Holes in potatoes

[raindrops27]

I had to dig up three potato plants due to a rabbit family that chose to snap three of my potato plants all the way to the ground as they darted from the garden. These potato plants were still growing and all I got was 9 baby to medium sized potatoes from them.

My question, some of the potatoes seem to have a entry hole with a dark brown circle around it. I am thinking it is some type of burrowing worm a grub or something I am not sure. Is it ok for me to cut the bad part out and use the rest of the potato or should I toss it?

Also, what are some methods I can use to stop grubs from burrowing into the potatoes? I am going to assume it is to late to treat the other buried potatoes/plants growing but for future reference I would like to know. TIA

Melissa

[kath]

Sorry to hear about your potatoes, Melissa. How big are the holes? If they're tiny, they might have been caused by wireworms. If so, just dig out the yucky part and enjoy.

I don't know of anything organic that you can purchase but there might be some home remedies- I'd love to hear about them.

Somewhere I read that you can use a cut piece of potato on a stick buried about 6" in the ground as a trap for wireworms. Pull up the stick/potato in a couple days, kill the worms and reposition the trap.

kath

[raindrops27]

Thanks Kath, I made the most out of those baby tubers for dinner and were they ever delicious!

I have another question can I save the baby potatoes to plant in fall storing it in the refrigerator until Feb/March for plant out. Or could I just replant the potato out now in a different location hoping the potatoes won't rot in the cold?

I will post a picture so you can see how small the baby tubers are.

[kath]

Originally Posted by raindrops27

Thanks Kath, I made the most out of those baby tubers for dinner and were they ever delicious!

I have another question can I save the baby potatoes to plant in fall storing it in the refrigerator until Feb/March for plant out. Or could I just replant the potato out now in a different location hoping the potatoes won't rot in the cold?

I will post a picture so you can see how small the baby tubers are.

Home grown potatoes are one of my very favorite veggies and a staple in my diet. I've been growing them for many years but I'm not an expert by any stretch- I'll share my experiences, though, fwiw. Hopefully someone with more knowledge will chime in.

You can save them, yes, and I have. They will sprout eventually, even in the fridge, so be careful not to knock off the sprouts. Many don't recommend doing this and say to purchase new certified disease free seed potato each year but I've saved/replanted tubers from expensive seed that I've purchased through the mail and had great results. The harvest will decrease if you keep using the same seed for years, though.

In the past I tried replanting about now, in August and again in the fall but I didn't have luck. The earliest planting was to try to get an early variety to produce tubers for the fall for storage. Aerial blackleg always takes my plants down by the end of July and I'd love to be able to get a late crop to harvest in September/October. Unless the potatoes are already sprouting, I think they need a period of cold in order to get the sprouting process started.

I think 2 oz. is supposed to be the ideal size for little tubers planted whole but I've gotten nice plants/yields with smaller ones- I try not to cut them.

[raindrops27]

Kath,

Thank you for the feedback I will store and resow the potatoes.. I will purchase some extra seed spuds as well.

Some more than kind person sent me the seed tubers, I now have planted in the garden. To be honest, I do not remember the potatoes I grew from gurneys years ago ever being as tasty as the few spuds I harvested a few days ago.. I will just have to grow them every year from now on I simply adore potatoes, they are my favorite vegetable!

[kath]

Melissa, I've put DH through countless potato taste tests over the years- best boiled, best baked, etc. Some have more flavor than others and it's lots of fun to experiment with different varieties just like with tomatoes. They grow a lot of spuds on LI for sure so you should be able to pick up some popular varieties that grow well in your area at the farmer's markets. Here they sell seed potato at some local feed stores, garden centers and hardware stores. Send me a PM if you're interested in any of the ones I'm growing this season- I ordered from Fedco last year.

kath

[raindrops27]

Kath,

Do you know I've never went to the farmers markets looking for seed spuds to grow, it never crossed my mind I know terrible right? I tell you it is the old age. The first time I tried to grow spuds years ago I sourced the seeds from gurneys which got diseased the spuds salvageable were not better than the ones I usually purchase from the store. I tried again with poor results..

Being a potato lover I really wanted to try again but never got around to it until now. What are some of your favorite varieties for taste. I need to find my notes for all the spuds planted but I know the ones I harvested due to the rabbit was called "Amey" and I am so in love with the taste. I tasted it with just salt from the microwave and it blew me away. I must find a source for this potato, it was just that good.

One more question the potato plants most of them look like they are starting to wither away there is a lot of rain in the forecast would you dig them up or leave them until all of the plant dies away? TIA

Melissa

[kath]

It's best not to harvest when the soil is wet, so either before or well after the current rain would be best. Potatoes that die back naturally can stay in the soil for a couple weeks with no tops as long as things that nibble under the ground aren't a problem for you.

I grow Yukon Gold, Red Norland and Kennebec every year because they're available locally, we like the taste, they resist scab, store and produce reasonably well. All Red produced an amazing amount of large spuds but we didn't care for the taste quite as much.

Desiree is fantastic as is Carola but I have trouble getting them to size up well and the seed is so pricey to order through the mail. Never heard of Amey.

kath

[tjg911]

kath is right small bites well could be wireworms. if you planted in an area that was sod recently you'll have a lot but as time passes they lessen. i had a lot but seldom see them anymore.

if i read your post correctly you want to plant in the fall? i doubt that will work. any growth will die in winter and i suspect the potatoes will rot.

you can leave potatoes in the ground for a while in fact i have read it toughens the skin a bit and improves storage. the down side is the voles ate them!

tom

[raindrops27]

Kath- I've seen Yukon Gold, just recently Kennebec locally. Both times I tried potatoes years ago, I believe I purchased Yukon. I've heard great things about Kennebec I will grow it for sure! As for "Amey" it was told to me the real name was "Amey Russet" wow this potato hands down is the best potato I've ever tasted! I cannot put it into words, it was just that good. The kind member who sent it to me for grow out mentioned a pretty popular person on this site being directly involved with this potato..

Tom- Thank you, yes it was just sod I dug a foot down and threw in the seeds. I decided it would be best to try to keep the seed until Feb/March and then plant as soon as I can work the ground.

Thank you both for your help!

Melissa

[tjg911]

keeping the potatoes to use as seed come spring will work. since you planted in an area that was sod you'll have the wireworms for 3, 4, 5 (?) more years but they do disappear.

tom

[raindrops27]

Thanks again Tom, I pulled all 10 plant and most were destroyed by these wire worms or grubs. In total I harvested 16 small potatoes. The garden has been challenging this year, with pests, disease, and low harvests..

[tjg911]

Originally Posted by raindrops27

In total I harvested 16 small potatoes.

and now you know why they grow potatoes in northern maine and idaho where they have hundreds of thousands of acres!

i just gave up allocating 12% of my garden to get 12 to 30 pounds of potatoes. they are just not productive compared to other vegetables and are a lot of work to dig.... in mid july.... when it is 90-95 degrees.... and the dew point is 70 to 75..... who needs that!

tom

[wmontanez]

I have the same experience with the space I converted from sod to garden so Tom (tjg911) thanks for saying it too. I do however lessen the problem with wireworms by then planting brassicas there ....Anything in the cabbage family or mustards. I do rotation of crops but some potatoes are more prone to have it than others.

Tom if you try to plant some early ones like Yukon Gold in the garden space around August then by late October enjoy it with the colder weather. Easier to dig in the fall weather.

[tjg911]

i thought you had to plant potatoes in the spring? i've grown several varieties so i know like tomatoes there are early, mid and late season potatoes. i never considered planting an early now. you can't find seed now, they only sell it locally in early spring. planting store bought isn't good as they are treat with growth inhibitors so no eyes. buying them from a company is expensive and the s&h is making it just more expensive. i'm not that big of a potato eater, makes more sense to just buy them in the store for me. now if seed was available now i wouldn't mind harvesting in late october.

tom