I never see them at farmer's markets. Thank you all, I was just hoping there would be some miraculous method to produce potatoes!
Karin
Farmgirl Sister #153
"Give me shelter from the storm" - Bob Dylan
http://moodranch.blogspot.com
http://domesticnonsense.etsy.com |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
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pamcook
True Blue Farmgirl
228 Posts
Pam
Chapel Hill
NC
USA
228 Posts |
Posted - Apr 02 2009 : 4:08:07 PM
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Yes, please! More information - my seed potatoes should be arriving any day now. Any tips about growing sweet potatoes? I'd rather not be digging trenches...
www.ikat.org |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
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4HMom
True Blue Farmgirl
720 Posts
Kelly
Montana
720 Posts |
Posted - Jul 07 2009 : 10:54:48 PM
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I am growing my potatoes in feed bags with soil this year. I got the idea when I saw "potato bags" for sale in a gardening catalog. I decided that feed bags were similar in material and goodness knows I have a LOT of them laying around! I don't know how the harvest will be, but the idea is that when it comes time to harvest, all I'll have to do is cut down the side of the bags and walla...potatoes! My soil and water are very alkaline, so the bags enable me to adjust the pH for the potatoes since they like it around 5.5. I'll keep you posted as to the success. I think the bags would be great for someone without garden space because they could go on a porch or patio.
"Be the change you want to see in the world" -Gandhi |
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FarmGirl~K
True Blue Farmgirl
512 Posts
Kelly
TX
USA
512 Posts |
Posted - Jul 08 2009 : 05:52:25 AM
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Just wondering.. (Newbie to potato planting.. just gave it a try with some potatoes growing eyes. I put them in our raised bed & they are growing better than anything I want to grow.) So my question is, how will I know they are ready for harvest? I also need to go back & read one of Tina Michelle's STL because she had an article in there about planting things from the grocery store.
"I have an irrepressible desire to live till I can be assured that the world is a little better for my having lived in it."
– Abraham Lincoln |
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FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
Posted - Jul 08 2009 : 06:11:47 AM
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I've never done it in straw, Karen, just in my raised beds. Been a weird year here for potato growing, though...lots of rain makes BIG plants, but tiny potatoes. I grew German Butterball, but I love Green Mountain and Kennebunk, too, for an all purpose.
Kelly...have the plants flowered? If they have, the vines will start growing back in about 2 weeks...you should be able to start harvesting at that point. Just get your little spade and dig (gently) around the base of the plant. It's like finding buried treasure when you get your hands on a good sized potato!!!
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
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nubidane
True Blue Farmgirl
2882 Posts
Lisa
Georgetown
OH
2882 Posts |
Posted - Jul 08 2009 : 07:48:18 AM
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I am growing mine in straw this year, I am using the "recipe" from Lasagna Gardening.
I had one raised bed that was completely overrun with weeds, so I put down several layers of wet newspaper, then put my potato eyes on top, then added straw. You add more straw as the plants grow. It took longer for them to come up, but now they are huge & flowering. I peeked under the straw, & it almost looks like the plants & rooting into the paper, so it will be interesting to see where the taters end up.
Not looking forward to the prospect of snakes there, but this bed is right in front of the house with much dog activity, so hopefully they will keep the slithering creatures at bay. I will need a change of pants if I dig up a snake.
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FarmGirl~K
True Blue Farmgirl
512 Posts
Kelly
TX
USA
512 Posts |
Posted - Jul 09 2009 : 05:21:39 AM
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Thanks for the info Jonni! Right now they are just plants about 6 inches or so tall. I never really thought of how they grew before. I just knew you had to dig them up. Can't wait to see what I end up with. Just hoping the bugs dont get them before I do.
Something is always enjoying what happens to grow before we get the chance! Birds, bugs, & squirrels! This year they got all my peaches & all of my berries. They cleaned it all in one day! Next year its netting for us!
"I have an irrepressible desire to live till I can be assured that the world is a little better for my having lived in it."
– Abraham Lincoln |
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FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
Posted - Jul 09 2009 : 06:42:48 AM
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Kelly...I just re-read my information and it could be a bit confusing...when I said, "growing back" I meant dying back...they yellow, and start to wither. About two weeks after that, you start to harvest :) Sorry...sometimes my brain doesn't communicate with my fingers!!!
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
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Garden Gate: Potato Information |
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Potato Information
