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Garden Gate:  Another spud question  |
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cheneygal
True Blue Farmgirl
503 Posts
Suzie
Cheney
Wa.
USA
503 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 01 2010 : 4:49:15 PM
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Another potato question here.....most everything I plant goes in the front yard, it is fenced and I've had good luck keeping the deer out. That being said, I have mostly flowers but did plant potatoes today, I don't want to use straw as they grow as it makes too much of a mess, and am planning on just hilling them with dirt, but got to thinking since we have an abundance of pine needles, have any of you used that method???? I kind of do a birds nest arrangement around my rose bushes with them in the fall, and they protect the roses really well, wondering why I can't use them for the spuds too??
live, laugh, love |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Apr 01 2010 : 7:06:47 PM
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Pine needles are acidic. I use them around azaleas and blueberries. I really don't know about potatoes. I hope someone else does. I am going to plant mine tomorrow. My hubby always planted on Good Friday.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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cheneygal
True Blue Farmgirl
503 Posts
Suzie
Cheney
Wa.
USA
503 Posts |
Posted - Apr 01 2010 : 8:14:47 PM
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Thanks Kristin~~I hope somebody else knows also!! I knew they were acidic, I wanted to compost them last summer and someone said as much, and they would take too long to break down.....I guess I was just trying to be resourceful!!
live, laugh, love |
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Fiddlehead Farm
True Blue Farmgirl
4562 Posts
Diane
Waupaca
WI
USA
4562 Posts |
Posted - Apr 02 2010 : 07:52:30 AM
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I was very successful growing potatoes in bushel baskets last year. I filled the bushel basket about a third full of compost and planted my spuds, when the plants got tall enough, I added more compost. I did that a couple times till the bushel basket was full. After the plants turned brown, I just dumped out the basket and had it full of potatoes! One thing is when planting in containers, you have to water daily. I found a source for real wood bushel baskets at Texas Basket Company. I can re-use them one more year. Pine needles are great for blueberries, but I don't think they are good for potatoes. You need real loose compost or soil, some sand or straw added helps.
Why not go out on a limb, that's where all the fruit is! "Mark Twain"
http://studiodiphotosite.shutterfly.com/
farmgirl sister #922 |
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smiley
True Blue Farmgirl
650 Posts
lea
pea ridge
arkansas
USA
650 Posts |
Posted - Apr 02 2010 : 6:26:03 PM
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| I would read about these neat ideas 2 days after bieng on my knees planting rows of potatoes in the garden. My feed store couldnt get Kennenbecks this year which is what I always plant. They had Shepherds instead. I wanted a white potatoe and that was my only choice. Instead of the usual 25# I went to 15# to see how they do.Has anyone planted them? |
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cheneygal
True Blue Farmgirl
503 Posts
Suzie
Cheney
Wa.
USA
503 Posts |
Posted - Apr 04 2010 : 9:12:04 PM
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Smiley.....you know, they say a sign of a good gardener is brown knees, not brown hands!! We had Kennebecs at the feed store I work at here in Wa. state, where do you live?? Never have heard of Shephards, hope they work good for ya tho!!
live, laugh, love |
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Candy C.
True Blue Farmgirl
823 Posts
Candy
Mescal
AZ
USA
823 Posts |
Posted - Apr 05 2010 : 06:43:33 AM
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Diane,
I have a "bucket o' potatoes" going right now! The dirt is all the way to the top now and I can't wait for the plant to grow and die back so that I can harvest! This is the first time I have done this! I friend told the that she grew sweet potatoes in a bucket and they were awesome, gonna have to try that too!
Candy C.
Farmgirl Sister #977
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. |
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chickenjanedoe
True Blue Farmgirl
96 Posts
Sandy
Claypool
Indiana
USA
96 Posts |
Posted - Apr 05 2010 : 12:46:52 PM
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Dear Suzie,
Definitely use pine needles if available.Potatoes prefer a more acidic soil. We have used them for ten years and always had amazing results and the taste was excellent. We did try planting some without pine needles and result was not as good. Good Luck whatever you do.
sandy |
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cheneygal
True Blue Farmgirl
503 Posts
Suzie
Cheney
Wa.
USA
503 Posts |
Posted - Apr 05 2010 : 4:11:11 PM
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Sandy~~thanks so very much for your response, we have nothing in our area BUT pine trees and, an abundance of pine needles, I was just wanting to be resourceful, instead of buying dirt until fall!! (the soil we have needs to be amended). Again, many thanks, I will start piling them around the little guys as soon as they start growing enough!!
live, laugh, love |
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Sheep Mom 2
True Blue Farmgirl
1534 Posts
Sheri
Elk
WA
USA
1534 Posts |
Posted - Apr 05 2010 : 4:45:07 PM
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A friend of mine is a Master Gardner plus ran her own horticulture business for years and she said that although pine needles are considered acidic - they don't always make the soil acidic. The acid in the pine needles doesn't break down quickly enough to acidify the soil. If in doubt, test the ph of the soil before adding amendments. They do make good mulch.
Blessings, Sheri
"Work is Love made visible" -Kahlil Gibran |
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1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Apr 05 2010 : 4:52:23 PM
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I have grown my tators in wash machine tubs, went to a scrap yard years ago, and bought 10 tubs from non-working washers, being metal and coated with porcelain, they last forever. No need to make drainage holes, and they are critter proof. I put a thick layer of compost in, add the eyes and cover with more compost, as they grow, keep adding compost til its at the top, when the plants start to die back, I dump the tub and I have a bunch of healthy tators. I have grown several differant varietys this way, and its worked with all.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
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cheneygal
True Blue Farmgirl
503 Posts
Suzie
Cheney
Wa.
USA
503 Posts |
Posted - Apr 05 2010 : 7:01:07 PM
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What a great idea Teresa....multi purpose, a planter (would be perfect for taters), and great yard art as well!! I'll keep this in mind for next year. Those potatoes would be totally protected, you have the best ideas!!!
live, laugh, love |
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smiley
True Blue Farmgirl
650 Posts
lea
pea ridge
arkansas
USA
650 Posts |
Posted - Apr 07 2010 : 7:34:31 PM
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| Suzie I live in NW Arkansas. Teresa I love your idea. Isnt gardening fun? Its my therapy I think. |
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cheneygal
True Blue Farmgirl
503 Posts
Suzie
Cheney
Wa.
USA
503 Posts |
Posted - Apr 07 2010 : 7:53:27 PM
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Smiley, I know it's my therapy, for everything that might be ailing me at the time, ain't it great??!!
live, laugh, love |
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smiley
True Blue Farmgirl
650 Posts
lea
pea ridge
arkansas
USA
650 Posts |
Posted - Apr 07 2010 : 7:58:11 PM
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| Yeah. Those poor weeds dont have a chance when I come out with my hoe after a bad day at work lol |
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Garden Gate: Another spud question |
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Another spud question
