g'day,

can't comment on when is the best time for you that is a local knowledge issue. over here it is in the autumn for us and we grow through winter into the spring spuds are in about 4-6 months before harvesting takes place.

but as for the planting we have pic's on our page how we do it without any tilling/digging of the soil, lots of gardeners even in your country use this sort of process now.

len

Here is a link that might be useful: len's garden page

Planting time is up to you. There probably is not a local person here that can give you a clue. If summer temps are a problem, Plant Yukon Gold. The should be ready in 3 months. I broadcast 12-12-12 to my potatoe bed and plant just under the soil. Cover with mulch and potatoes will grow thru. I have also planted in a trench and fill them in as they grow and then mulch. Not much difference in yeild.

Thanks, Len and paulc. I appreciate the help. I enjoyed your garden website very much, Len!

Potatoes aren't usually grown in hills (meaning humps). They are usually set into a shallow trench and covered, and as the tops grow, more soil is pulled over the tops of them to shut out the light that will turn them green. Even if you're using mulch over them, you have to keep it thick enough to prevent light from getting to them.

p.s. In gardening, a 'hill' often means a 'group' rather than an actual raised hill. Don't ask me why -- it's confusing as far as I'm concerned...

Sue

I just read that the time to plant potatoes is when the soil temp is 45 degrees. Since air temp is warmer than soil temp, that means warm temps are a must. I don't have a soil thermometer, but I do have a digital oven thermometer that should do well if I stick the probe into the dirt and connect the wire to the base.

As for my method of choice for growing potatoes... "Build-As-You-Grow" Potato Bins. Check out my blog page if you're interested in a great way to grow TONS of potatoes and harvest new potatoes or mature potatoes without disturbing the rest of the bunch!

Here is a link that might be useful: Build-As-You-Grow Potato Bins

sinfonian

Actually, soil temps are almost always warmer in Spring than the coldest air temperature and cooler than the warmest air temperature, at least where I live. Soil temperatures fluctuate less than air temperatures.

To see what I mean, go to the link below and on the map, choose Gainesville, GA, or any other station. Then click on "Yesterday's Conditions". High and low ambient temperatures for yesterday in Gainesville are given (56 and 34.9), along with soil temperatures at 2" (50), 4" (50.5), and 8" (51).

Here is a link that might be useful: Georgia Weather Net

For north florida anytime in jan/feb is fine.

Your dad is right about valentine:s day because it is near the first new moon in february and it known to the oldtimers to plant root crops in the new moon . on fertilizer you should mix in soil a balanced fertilizer in the row, then below seed potatoe you should put a couple tabelspoons of super phosphate 0-18-0 in hole and put a little soil on top then your potatoe

I'm gonna give the boxes a shot this year. My soil still isn't up to snuff (still too much clay) to grow them in the ground with good drainage. Last year I tried growing then in trenches with straw covering, didn't work well at all because the trenches with the straw stayed wet (got about 20# that were the sweetest taters I've ever eaten but not worth the cost of the straw). The year before that I tried garbage cans with good draingage, didn't work well either.
I plan on building 3 boxes; one for yellow, one for red and one for sweet taters. Soooooo.......help me out with some details.

1. I'm going to till the area under the boxes as deep as I can. What ammendments should I put in the soil under the boxes; ie. should I mix peat, potting soil, leaves, etc. in it prior to setting the boxes?

2. What fertilizer should I put in the soil at the time of planting?

3. I plan on getting 4 garbage cans to pre-mix soil and keep it from getting wet. Last year I used 1/3 peat, 1/3 potting soil and 1/3 dirt. This year I will add mulched leaves to the mix. If I don't do this I won't have dry decent soil to fill the boxes up. Comments?

4. EXACTLY when to you add the next 6" of soil? This still confuses me.

5. At what point do you quit adding soil?

Growing taters has become a personal challenge in this crappy dirt. I could easily enough buy them but now it has become personal!

When I was a child I was told (by a very old gardener) that potatoes should be planted when the dandelions bloom. I have always done this and it's always worked for me.

Carole

I add soil/compost/leaves/whatever around the plants until I run out of room in the container. Some years I've mounded up 6 inches, sometimes 2 feet, just depends on what they are planted in. I always leave the top six inches or so of the plant uncovered. And I don't always add 6 inches of "stuff" at a time but rather watch the top of the plant and adjust the level as needed. I don't think there is an "exactly" right time to add it. If I had to give exact directions, I'd say let them grow to 12 inches, then cover the bottom 6 inches. Repeat until your container is full. Consistant moisture is important, too wet or too dry can cause trouble. The mulch build up should help with the moisture control as well as allow more potatoes to form along the stem.

Carole, I love the dandelion bloom timing. I'll add it to my "plant corn when oak leaves are the size of squirrel ears" plan.

naturegirl & carole

I love the dandelion blooming advice AND the corn planting advice, too. It would be a neat thread all on its own. Nature signals that it's time to plant so-and-so!

I think our forbears must have paid attention to this kind of advice and did quite well. They certainly couldn't risk losing crops because they planted too early and then their seed supplies were used up.

Taters are in the boxes..........will advise when something happens. Mixed half potting soil and half decent soil from another part of my yard, then added a bunch of leaf mulch.

reeldoc

It's probably a good time for your potatoes to be set out. I put mine out about two weeks ago, and they're growing but very slowly. They still haven't appeared above the soil line -- we've had some pretty cold nights. But if I rake back the soil, the green leaf-buds have now reached to just under the surface, so I expect to see them any day now.

I plan to set out some more in another week or two to see if they catch up with the ones planted in February. If they do, next year I won't plant them until mid-March.

My timing is easy. I ordered my seed potatoes from Territorial Seed and they don't have them yet. I called and they said as soon as they get them they ship them back out. When I get them it's time to plant them. My Build-As-You-Grow bins are ready and waiting.

I just re-read Ciscoe's site on potato bins. According to him, you cover all but the top inch of growth until the top, then stake the vines to keep them from falling over. I was kinda disappointed to read that new potatoes don't form until after the vines flower. I figured I could rob new potatoes earlier than that.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sinfonian's gardening adventure

Both red and yellow taters in the boxes are about 6" tall now. Still debating when to add the next level of wood and soil.

I think the dandelion thing is about right though I generally go a little earlier - a week or two. Sometimes I do an early planting in March. They always come up, though perhaps not much earlier than the others. In light soil it's safe to do, I'd be more careful with timing in heavy wet soil.

I'm using the 'stack a tire' method for my potatoes this year, and I do have a question that may help sandygator as well. When you cover the plant with straw/compost, etc. do you pull the leaves off what you're covering as you do when you plant a tomato stem, or do you just leave the leaves?

Just leave the leaves and cover them. The plant grows right back through.

Dave

Added my next 8" of plywood to the boxes last Sunday. Covered with dirt ammended with mulched leaves and a little Black Kow. This put the leaf tops about 2" from the top of the wood. This morning I went out and some of the taller tops are already sticking their heads out. I have an 8' test bed in the soil (not in boxes) right beside the boxes to see if they will grow in the clay. That bed isn't doing near as well as the boxes.

Sinfonian,

I really enjoyed your website.
Love the pics too.
Very interesting and enjoyed your antics with your kids playing in the dirt. :)
Wish I had carpentering skills. I would build a hoop bed so I could extend my crops in Fall and get some early salads going in Spring.

~ sweetannie4u

I've read that you should chit potatoes (putting them under light to encourage sprouting). I bought some small organic potatoes and have had them under lights for almost two weeks with very little growth. Is chitting really necessary or can you plant the whole potatoe? The largest is only a few inches in diameter.

Any advice would appreciated.

Cheryl

Some potato questions.

I've tried for the last two years to grow potatoes, both in the ground, in raised beds, and in special potato bags. They've produced, but not abundantly, and they tend to be small. But then, the potato plants never flowered, although last year I got a set of minitubers that were specifically supposed to flower. Could that be the reason why they didn't produce that well?

Has anyone used the potato grow bags? How did they work? You can get them from Gardener's Supply. This year, I plan to use a raised bed and the grow bags. Do you use container soil in them, or just garden soil?

I ordered three sets of minitubers from Irish Eyes. They're in my plant room under lights sprouting right now. This year I'm trying Kennebec, Russet Norkotah, and Purple Majesty, none of which I've tried before.

sandygator

Like you my soil is mostly sand. So tried some thing that really worked for me here. I use the used sawdust out of the horses stalls for soil for the potato patch. No manure,just the sawdust. Grew great potatos that were clean. As I get used sawdust from the stalls, use it to hill up the potatos. Has worked great and as it breaks down makes wonderful soil.

The sawdust is mostly Cedar and has worked like a charm. The potatos must be heavy feeders too.

ML

you may look at this links . it did help to grow my potaotes

Here is a link that might be useful: How to Grow Potatoes

Gardengoodies, you can plant without frist chitting your potatoes. They may take a bit longer to grow, but grow they will.

I have some on the windowsill now. My husband asked about them and looked at me real odd when I told him the potatoes were chitting.

This is my first year of seriously growing potatoes. Last year I buried some pantry-sprouted potatoes in some compost and kept piling mulch on them and finally harvested about 8 small potatoes.

My question. how long should you keep piling up the mulch on the plants. What if they grow six feet tall?

> What if they grow six feet tall?

I doubt that'll be a concern, but if it did, I'd certainly keep covering them - it'd be nice to get a truckload of potatoes from a single plant. :)

In reality, the plant will only put forth so much growth in the time you have between now and fall, and at some point it'll dig in and stop going for hight and start working on flowers.

I'm using 3 foot grow-your-own bins, and I doubt the plant will manage to fill them to the top.

Anney: A garden buddy of mine is pushing the top of her bins already. She may have to extend hers. They may very well get 6 feet high. hehe I think it would be cool!

Here is a link that might be useful: Sinfonian's garden adventure!

I have read/heard that you can just put potatoes on the ground, on the grass in the field and keep adding soil/chopped leaves/compost building up a hill as needed - to no digging, or putting them "in" the ground.

My situation is that voles and mice would probably get at them pretty easily, so I will probably use a container, but I wondered if anybody had tried this super-easy just lay 'em on the ground and cover method?

Deborah

On the "ground" - bare of grass and weeds - works well, but not "on the grass in the field". The grass will simply grow through the mulch like the potatoes will. Perrenial grasses are vigorous and tough, and will grow well with a lot less water and fertilizer than potatoes, so there is no winning that game.

Pat, I had some bermuda grass that did just what you said. Think next year I might use a cover on the ground before planting the taters. Don't think Roundup would work as the grass hasn't greened up when I plant the taters.

Shot

Can I mix super phosphate with water to fertilize my potatoes,to make it easier to distribute evenly on my mulched potato patch. I don't have any blossoms. It's hard at my age to get down and put the fertilizer around each plant. So I'm hoping there is a better way.