Store-Bought Potatoes

[Sidecarflip]

Are you telling me you do not cut them?
Have you never planted potatoes?
You realize March 29 was the day to plant potatoes I hope.

Depends on your climate. You never plant whole spuds, you cut them into pieces with each piece containing an eye and then you allow the cut part to ;skin over, I usually coat the cut part with a little hydrated lime. They might grow but will most likely rot.

Store bought spuds are usually irradiated anyway to not grow..

Been planting spuds for years, mostly heirloom varieties.

 

[ElevatorGuy]

And you drop the taters in the middle of the V then cover them up, making a single mound?

Wish I had a garden spot like that. Very nice.

You could have a garden spot like that, You just prefer the weeds you call a lawn.

 

[Del_]

We have a couple of local stores that sell local grown produce, mostly grown by Amish.
I'll be planting: 5 sweet potato, 2-3 heirloom tomato plants, and 4 hills each of squash and zucchini (seeds).
Hardly worth the drive anywhere for that little bit. But, I had good luck with what I bought at the co-op last year, so that's where I'll get them again.

I appreciate your suggestion though.

Look into succession plantings of each. I plant yellow squash 4 times per season. As the first crop starts to succumb to the squash vine borer later plantings come online. Give about three weeks between plantings. I do this with squash and cucumbers.

 

[TNTreeHugger]

Look into succession plantings of each. I plant yellow squash 4 times per season. As the first crop starts to succumb to the squash vine borer later plantings come online. Give about three weeks between plantings. I do this with squash and cucumbers.

Thanks. Will give it a try this year.

 

[Sidecarflip]

Potato trenches, via two bottom plow and Ford 9N.
View attachment 1169528

I use the Ardisam Hiller-furrower on the back of my rear tine tiller with powered wheels. My tractors are way to large for that stuff.

 

[Sidecarflip]

Just pit everyone on ignore then you can post anything you want to without pushback...

 

[Del_]

Ignore is for *******.

It's a huge time saver is why I do it.

Is that ***** juice on your chin?

 

[Bill G]

These have been working well putting veggies in the ground for 80 years. I spent many hours on ours. Now it just sits in the shed.

 

[TNTreeHugger]

Going to Lowes today to get some bagged garden soil.
I know you guys cringe when I say that, but it works for my little garden.

 

[sean donato]

Depends on your climate. You never plant whole spuds, you cut them into pieces with each piece containing an eye and then you allow the cut part to ;skin over, I usually coat the cut part with a little hydrated lime. They might grow but will most likely rot.

Store bought spuds are usually irradiated anyway to not grow..

Been planting spuds for years, mostly heirloom varieties.

Never coated the cuts in anything before planting them. Just make sure there's an eye in it and toss it in then cover it up. For whatever reason potatoes do really well for us, as do beats and most root/tuber crops.

 

[wampum]

Never coated the cuts in anything before planting them. Just make sure there's an eye in it and toss it in then cover it up. For whatever reason potatoes do really well for us, as do beats and most root/tuber crops.

Ordered most of my seeds months ago. I think I was a few dollars away from free shipping so I went ahead and ordered some Yukon gold. Basically they were free because of no shipping. I am curious how they will do. Last year I did not have time to plant a tilled garden so I planted my potatoes in cardboard boxes in the area my new garden is going. Harvesting was easy I just lifted the cardboard and the potatoes fell out,did pretty good. The soil helped my new garden area get some good soil on it. Besides that I am getting lazy and any thing that makes it easier is OK with me.

 

[Lionsfan]

Never coated the cuts in anything before planting them. Just make sure there's an eye in it and toss it in then cover it up. For whatever reason potatoes do really well for us, as do beats and most root/tuber crops.

Me either. In fact, some years I don't cut them at all despite what some know-it-alls seem to think is the gospel.

 

[Lionsfan]

These have been working well putting veggies in the ground for 80 years. I spent many hours on ours. Now it just sits in the shed.

View attachment 1169664

Looks like the rig they still use around here planting x-mas tree seedlings.

 

[Lionsfan]

Going to Lowes today to get some bagged garden soil.
I know you guys cringe when I say that, but it works for my little garden.

Nothing wrong with that, whatever works for ya'.

 

[Del_]

I did a deep dive on Yukon Gold potatoes and here are a few interesting facts I retained:

Determinate variety

Sets potatoes low and do not grow many new potatoes along the stem as they are hilled like indeterminate varieties do. Like determinate tomatoes (a relative), they set one crop and then stop. This makes them not so good for growing in expanding potatoes towers. Indeterminate varieties are best for tower growing.

Need minor hilling as is prone to have potatoes near the surface that catch sun.

Subject to 'hollow heart'.

Stay yellow when cooked.

When cut to small pieces Yukon Gold tends to set small potatoes. Whole planted whole tends to produce fewer and larger potatoes.

Yukon Gold potatoes tend to spread and wider in the row spacing along with distance between rows spacing can be somewhat larger than with most other varieties.

We got a 50 lb. bag of untreated Yukon Gold potatoes at Athens Seed for $30 and ate them until we had the 100 smallest and best looking potatoes left. We planted them whole like I've seen suggested multiple times in single rows on one foot centers in the middle of a 3 ft. wide bed. The second bed is centered 5 ft away and planted the same way. There is a small amount of staggering in the row as the bed is 3ft wide and dug 14 inches deep.

I'm going out and snap a few photos in a few minutes. 4-14-2024

Yukon Gold planted about 8 inches deep in holes dug with a post hole digger and then covered by 4 inches of soil. The hole is still 4 inches deep as of today and I will pull in soil to both kill weeds and bury the potatoes deeper. Weeks later I will be hilling loose soil from the walkways.

Here's my favorite home made hoe for killing small weeds, the best time to get them.

The two 50 ft. rows, 5ft row centers:

Our broccoli got really beaten up by the last three days of high winds but are making a rebound today. The bed center of the photo is is 75% dug to my usual 14 inches deep. A couple of notes: I only till in the top 3 or so inches. I've read and I beleive that soil microbes in the top few inches usually die when buried deeply and deeper microbes when brought to the surface die also. I strive to maintain the natural strata of microbes for their higher survival rate. Oddly enough no till farming also keeps this strata intact. It's said this may account for some of the higher no till yields than plowing.

 

[TNTreeHugger]

Nothing wrong with that, whatever works for ya'.

Yeah, except I probably spent more on dirt and seeds today than I spend on store-bought produce for a year.
Probably another $30 tomorrow for the sweet potatoes and straw bale.
And then there's the other issue with possible/potential soil contamination.

Honestly, every year I ask myself, "Why bother?"

Always the same answer, "Because I love watching things grow."

 

[TNTreeHugger]

I did a deep dive on Yukon Gold potatoes and here are a few interesting facts I retained:

Determinate variety

Sets potatoes low and do not grow many new potatoes along the stem as they are hilled like indeterminate varieties do. Like determinate tomatoes (a relative), they set one crop and then stop. This makes them not so good for growing in expanding potatoes towers. Indeterminate varieties are best for tower growing.

Need minor hilling as is prone to have potatoes near the surface that catch sun.

Subject to 'hollow heart'.

Stay yellow when cooked.

When cut to small pieces Yukon Gold tends to set small potatoes. Whole planted whole tends to produce fewer and larger potatoes.

Yukon Gold potatoes tend to spread and wider in the row spacing along with distance between rows spacing can be somewhat larger than with most other varieties.

We got a 50 lb. bag of untreated Yukon Gold potatoes at Athens Seed for $30 and ate them until we had the 100 smallest and best looking potatoes left. We planted them whole like I've seen suggested multiple times in single rows on one foot centers in the middle of a 3 ft. wide bed. The second bed is centered 5 ft away and planted the same way. There is a small amount of staggering in the row as the bed is 3ft wide and dug 14 inches deep.

I'm going out and snap a few photos in a few minutes. 4-14-2024

Yukon Gold planted about 8 inches deep in holes dug with a post hole digger and then covered by 4 inches of soil. The hole is still 4 inches deep as of today and I will pull in soil to both kill weeds and bury the potatoes deeper. Weeks later I will be hilling loose soil from the walkways.

View attachment 1169887


Here's my favorite home made hoe for killing small weeds, the best time to get them.

View attachment 1169875

View attachment 1169876





The two 50 ft. rows, 5ft row centers:

View attachment 1169879



Our broccoli got really beaten up by the last three days of high winds but are making a rebound today. The bed center of the photo is is 75% dug to my usual 14 inches deep. A couple of notes: I only till in the top 3 or so inches. I've read and I beleive that soil microbes in the top few inches usually die when buried deeply and deeper microbes when brought to the surface die also. I strive to maintain the natural strata of microbes for their higher survival rate. Oddly enough no till farming also keeps this strata intact. It's said this may account for some of the higher no till yields than plowing.

View attachment 1169880

Wow. thanks for taking the time to post all that. Sounds like they'll do well in my little garden.
What is the purpose of planting them 8" deep?
I didn't know if mine would grow, so I just dug a shallow trench, set them about 1' apart then covered loosely with soil - about like you would do with an iris tuber.
Looks like every one I planted has shoots. So, we'll see what happens. They are about 1' from the edge and I'll leave plenty of room on the other side.
Will they make crazy vines like the sweet potatoes did?

I like your weed-whacker. I have several old wood handles I can use, will pick up the hose clamps tomorrow.

Are those white posts landscape timbers? Is that your bean trellis?
I can do similar along the outer edge of my garden.

 

[Lionsfan]

I did a deep dive on Yukon Gold potatoes and here are a few interesting facts I retained:

Determinate variety

Sets potatoes low and do not grow many new potatoes along the stem as they are hilled like indeterminate varieties do. Like determinate tomatoes (a relative), they set one crop and then stop. This makes them not so good for growing in expanding potatoes towers. Indeterminate varieties are best for tower growing.

Need minor hilling as is prone to have potatoes near the surface that catch sun.

Subject to 'hollow heart'.

Stay yellow when cooked.

When cut to small pieces Yukon Gold tends to set small potatoes. Whole planted whole tends to produce fewer and larger potatoes.

Yukon Gold potatoes tend to spread and wider in the row spacing along with distance between rows spacing can be somewhat larger than with most other varieties.

We got a 50 lb. bag of untreated Yukon Gold potatoes at Athens Seed for $30 and ate them until we had the 100 smallest and best looking potatoes left. We planted them whole like I've seen suggested multiple times in single rows on one foot centers in the middle of a 3 ft. wide bed. The second bed is centered 5 ft away and planted the same way. There is a small amount of staggering in the row as the bed is 3ft wide and dug 14 inches deep.

I'm going out and snap a few photos in a few minutes. 4-14-2024

Yukon Gold planted about 8 inches deep in holes dug with a post hole digger and then covered by 4 inches of soil. The hole is still 4 inches deep as of today and I will pull in soil to both kill weeds and bury the potatoes deeper. Weeks later I will be hilling loose soil from the walkways.

View attachment 1169887


Here's my favorite home made hoe for killing small weeds, the best time to get them.

View attachment 1169875

View attachment 1169876





The two 50 ft. rows, 5ft row centers:

View attachment 1169879



Our broccoli got really beaten up by the last three days of high winds but are making a rebound today. The bed center of the photo is is 75% dug to my usual 14 inches deep. A couple of notes: I only till in the top 3 or so inches. I've read and I beleive that soil microbes in the top few inches usually die when buried deeply and deeper microbes when brought to the surface die also. I strive to maintain the natural strata of microbes for their higher survival rate. Oddly enough no till farming also keeps this strata intact. It's said this may account for some of the higher no till yields than plowing.

View attachment 1169880

Not what you'd call a conventional method, but I plant mine the same way, 6"-8" deep with a post hole digger.

I've tried several varieties of whites, yellows and reds over the years but Yukon gold and Norkotah Russet have become our staples.

 

[Del_]

Wow. thanks for taking the time to post all that. Sounds like they'll do well in my little garden.
What is the purpose of planting them 8" deep?
I didn't know if mine would grow, so I just dug a shallow trench, set them about 1' apart then covered loosely with soil - about like you would do with an iris tuber.
Looks like every one I planted has shoots. So, we'll see what happens. They are about 1' from the edge and I'll leave plenty of room on the other side.
Will they make crazy vines like the sweet potatoes did?

I like your weed-whacker. I have several old wood handles I can use, will pick up the hose clamps tomorrow.

Are those white posts landscape timbers? Is that your bean trellis?
I can do similar along the outer edge of my garden.

I did the 'deep dive' into Yukon Gold a month or so ago.

I forgot to mention that YG is slow to emerge.

I plant 8" deep and slowly over time pull soil into the depressing to control weeds. Remember that my soil is highly improved and dug to 14" deep and 30" deep where old beds used to be. This is a pretty rare soil situation.

I only use my 'hoop hoe' for very small weeds. It won't take a pounding. I've a dozen other hoes for that.

The white post I think you are seeing are pvc fence rails that years ago I cut to 4' to make raised bed ends. I had 32 such beds dug with my Bobcat to 30" deep. I now slip them over 4' T-post and the black line is old tv cable of which I have a thousand feet or more. I grow peppers in that system. It works moderately well but I think I'll be moving on to caging each pepper eventually. At the ends of the 50' row is a 6.5' T- post driven hard into the sub soil to give the system strength. When moving this system every few years the fence lifts off the the 4' T-post and gets put on the new row's 4' T-post which are driven 2' into the ground. The fence post holding the cable is quick and easy to move. I have both a T-post puller and a pounder. Could not live without a T-post puller although I did foolishly for years.

I grow 3 types of Italian yellow or green pole beans up 10' black bamboo canes supported vertically by another system. The same with Dr. Martin Lima beans.

 

[TNTreeHugger]

I did the 'deep dive' into Yukon Gold a month or so ago.

I forgot to mention that YG is slow to emerge.

I plant 8" deep and slowly over time pull soil into the depressing to control weeds. Remember that my soil is highly improved and dug to 14" deep and 30" deep where old beds used to be. This is a pretty rare soil situation.

I only use my 'hoop hoe' for very small weeds. It won't take a pounding. I've a dozen other hoes for that.

The white post I think you are seeing are pvc fence rails that years ago I cut to 4' to make raised bed ends. I had 32 such beds dug with my Bobcat to 30" deep. I now slip them over 4' T-post and the black line is old tv cable of which I have a thousand feet or more. I grow peppers in that system. It works moderately well but I think I'll be moving on to caging each pepper eventually. At the ends of the 50' row is a 6.5' T- post driven hard into the sub soil to give the system strength. When moving this system every few years the fence lifts off the the 4' T-post and gets put on the new row's 4' T-post which are driven 2' into the ground. The fence post holding the cable is quick and easy to move. I have both a T-post puller and a pounder. Could not live without a T-post puller although I did foolishly for years.

I grow 3 types of Italian yellow or green pole beans up 10' black bamboo canes supported vertically by another system. The same with Dr. Martin Lima beans.

Excellent idea with the fence rails/T-posts.
I had a couple bundles of 6' bamboo canes I got when my boss closed down his nursery. I love them, good for a lot of uses around the yard..
I have a fence post pounder, but no puller. I still do it the hard way. I've seen them in use, and I don't think I'd have the upper body strength to make it work anyway. I only have a few posts left to go.