'Tater quiz

   / 'Tater quiz #1  

Farmwithjunk

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Mt Washington, Kentucky
Tractor
Where do I begin.....
We've always planted potatoes in the spring. (Tradition in our family is to plant as close to St. Patricks Day as possible) Well, I broke tradition this spring. Just too busy then. So, I'm thinking about doing a "fall crop". My Grandfather used to plant 2 crops. I'm at a loss as to WHEN he put them in the ground. Anyone plant spuds in the late summer/fall? When? Also, do you have a preference as to variety?

Being a "meat and 'tater" sort of guy, I gotta have some spuds to go with my beef.
 
   / 'Tater quiz #2  
Yes---several times, and as late as first week of September. Crop size reduced, but hey, fresh taters are still fresh taters. Used Red Pontiac primarily because I had it and I had it primarily because I love it. Also as early as early August, and did a little better but not much. Hot August days didn't seem to favor the potato plants, but then neither did an early October frost.....so starting in August is probably better. We have heavy infestations of Colorado potato beetle, and the second crop always missed most of the bugs. Good luck with them.

Haven't had a garden in several years due to back issues, and fortunately the neighbor gives us a bit of fresh stuff. I'd rather have a mess of new red potatoes and fresh picked green beans cooked up with a little ham or bacon than to go to a fancy restaurant. For them that have never had fresh dug homegrown potatoes, it's hard to appreciate how much better they are than grocery store spuds.
 
   / 'Tater quiz #3  
If I may, I have a spud question: We planted a few around the 2nd week of May. Any idea when they should be ready (Never having planted them before, I have no clue)?
 
   / 'Tater quiz #4  
The tops will die off, usually ours will around the middle of August. I'll start digging them then. They will be small but are great boiled up whole, we prefer red potatoes. They will keep growing so the longer they are in the ground the more you'll get.

Greg
 
   / 'Tater quiz #5  
dbdartman:

Figure roughly 90 days. Depends on the variety.

When they flower you're getting close. Flowers die, closer. Vines start dying, time to take a peek and perhaps steal a few small ones for "new potatoes". Keep checking in 10 days to 2 weeks you should have a pretty good bunch to come out of the ground.
 
   / 'Tater quiz #6  
dbbartman: Don't miss out on the 'new potatoe' experience. Gourmet dining at its best. Dig some when they have gotten to be about the size of the so-called 'new potatoes' you see in the groceryi store. Those in the stores are not 'new potatoes' any more than their tomatoes are tomatoes. The skins skould just slip off. Prepare by boiling then cream with peas or green beans or the like.

Harry K
 
   / 'Tater quiz #7  
You guys are making me hungry. I'm a potatoe fanatic though usually with meat. Baked or nuked, then loaded with butter and garlic salt. Mmmm a meal in itself.

My father grew potatoes in the garden but stopped doing it when I was young claiming that they taste nearly the same as store bought and spuds are about as cheap as dirt at the market. Was he very wrong? I do remember the large green leaves.

So do you all buy seed potatoes at the feed store or do you save some from the year before? How do you store a crop of potatoes without them going soft? I deal with reds, not russets.
 
   / 'Tater quiz
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Highbeam said:
You guys are making me hungry. I'm a potatoe fanatic though usually with meat. Baked or nuked, then loaded with butter and garlic salt. Mmmm a meal in itself.

My father grew potatoes in the garden but stopped doing it when I was young claiming that they taste nearly the same as store bought and spuds are about as cheap as dirt at the market. Was he very wrong? I do remember the large green leaves.

So do you all buy seed potatoes at the feed store or do you save some from the year before? How do you store a crop of potatoes without them going soft? I deal with reds, not russets.

NOTHING from a store can possibly taste as good as something you planted yourself, hoed weeds around, dug by hand, and carried to the house. Just isn't possible! ;)

I always buy "certified seed potatoes". Better yield....

As is the case with MOST garden crops, you can pick up potatoes at Kroger for about what you spend on seed potatoes, gas for the tiller, chiropractors therapy AFTER digging, and let's not even go into the wifes lecture on the futility of trying to save a nickel in spite of a dollar. Growing a garden is like climbing Mt Everest. You do it because "it's there".

I plant MAYBE 20 or 25 lbs of seed potatoes per crop. Back when I was growing up. dad had me planting a couple hundred lbs. every year. That was his way of making sure I left home when I turned 18 I do believe.

After reading a suggestion on here, and doing a little research, I'm planting a late crop in about 2 weeks. We'll see in late fall how it all works out!
 
   / 'Tater quiz #9  
Thanx guys! I'll report on them in about a month, I guess.
thumbs.gif


On a sad note, seems we lost about 60% of our tomatoes (or is it "ta-ma-toes"
1343795-scratchchin.gif
shruggy.gif
) to the hail the other evening.
bawling.gif


beer.gif
 
   / 'Tater quiz
  • Thread Starter
#10  
dbdartman said:
Thanx guys! I'll report on them in about a month, I guess.
thumbs.gif


On a sad note, seems we lost about 60% of our tomatoes (or is it "ta-ma-toes"
1343795-scratchchin.gif
shruggy.gif
) to the hail the other evening.
bawling.gif


beer.gif

Lost a few 'mater plants to 60(+)MPH winds friday afternoon. It blew hard enough to knock off several bushels of green tomatoes. (I'll be eatin' fried green maters all week!!!!) Some of the vines got blown flat and a few got broke off flush with the ground. That's why we plant 3 or 4 times as many as we need. Usually, I end up giving away a lot at work. Looks kinda slim pickins' this year. We had an incredable green bean crop though. Gave away around 5 bushels at work last week. Sweet corn did good too. Sitting here dripping butter on the keyboard as we speak.
 
 
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