Potatoes - observations

17 years ago

I grew three kinds of potatoes and have some observations for comment. Yukon Gold, Norland Red, and a blue potato.

Yukon Gold finished early. Lots of nice, big potatoes. I harvested some when they were ready and left the others in the ground to harvest later. Mistake. They started rotting and I lost about a fourth of the harvest of golds to rot.

Norland Red finished right after the Golds. They seemed to be content to stay in the soil after harvest without a single potato going to rot.

Blue potatoes are still growing long after the reds and golds had finished. I dug some up and left half to continue growing.

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Comments (5)

greenbean08_gw
17 years ago
How much time did you have between the time the Yukons & the reds finished? I have several varieties planted - some early, mid & late seasons. I just don't know what the time difference might be.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tales of a Transplanted Gardener
pnbrown
17 years ago
I've never had any rotting problems leaving tubers in the ground right up to cold weather. Probably because of light soil. I can imagine that heavy, wet soils and warm temps will lead to spoilage before falltime and cooling of the ground.
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euarto_gullible
17 years ago
This is my first year with potatoes. I planted Yukon Gold. I didn't realize they were an early potato. Mine have been flowering for about two weeks now. I thought you could start harvesting when they flower, or simply leave them until the plants die off in the fall. Is this not the case with Yukon Gold? Any advice would be much appreciated, as I certainly don't want my potatoes to go bad.
wiringman
17 years ago
the only time i had potato rot was when my potatoes got flood right when i was trying to hardening the skins. they were flooded 4 times 5 days apart and it was very loamy soil that retained water well. i lost the whole crop.

i now live in an arid climate with well drained soil and we leave the spuds in the ground untill after the first good frost.

last night i dug some Yukon Gold and got some 3 1/2" potatoes. yummy!

we are also growing Pontiac and LaSota. this is our first year to grow La Sota. i like the Pontiac better then the Yukon Gold but the Pontiac is a long season potato and our season can be as short as three months. however that has not stopped the potatoes from getting ripe.

we stop the water about 10 days before we harvest to let the skins harden.

WM
User
Original Author
17 years ago
My reds finished about a week after the golds.

When the plants flower, keep watering them for about three weeks. After three weeks the plants will start to die off. At that point, grab those golds out of the ground and store them in a cool, dark place. Don't wash them but gently brush the dirt off.

I think the reds could have stayed in the ground. And I'm pretty sure those blue potatoes will be just fine in the ground.

Some of my golds are at least 5". Big spuds.

I flood irrigate my place, and that contributed to the rotting golds. Also, I planted early and they matured in mid-summer when temperatures were still in the upper 90's and low 100's.