When to hill up TPS?

PaddyMc · June 10, 2012

So, I followed Tom Wagner's TPS starting advice and they're doing great! Started in 72 cell trays, potted up to individual 72 cell, transplanted into felt grow bags at apx. 3" tall. I buried them so there was only 1 set of leaves showing. 10 days later, they're growing fast--

My question is, when should I start un-rolling and filling in the grow bags ( hilling them up)? I was planning on slowly unrolling and filling as they grow (18" fully filled), but I don't really know how big to let them get between fillings?
Thanks!

**Tom Wagner** · June 11, 2012

Hill 'em up an inch at a time or wait till they look like they need the support to keep from keeling over.

loeb · July 22, 2012

Is not hilling the TPS big mistake? I did not hilled mine..

wmontanez · July 22, 2012

Loeb
Reas post http://tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=12908 regarding that....you want to hill them or potential yield suffer that 1st year.

wingnut · July 22, 2012

I planted 3" TPS to my garden bed with 2" spaceing buried to thier necks. I will hill them when they reach 4" tall with 2" mulch/soil. Hopefully I will end up with a few tubers from each.

loeb · July 22, 2012

Thank you, well that means I have to remember to hill up the next generation, for sure.. And I will hill up those that I have right now, maybe it's not too late for some of them. I don't know why I thought that I don't have to hill up seedlings.

wmontanez · July 22, 2012

@Loeb
Hopefully at least you get few potatoes to clone next year and some to taste this season. I am making a scale to evaluate my potatoes and do some ranking. It does helps to taste them early on to concentrate on other factors that interests you. Like Tom has said before to save a potato you have to eat the potato

Last year I ate 11 halves in one taste sampling and boy is a lot!

@Wingnut
2in spacing? isn't too close? I assume you just want some tubers to clone right? I planted mine about 6-9 inches apart on the ground and it does seem to be enough the first year because the plant did not grow too big. Last year I used 5gal pots, good to keep varieties isolated, not sure if I like the yield. Now the 1st year cloning is does seem like 12 in was barely enough the plants some are HUGE.

loeb · July 22, 2012

I've hilled them up. One weak one was missing so I digged in that place and I've found 3 little spuds

Omg those are so cute, cutest potatoes I have ever seen.. Pink russets

To small to eat but I'm so happy

And I don't know how they look inside, probably white.. I will have to think about some evaluation too, would you like to tell me how your scale looks like? I've seen that 2 others are starting to make tubers too.. one is pink too, 2 others white, smooth in surface but I'm not sure when potatoe gets those russet.

wmontanez · July 22, 2012

Congrats! Those little treasures.
Sure about the scale, i'll start another thread to not high-jack this one that is regarding hilling ok?

wingnut · July 23, 2012

Wendy due to the late start, I planted them close so they hopefully will senesce earlier with a few small tubers each that will be grown out next year. I also have a few hundred of them, and don't want to take up much space. I already have hundreds of pull starts tuberizeing in 4" pots, and the thought of potting them all up was not an option so 2" spacing in the garden.

June 10, 2012	#1
PaddyMc Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Idaho Posts: 241	When to hill up TPS? So, I followed Tom Wagner's TPS starting advice and they're doing great! Started in 72 cell trays, potted up to individual 72 cell, transplanted into felt grow bags at apx. 3" tall. I buried them so there was only 1 set of leaves showing. 10 days later, they're growing fast-- My question is, when should I start un-rolling and filling in the grow bags ( hilling them up)? I was planning on slowly unrolling and filling as they grow (18" fully filled), but I don't really know how big to let them get between fillings? Thanks!

July 22, 2012	#4
wmontanez Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: MA Posts: 776	Loeb Reas post http://tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=12908 regarding that....you want to hill them or potential yield suffer that 1st year. __________________ Wendy

July 22, 2012	#7
wmontanez Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: MA Posts: 776	@Loeb Hopefully at least you get few potatoes to clone next year and some to taste this season. I am making a scale to evaluate my potatoes and do some ranking. It does helps to taste them early on to concentrate on other factors that interests you. Like Tom has said before to save a potato you have to eat the potato Last year I ate 11 halves in one taste sampling and boy is a lot! @Wingnut 2in spacing? isn't too close? I assume you just want some tubers to clone right? I planted mine about 6-9 inches apart on the ground and it does seem to be enough the first year because the plant did not grow too big. Last year I used 5gal pots, good to keep varieties isolated, not sure if I like the yield. Now the 1st year cloning is does seem like 12 in was barely enough the plants some are HUGE. __________________ Wendy Last edited by wmontanez; July 22, 2012 at 07:06 PM. Reason: spelling

July 22, 2012	#9
wmontanez Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: MA Posts: 776	Congrats! Those little treasures. Sure about the scale, i'll start another thread to not high-jack this one that is regarding hilling ok? __________________ Wendy

June 11, 2012	#2
Tom Wagner Crosstalk™ Forum Moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: 8407 18th Ave West 7-203 Everett, Washington 98204 Posts: 1,157	Hill 'em up an inch at a time or wait till they look like they need the support to keep from keeling over.

July 22, 2012	#3
loeb Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Poland Posts: 251	Is not hilling the TPS big mistake? I did not hilled mine..

July 22, 2012	#5
wingnut Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: bald hill area thurston county washington Posts: 312	I planted 3" TPS to my garden bed with 2" spaceing buried to thier necks. I will hill them when they reach 4" tall with 2" mulch/soil. Hopefully I will end up with a few tubers from each.

July 23, 2012	#10
wingnut Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: bald hill area thurston county washington Posts: 312	Wendy due to the late start, I planted them close so they hopefully will senesce earlier with a few small tubers each that will be grown out next year. I also have a few hundred of them, and don't want to take up much space. I already have hundreds of pull starts tuberizeing in 4" pots, and the thought of potting them all up was not an option so 2" spacing in the garden.