For potatoe lovers

[NoTrespassing]

Sorry, all I can think of now is poor ol Dan Quayle standing in front of a chalk board!

I love potatoes too. Any hints on how to grow them in our gawd awful yellow clay? I'm thinking about tilling in some sand and grass clippings this year. Does anyone think that's a good idea? Nothing grows well under ground here. Carrot, beets, onions etc. never do well.

Kevin

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Tater Farmers are having it rough about 50 miles south of me- Farmers prepare for freeze in northeast Florida | News - Home

I have seven 20' rows of taters growing now. I buried them two weeks ago to protect from a freeze and saved them. Now they are too big to bury. I have tried burying them in leaves this time, they didn't like the dirt too well. They are calling for 29* tonight!!!

I would water them down and hope for the best. I have had potatoes up six or eight inches and get nipped pretty good; the tops die and they continue to grow. I'm betting even with a hard freeze, the bulk of your plants will survive. My good Irish friend, Bob McGough, advised me that potatoes should be planted on St. Patrick's day for the best crop; I was never quite that disciplined though.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Sorry, all I can think of now is poor ol Dan Quayle standing in front of a chalk board!

I love potatoes too. Any hints on how to grow them in our gawd awful yellow clay? I'm thinking about tilling in some sand and grass clippings this year. Does anyone think that's a good idea? Nothing grows well under ground here. Carrot, beets, onions etc. never do well.

Kevin

There's lots of good stuff on the internet; I've had the best luck adding generous amounts of organic matter; manure if you can get it, and gypsum and sulfur. No sand. It may take a year or two, but it can be done. Clay soil is alkaline; and if I recall, potatoes, like tomatoes, do best in an acid soil.

Here's a short article that should help:

Never Add Clay to Sand or Sand to Clay, southern california gardening, organic gardener, organic vegetable gardening, gardening organic, organic gardening books, organic gardening, southern california gardening, geraniums, mulch garden, organic garde

 

[jimmyj]

Sorry, all I can think of now is poor ol Dan Quayle standing in front of a chalk board!

I love potatoes too. Any hints on how to grow them in our gawd awful yellow clay? I'm thinking about tilling in some sand and grass clippings this year. Does anyone think that's a good idea? Nothing grows well under ground here. Carrot, beets, onions etc. never do well.

Kevin

I am an admitted tater a holic! Love em regardless of their prep, even eat em raw.

Kevin, you can usually grow them under straw mulch (right on top of the soil). Just make sure the sun cannot reach them. Also, this method can attract mice.

 

[NoTrespassing]

Thanks for the link. I guess sand is NOT the answer.

 

[Bob77064]

All this talk is making me hungry. Lots of good minerals in the potato skins.

 

[HarryN]

I'm STARVING!!!

 

[J F]

We had my original post recipe last night again with some grilled pork chops and grilled asparagus. :licking:

 

[brin]

Maybe it would be a good idea to require anyone posting on this thread to also post their height and weight...Ya think ? :confused3::laughing:

 

[J F]

Screw that! :laughing: