# Potato patch



## amberg

This is my little tater patch, most of them have pushed through. Need to cultivate them soon.


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## amberg

A shot looking north. Notice all the cow tracks.


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## chuckwood

amberg said:


> This is my little tater patch, most of them have pushed through. Need to cultivate them soon.



That ain't a little patch. Here's mine. The two rows on the left are stunted because I ran out of bedsheets to cover them with during our last unexpected April 9th freeze.


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## amberg

They look pretty good to me. Are those cabbage plants there to the right?


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## chuckwood

amberg said:


> They look pretty good to me. Are those cabbage plants there to the right?



cabbage and broccoli. I'm not planting much cabbage this spring because I've still got a lot of kraut left over from last fall's cabbage. I tried a new variety of broccoli called "baby broccoli" and it's not done well, it started blooming way too early in relation to the size of the plants, and all I've got with it is a bunch of yellow flowers. I'm gonna till those in and put something else in there.


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## mainewoods

You guys stop showin' off. Trees up here have just started to break buds. Snowed 2 days ago. Soil temp is barely 40* - hits 50* on a sunny day, occasionally.


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## amberg

mainewoods said:


> You guys stop showin' off. Trees up here have just started to break buds. Snowed 2 days ago. Soil temp is barely 40* - hits 50* on a sunny day, occasionally.



Feels like that down here today to, Temps. in the low 50's and 4 days of rain, we are drenched!


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## CentaurG2

I usually plant a short row of katahdin or Kennebec just for fries. I am thinking this year to do irish cobbler or red Pontiac. Still have plenty of time to decide.


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## amberg

The water has run off now, I hope they don't rot in the ground.


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## chuckwood

CentaurG2 said:


> I usually plant a short row of katahdin or Kennebec just for fries. I am thinking this year to do irish cobbler or red Pontiac. Still have plenty of time to decide.



I planted a big bunch of blue gooses this year. These are blue potatoes, blue inside and out. They are good either baked or boiled, similar to Kennebecs. I may try making fries out of them and see what happens.


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## Backyard Lumberjack

some of the red spuds I harvested week or so ago... we did a smaller potato patch this year. these r from one digging... there were also a bunch of smaller ones, too... they got eaten already... lol more still in the ground ~


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## chuckwood

amberg said:


> The water has run off now, I hope they don't rot in the ground.



I've had problems with rotting in the past from too much rain right after planting. If I cut my seed potatoes into smaller chunks for planting, I spread them out on newspaper and let the cut surfaces form a hard "skin" on them first before planting. Takes a few days for that skin to form. Once the plant is up and growing, I don't think there is as much of a problem with rot happening.


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## amberg

cw, I hope you are right. It is STILL raining here, Don't think we have had 4 days in the last 4 weeks with out some rain.


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## chuckwood

amberg said:


> cw, I hope you are right. It is STILL raining here, Don't think we have had 4 days in the last 4 weeks with out some rain.



One the potato plant has sprouted out a bunch of big leaves, it's also sprouting a lot of roots going into the soil. So if the seed part of the potato rots a bit, the roots will take up the slack as far as getting nutrients to upper part of the plant. That's my theory anyhow.


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## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> cw, I hope you are right. It is STILL raining here, *Don't think we have had 4 days in the last 4 weeks with out some rain*.



where are you... Seattle?? lol


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## amberg

Might be drier in seattle, Misting here now, and more rain coming tomorrow. I should have at least one patch of sweet corn up by now, And I have not even been able to get the planter in the field yet. If my new camera comes today I will try to get some pictures of the patches.


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## CentaurG2

chuckwood said:


> I planted a big bunch of blue gooses this year. These are blue potatoes, blue inside and out. They are good either baked or boiled, similar to Kennebecs. I may try making fries out of them and see what happens.


 
I have never grown blue gooses but I have done a variety call “all blue”. They turned out to be a very starchy potato. They were good baked. If you boiled them the blue color would fade but they still made an interesting color for Thanksgiving mashed potatoes. The feed store has Purple Peruvian Fingerlings which look pretty cool. I might try a couple along with the Kennebec’s. Our season is way behind this year. I just had my first serving of asparagus last night almost a full month behind last year. I grow purple passion and Jersey. Steamed 2 min, top with butter and trocomare. Cannot beat fresh asparagus with a stick.


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## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> Might be drier in seattle, Misting here now, and more rain coming tomorrow. I should have at least one patch of sweet corn up by now, And I have not even been able to get the planter in the field yet. If my new camera comes today I will try to get some pictures of the patches.



let me rephrase that: 'where are you?...soggyville".... ?


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## amberg

"soggyville" I think so, More coming tomorrow.


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## amberg

Used baby today to cultivate the taters in the mud, They say more rain next two more days.


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## amberg

Update on the mud patch, Water still standing in the rows, With two more storms today.


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## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> Used baby today to cultivate the taters in the mud, They say more rain next two more days.



nice farm pix! well, other than the too much rain, one. lol. spuds look good! like the shop... tractors and welders...  enjoyed the 'visit'


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## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> Update on the mud patch, Water still standing in the rows, With two more storms today.



that's a lot of potatoes. how do you dig them? machine or hand?... do u put them up? root cellar or something?....

i just dug a potato plant other day... had decided its time was up... got a nice handful for a meal... haven't cooked them too much... hard to keep up with producing gardens down here this time of year... everything hitting the 100 - 120 day mark... and still it keeps coming... lol...

oh well, the neighbors never say NO...


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## amberg

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> that's a lot of potatoes. how do you dig them? machine or hand?... do u put them up? root cellar or something?....
> 
> i just dug a potato plant other day... had decided its time was up... got a nice handful for a meal... haven't cooked them too much... hard to keep up with producing gardens down here this time of year... everything hitting the 100 - 120 day mark... and still it keeps coming... lol...
> 
> oh well, the neighbors never say NO...



I hope we use this. Not sure what the hell he wants to do with all of them!!


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## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> I hope we use this. Not sure what the hell he wants to do with all of them!!View attachment 505433
> View attachment 505433
> View attachment 505433




will look fwd to seeing the pix of the harvest... methods and what knots...


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## chuckwood

My potato crop won't be much to brag about this year. We had a hard freeze on April 9 and I only had enough bedsheets available to cover one row. That particular row is doing fine. The other two rows were damaged by the cold and haven't recovered. Can't win for loosing. If I plant too late I don't get much of a crop because the hot weather makes 'em stop growing. I planted a bit early this year, and get frost damage. I did get lucky at a thrift store shortly after my tater disaster - found a big pile of bedsheets for real cheap. So I'm ready for next year. It's that doggone global warmin' that ruined my tater crop.


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## Backyard Lumberjack

chuckwood said:


> My potato crop won't be much to brag about this year. We had a hard freeze on April 9 and I only had enough bedsheets available to cover one row. That particular row is doing fine. The other two rows were damaged by the cold and haven't recovered. Can't win for loosing. If I plant too late I don't get much of a crop because the hot weather makes 'em stop growing. I planted a bit early this year, and get frost damage. I did get lucky at a thrift store shortly after my tater disaster - found a big pile of bedsheets for real cheap. So I'm ready for next year. It's that doggone global warmin' that ruined my tater crop.



_>It's that doggone global warmin' that ruined my tater crop_

"here, here!!" no doubt ~


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## Backyard Lumberjack

chuckwood said:


> My potato crop won't be much to brag about this year. *We had a hard freeze on April 9* and I only had enough bedsheets available to cover one row. That particular row is doing fine. .



how cold did it get there ckwd? I don't cover mine and they do fine even down to 25F.... _just wondering._


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## chuckwood

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> how cold did it get there ckwd? I don't cover mine and they do fine even down to 25F.... _just wondering._



I believe it was around 27F. It could be that the variety of potato in those two failed rows has something to do with it. It's the blue goose taters that succumbed to cold. The other row that is still doing well, the ones I covered up, are Kennebecs. The leaves on all the gooses just shriveled up and turned brown.


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## Backyard Lumberjack

chuckwood said:


> I believe it was around 27F. It could be that the variety of potato in those two failed rows has something to do with it. It's the blue goose taters that succumbed to cold. The other row that is still doing well, the ones I covered up, are Kennebecs. The leaves on all the gooses just shriveled up and turned brown.



oic.. thanks for info. interesting... perhaps the blues not as hardy....


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## Buckshot00

Dug up my red and white potatoes today. I was happy with the amount.


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## Backyard Lumberjack

Buckshot00 said:


> Dug up my red and white potatoes today. I was happy with the amount.View attachment 506201



nice dig!


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## chuckwood

Buckshot00 said:


> Dug up my red and white potatoes today. I was happy with the amount.View attachment 506201



Nice! When did you plant 'em? My taters are beginning to yellow a bit, it's probably about time for me to start digging mine.


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## Backyard Lumberjack

chuckwood said:


> Nice! When did you plant 'em? My taters are beginning to yellow a bit, it's probably about time for me to start digging mine.



in general, I let my plants completely die down... then week or so later start digging. this year dug spuds plant by plant... spaced out their use better. still have two growing. both green... I am encouraging both...


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## chuckwood

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> in general, I let my plants completely die down... then week or so later start digging. this year dug spuds plant by plant... spaced out their use better. still have two growing. both green... I am encouraging both...



What usually happens to me is I get busy and find excuses not to dig the taters up. Then the vines completely die away to the point where I don't even know where they were, making tater digging more difficult. If I pull 'em a bit early when the plants are still a bit strong, I can pull some of the potatoes up along with the plants, makes it a bit easier. The soil in my tater patch is very loose from all the compost I've dumped in it.


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## amberg

Buckshot00 said:


> Dug up my red and white potatoes today. I was happy with the amount.View attachment 506201



I love the taters!


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## amberg

amberg said:


> I love the taters!





Backyard Lumberjack said:


> will look fwd to seeing the pix of the harvest... methods and what knots...



Hope so!!


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## Backyard Lumberjack

chuckwood said:


> What usually happens to me is I get busy and find excuses not to dig the taters up. * Then the vines completely die away to the point where I don't even know where they were, making tater digging more difficult.* If I pull 'em a bit early when the plants are still a bit strong, I can pull some of the potatoes up along with the plants, makes it a bit easier. The soil in my tater patch is very loose from all the compost I've dumped in it.



really? never heard of such a thing... unless leaves or something covered patch. if that was my problem, I would mark ends of rows with stix... then just 'connect the dots'... I have grown potatoes under pine needle rows... then just have to reach in and pick one or two. kinda fun, well so long as no critters in there too...



 uh-oh!!!

 eeekkkk!


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## chuckwood

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> really? never heard of such a thing... unless leaves or something covered patch. if that was my problem, I would mark ends of rows with stix... then just 'connect the dots'... I have grown potatoes under pine needle rows... then just have to reach in and pick one or two. kinda fun, well so long as no critters in there too...



I mulch my taters very heavy with leaves. Prevents weeds from growing and keeps soil moisture in. This year I didn't have to worry much about soil moisture, we've had plenty of rain.


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## Backyard Lumberjack

chuckwood said:


> I mulch my taters very heavy with leaves. Prevents weeds from growing and keeps soil moisture in. This year I didn't have to worry much about soil moisture, we've had plenty of rain.



how does that work? any pix of spuds? reds or whites, russet types? u then till it all in?...


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## amberg

chuckwood said:


> I mulch my taters very heavy with leaves. Prevents weeds from growing and keeps soil moisture in. This year I didn't have to worry much about soil moisture, we've had plenty of rain.



That works very well, No digging required, Just pull'em up.


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## Buckshot00

I planted them March 10. Dug them June 2. Just about all of the plants had completely died down.

"Nice! When did you plant 'em? My taters are beginning to yellow a bit, it's probably about time for me to start digging mine. "

To further edit. I had to tread lightly because of all of the fire ants.


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## amberg

Fire ants, sure glad we don't have them up here.


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## amberg

Starting to look a little more like a tater patch now. Did notice that they were getting a bit of a yellow tinge to them.


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## Backyard Lumberjack

looks good amberg!

I have couple potato plants left. prob dig one up tomorrow... if the heat don't get me... my city residential lot lawn growing so fast almost need a shredder! lol 

hmm, maybe make some st Augustine square bales... lol


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## amberg

I might try to pull one up in a day or so to see what is going on under them, since we had so much water on them.


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## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> I might try to pull one up in a day or so to see what is going on under them, since we had so much water on them.




well, did you? if it was mine, I would wait... til they start to die down... but hey, it's not mine! lol


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## amberg

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> well, did you? if it was mine, I would wait... til they start to die down... but hey, it's not mine! lol



Not yet, Still to busy doing hay, Actually we just finished here today, now I have to move a couple miles down the road to another farm and start all over again. Might try do pull a couple up tomorrow if I think about it, Will show the results if they are worth showing.


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## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> Not yet, Still to busy doing hay, Actually we just finished here today, now I have to move a couple miles down the road to another farm and start all over again. Might try do pull a couple up tomorrow if I think about it, Will show the results if they are worth showing.



show us even if they r not, telling us how long since planted, etc... 

 pix, too... with new camera!


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## amberg

Made time to pull 3 plants up today, and here are the results, surprised me! We planted them about the first or second week in April. They will be on my plate in the dinner thread.


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## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> Made time to pull 3 plants up today, and here are the results, surprised me! We planted them about the first or second week in April. They will be on my plate in the dinner thread.



perfect spuds! perfect pix, omg amberg, u picked up on that new camera real fast...

what kind of spuds are they?

WOW, and u got an entire field of them... down here when we talk gardens and plots and space... now we refer things to as:

"yes, its going to be almost as big as one of amberg's patches"... lol

_believe it!!! _


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## amberg

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> perfect spuds! perfect pix, omg amberg, u picked up on that new camera real fast...
> 
> what kind of spuds are they?
> 
> WOW, and u got an entire field of them... down here when we talk gardens and plots and space... now we refer things to as:
> 
> "yes, its going to be almost as big as one of amberg's patches"... lol
> 
> _believe it!!! _



I think he said they were kennebecs, 

So far I have not dropped the new camera!!!


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## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> I think he said they were kennebecs,
> 
> *So far I have not dropped the new camera!!!*



they look like kennebecs to me. camera - hope u are following my 'how not to drop cameras' tech tips ???


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## amberg

So far so good.


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## amberg

Pulled 3 more tater plants today, having some tonight.


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## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> Pulled 3 more tater plants today, having some tonight.



perfect!


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## amberg

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> perfect!



This is going to take a lot of work before the big dig, I think!! lamsquarters grow so fast, and so big!


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## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> This is going to take a lot of work before the big dig, I think!! lamsquarters grow so fast, and so big!



are your potatoes in there?...


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## amberg

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> are your potatoes in there?...



Hope so, I told him to help me clean them up several weeks ago. To no avail, ( But they are under there )


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## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> Hope so, I told him to help me clean them up several weeks ago. *To no avail,* ( But they are under there )




guess you don't pay him.... ?


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## amberg

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> guess you don't pay him.... ?



No, Long story, He should be paying me!!!!!!


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## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> No, Long story, He should be paying me!!!!!!



question amberg... where did u get the pizza other nite? when u had cukes with it?.... sine you don't like it (too much) and it got relocated to refer and cukes were gone?.... hope u had more than the cukes for dinner....?


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## amberg

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> question amberg... where did u get the pizza other nite? when u had cukes with it?.... sine you don't like it (too much) and it got relocated to refer and cukes were gone?.... hope u had more than the cukes for dinner....?



" Digiorno " Frozen pizza from food lion. Yes a Mater sandmich!!


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## amberg

We finally got the tater patch mowed over today BL. Next job is plowing them out.


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## amberg

We did the big dig today, A few pics from start to finish, and the end results. It just about did us both in. The helper done 90% of the picking up and he is 74 years old, he is a tough old bird. He was starving when we got through, so I fed him mater sandwiches and cukes in vinegar with a beer for lunch then he was happy. There was one more box that was not in the pictures.


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## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> We did the big dig today, A few pics from start to finish, and the end results. It just about did us both in. The helper done 90% of the picking up and he is 74 years old, he is a tough old bird. He was starving when we got through, so I fed him mater sandwiches and cukes in vinegar with a beer for lunch then he was happy. There was one more box that was not in the pictures.




great show there, amberg!  you got quite a lot! what will u do with them all, I mean... can't just fry the lot and eat a lot! lol... thanks for mention u had these here. and ur lil new camera case is evident... and so I guess u r keeping new camera clean and happy! 

*Potato Postcards* from AmBerg's farm and ranch.


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## amberg

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> great show there, amberg!  you got quite a lot! what will u do with them all, I mean... can't just fry the lot and eat a lot! lol... thanks for mention u had these here. and ur lil new camera case is evident... and so I guess u r keeping new camera clean and happy!
> 
> *Potato Postcards* from AmBerg's farm and ranch.


We are not sure where we are going to put them as of yet. Knock on wood I haven't mashed it up yet.


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## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> *We are not sure where we are going to put them as of yet.* Knock on wood I haven't mashed it up yet.



root cellar?


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## amberg

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> root cellar?



Wish I had one.


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## amberg

Couple sweet potatoes, the giant ones the wife does not like, Said not even very good for sweet tater pie!


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## Mad Professor

Late to get to this thread.

I did about 100 plants from leftover sprouts in the root cellar. Mix of various reds and whites I've been growing years. Can't put them in here until late May. All did well until we had bad dryness/drought conditions twice over the summer. Watered them heavy. 2nd dry spell we also go colorado bettles. Took a while to eradicate the beetles by hand picking and BT sprays. The 2nd drought and the beetles really slowed down development of the tubers.

I let all the tops die off and harvested 3rd week of Sept.

I put them all out in the sun a few days to dry, then into the root cellar in paper shopping bags. Important to dry them and cull any cut/bad ones. The paper bags let them breath and also block out any light.

Not a great year but will get me through the winter and seed for next year.


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## jollygreengiant

Mad Professor said:


> Late to get to this thread.
> 
> I did about 100 plants from leftover sprouts in the root cellar. Mix of various reds and whites I've been growing years. Can't put them in here until late May. All did well until we had bad dryness/drought conditions twice over the summer. Watered them heavy. 2nd dry spell we also go colorado bettles. Took a while to eradicate the beetles by hand picking and BT sprays. The 2nd drought and the beetles really slowed down development of the tubers.
> 
> I let all the tops die off and harvested 3rd week of Sept.
> 
> I put them all out in the sun a few days to dry, then into the root cellar in paper shopping bags. Important to dry them and cull any cut/bad ones. The paper bags let them breath and also block out any light.
> 
> Not a great year but will get me through the winter and seed for next year.



Your doing better than I did. My potatoes were very small and not many of them. I think I only planted 5lbs and got back about twice that. 

It was really dry and hot here. Despite my irrigation efforts I don't think they had enough water.


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## jakethesnake

Taters do need lots of water and LOTS of fertilize. More than even corn and tomatoes. I think I failed to take any garden pictures. I'm a farmer so I typically have a very nice garden. Only one I could find maters n peppers are shown. Didn't fool with taters this year as some of my neighbors had Field taters they hook me up. Hope this is acceptable to add to amberg thread


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## amberg

jakethesnake said:


> View attachment 540757
> Taters do need lots of water and LOTS of fertilize. More than even corn and tomatoes. I think I failed to take any garden pictures. I'm a farmer so I typically have a very nice garden. Only one I could find maters n peppers are shown. Didn't fool with taters this year as some of my neighbors had Field taters they hook me up. Hope this is acceptable to add to amberg thread



Looks damn good to me, I like pictures of gardens and fields etc. Looks like a good corn field there to me also, would that be yours? Typical Delaware field I think. How close to Dagsboro or Millsville? 

You know I like farming pics!! 

charlie


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## jakethesnake

I'm just north of there amberg near harrington


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## amberg

jakethesnake said:


> I'm just north of there amberg near harrington



Drove My first axiel flow 1460 up their about 1982 on a farm owned by a man named George Rainy I think, ( not to sure of the name ) It was a pleasure to run compared to my old gleaner G. Also new a man named Richard West who had chicken houses and did a lot of farming back then.


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## jakethesnake

1460 was a damn good bine we had one very good machine


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