Drought affecting potato harvest

wmontanez · August 13, 2012

Is has been declared a Moderate Drought in Massachusetts due to this past warm and dry winter and so far the rain has been less this year. According to some data mining I did last year we had normal rain where I live and this year just below average.

http://www.mass.gov/dcr/watersupply/rainfall/
http://www.mass.gov/dcr/watersupply/...2-cond-rep.pdf

I would not consider this a drought but I've noticed some reduce yield in most of my potatoes since I don't irrigate just rain water. Some of the area growing potatoes had run-off (downhill slope in my garden) and those have better yield. Overall I have up to 50% less yield in some varieties than my best year, some are indifferent (good) and more scab!

I did enjoy last winter compared to 2010-2011 winter where I had snow banks of 5ft tall in my driveway but was a good potato season, it rained normally during the summer months. My rain water only irrigation treatment is paying off in the grass since mine is greener than most. Tomatoes are doing fine I guess but the peppers are really enjoying this warmer weather since they look great.

I collect rain water only one 55gal drum is connected to my downspout but I have 3 more sitting there since I never had to use more than one. I guess is time to connect them and continue to harvest rain water for a weekly deep waterting supplement if I want to get late potatoes to bulk up

My quest for a self reliant garden continues and those vegetables yielding good for me this year will be treasured even more.

How is it going for you??

Mark0820 · September 26, 2012

It was hot and dry in this part of the country, but my potatoes did really well. I pulled sprouts and planted in 24 ounce plastic cups. All of the sprouts were 12 to 15 inches tall when I transplanted to my community garden plot (late May early June) (the garden didn't open until mid May).

I was concerned the sprouts were too tall to transplant, but they worked just fine. I did have to explain to several gardeners at the community garden how I got such large potato plants so early in the season.

I planted 24 Kennebec sprouts, and had some huge potatoes when I dug them. I probably averaged about 7 - 8 potatoes per plant. From what I have read, I think Kennebec is an easy potato to grow so that probably helped.

It was my first time growing potatoes, and I look forward to expanding my varieties next year.

kath · September 26, 2012

No watering here, either, and we were more and more short of rain as the season progressed but I had good yields with the earliest ones planted- Red Norland and Yukon Gold, which were in by the end of March. I waited until 7 new varieties were shipped and they didn't arrive until the end of April here- which I knew was trouble. They weren't really sprouting yet but I cut up the largest ones a bit, which I don't like to do, and planted right away. They were early and mid-season types but all started dying back in July and produced very small tubers, variously affected with scab. I don't even think I'm going to plant all of them again next year- quite an expensive experiment.

The exception was Augusta, which gave a fair yield of decent sized potatoes that weren't too marred up.

The shipped newbies didn't use up all the alloted potato space, so I also planted some sprouted old seed of Yukon Golds and some Kennebecs the next day and they didn't do much better than the trial varieties. I can't seem to grow later types here- it's just too humid and damp overnight living next to a river.

Another complaint this year is that there was more wireworm damage than usual, which was odd because the potatoes were planted in the oldest section of the garden- started in 1996. I have to get them in as early as possible and out as soon as they've sized up and try to store them as long as possible. After that we eat sweet potatoes which last until new potatoes- also aiming for self-reliance.

The sweet potatoes seem to be doing fine- I peeked a bit a week ago and there are some huge ones peeking out between the row cover, so I hope the yield will be exceptional this year.

My tomatoes are history because of late blight with the exception of a few plants of Hawaiian Pineapple and Barlow Jap but with lots of greenies ripening inside in bins under the bed in the spare room, the kitchen counter is still full of ripe ones and I'm still giving tomatoes away to family and friends- losing very few of them to blight so far.

The peppers are thriving with at least one or two red ones available every day for picking and are just loaded with large greenies, so I'm hoping for a late frost. We've been lucky enough to still have plants in November a couple of times- you never know.

August 13, 2012	#1
wmontanez Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: MA Posts: 776	Drought affecting potato harvest Is has been declared a Moderate Drought in Massachusetts due to this past warm and dry winter and so far the rain has been less this year. According to some data mining I did last year we had normal rain where I live and this year just below average. http://www.mass.gov/dcr/watersupply/rainfall/ http://www.mass.gov/dcr/watersupply/...2-cond-rep.pdf I would not consider this a drought but I've noticed some reduce yield in most of my potatoes since I don't irrigate just rain water. Some of the area growing potatoes had run-off (downhill slope in my garden) and those have better yield. Overall I have up to 50% less yield in some varieties than my best year, some are indifferent (good) and more scab! I did enjoy last winter compared to 2010-2011 winter where I had snow banks of 5ft tall in my driveway but was a good potato season, it rained normally during the summer months. My rain water only irrigation treatment is paying off in the grass since mine is greener than most. Tomatoes are doing fine I guess but the peppers are really enjoying this warmer weather since they look great. I collect rain water only one 55gal drum is connected to my downspout but I have 3 more sitting there since I never had to use more than one. I guess is time to connect them and continue to harvest rain water for a weekly deep waterting supplement if I want to get late potatoes to bulk up My quest for a self reliant garden continues and those vegetables yielding good for me this year will be treasured even more. How is it going for you?? __________________ Wendy

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September 26, 2012	#2
Mark0820 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 907	It was hot and dry in this part of the country, but my potatoes did really well. I pulled sprouts and planted in 24 ounce plastic cups. All of the sprouts were 12 to 15 inches tall when I transplanted to my community garden plot (late May early June) (the garden didn't open until mid May). I was concerned the sprouts were too tall to transplant, but they worked just fine. I did have to explain to several gardeners at the community garden how I got such large potato plants so early in the season. I planted 24 Kennebec sprouts, and had some huge potatoes when I dug them. I probably averaged about 7 - 8 potatoes per plant. From what I have read, I think Kennebec is an easy potato to grow so that probably helped. It was my first time growing potatoes, and I look forward to expanding my varieties next year.

September 26, 2012	#3
kath Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: zone 6b, PA Posts: 5,664	No watering here, either, and we were more and more short of rain as the season progressed but I had good yields with the earliest ones planted- Red Norland and Yukon Gold, which were in by the end of March. I waited until 7 new varieties were shipped and they didn't arrive until the end of April here- which I knew was trouble. They weren't really sprouting yet but I cut up the largest ones a bit, which I don't like to do, and planted right away. They were early and mid-season types but all started dying back in July and produced very small tubers, variously affected with scab. I don't even think I'm going to plant all of them again next year- quite an expensive experiment. The exception was Augusta, which gave a fair yield of decent sized potatoes that weren't too marred up. The shipped newbies didn't use up all the alloted potato space, so I also planted some sprouted old seed of Yukon Golds and some Kennebecs the next day and they didn't do much better than the trial varieties. I can't seem to grow later types here- it's just too humid and damp overnight living next to a river. Another complaint this year is that there was more wireworm damage than usual, which was odd because the potatoes were planted in the oldest section of the garden- started in 1996. I have to get them in as early as possible and out as soon as they've sized up and try to store them as long as possible. After that we eat sweet potatoes which last until new potatoes- also aiming for self-reliance. The sweet potatoes seem to be doing fine- I peeked a bit a week ago and there are some huge ones peeking out between the row cover, so I hope the yield will be exceptional this year. My tomatoes are history because of late blight with the exception of a few plants of Hawaiian Pineapple and Barlow Jap but with lots of greenies ripening inside in bins under the bed in the spare room, the kitchen counter is still full of ripe ones and I'm still giving tomatoes away to family and friends- losing very few of them to blight so far. The peppers are thriving with at least one or two red ones available every day for picking and are just loaded with large greenies, so I'm hoping for a late frost. We've been lucky enough to still have plants in November a couple of times- you never know.