Houston -Potato- Progress

[FlipTX]

Flowers certainly seem optional for mine. The website where I bought my seed potatoes shows flowers for the particular kind I planted. All I got were some buds that never opened. But it's ok, because I'm still getting potatoes.

[houseodessey]

Duajones-I'm just excited to see potential flowers. The two comments are totally unrelated. Sorry if I caused any confusion or worry.

[feldon30]

PINK potatoes!


Plus Straight Eight Cucumber -- harvested from 4 square feet of garden space


The Spent Seed Potato

If I had it to do over, I would definitely do more hilling and plant deeper, and fewer plants in the same area. I may also cull multiple sprouts off of 1 potato down to 2. When I pulled up the seed potato with 5 plants off of it, it had the smallest harvest of them all.

Now that I've got the potato bug -- NOT THAT POTATO BUG -- I want to grow more varieties!!

[shelleybean]

They look great, Feldon! My first little leaf just popped up yesterday from Russian Banana. And then there were two more leaves this morning. I guess once it starts, the process moves along pretty quickly.

[feldon30]

I also did not wait for the plants to yellow and wilt. I figured I'd harvest a 4' worth and see what's under there. I can probably wait until it gets hot (May 1st-15th or so) which lowers the quality of the potatoes.

[duajones]

Nice work Feldon! The foliage on my potato plants are beginning to look bad, so I may be dumping that can pretty soon. I can only hope its contents will be a pleasant surprise.

[sirtanon]

Very nice, Feldon! I'm still trying to figure out how long I should wait to pull my potatoes.. you're making me anxious

[houseodessey]

Your potatoes are very inspiring, Feldon. Thanks for posting the pics.

[feldon30]

I am thinking I have huge room for improvement. 2-3 potatoes per seed potato sounds paltry to me.

[Gimme3]

Great Pics....Feldon...u Learned somethin.....too.

You Had....some good spuds underway...they sho are Good tastin, if we pull up a few that size...but you can grow some Market Keepers, by hillin an Patience.

Learnin...is the Fun of the Game...))) My potato bed here is so whacked out now, i caint even tell ya...what kinds we have growin in it. but i do know this...they are Flourishin...and...its jus a hillin an Waterin game...now.

Growin potatos...is a Joy...i place it akin to a Child's wonder in growin a Radish. There are many people that state...that growin a potato, somehow...Purifies the soil. I know this...when i see the big fat earthworms bein Happy...upon inspection...i Have to believe that...)))

Hill...at Will...)))

[Suze]

Originally Posted by feldon30

If I had it to do over, I would definitely do more hilling and plant deeper, and fewer plants in the same area. I may also cull multiple sprouts off of 1 potato down to 2. When I pulled up the seed potato with 5 plants off of it, it had the smallest harvest of them all.

And you said earlier that you got a late start as well; that almost surely made a difference. I think it's early Feb in your area. Even in Ft Worth, I started mid-Feb (and protected tops from frost if need be).

I'm not sure about removing multiple sprouts; never heard of anyone doing that. Did you see this suggested somewhere? But then I'm no potato guru, maybe someone will weigh in on this.

Originally Posted by feldon30

Now that I've got the potato bug -- NOT THAT POTATO BUG -- I want to grow more varieties!!

Heck, you've got me wanting to grow some potatoes now. Maybe in the fall.

[Gimme3]

Suze...a potato eye that shoots up one, ....or 2 ...sprouts...will make...a Large tuber (s)...if it throws up 5 or 6, then they all gonna sorta compromise w/each other, except in Optimum growing condition, and the yield will be Numerous, yet small in size.

5 or 6 shoots aint bad...if the growin Medium can support it. But in average situations, 2 or 3 shoots...will give a Happy Yield, an some Nice ones...)))

[Suze]

Originally Posted by Gimme3

Suze...a potato eye that shoots up one, ....or 2 ...sprouts...will make...a Large tuber (s)...if it throws up 5 or 6, then they all gonna sorta compromise w/each other, except in Optimum growing condition, and the yield will be Numerous, yet small in size.

5 or 6 shoots aint bad...if the growin Medium can support it. But in average situations, 2 or 3 shoots...will give a Happy Yield, an some Nice ones...)))

Gimme, thanks for the clarification and explanation.

[tomakers]

Some points about potatoes
1. You can grow them in straight compost or grass clippings or leaves, soil optional - lay them on the ground and cover them thickly.
2. You can hill them as many times as you want but don't hill more than a couple of inches at a time.
3. Just dig under them to get new potatoes, it isn't necessary to pull the whole plant.
4. When you buy them most sets will have no more than 1 or 2 eyes - also put them in a bag with some sulphur and shake them up before planting. They should dry for a day or two if you cut your own.
5. If you are going to harvest your potatoes completely, knock down their tops about a week to 10 days before you plan to pick them. Commercial growers sometimes use Round Up to knock them down before harvest. I think they plan on about 16 potatoes for each plant. (I don't think I have ever got this many.)
6. Don't always save the small potatoes for seed. You will end up with all small potatoes. Almost all potatoes are propagated by tuber. I believe they cross readily if you even get seed.
My opinions only.
Happy gardening,
Tom

[feldon30]

I looked for any advice saying to reduce the number of sprouts per seed potato to 2, but didn't find any. Nonetheless, it seems logical that this would increase yield.