Potato Basics

[Grub]

Okay, Mr and Mrs Potato Heads,

Can you share with us all a mug's way to grow them in the backyard? An ABC, it's as easy as 1, 2, 3.

Also, are homegrown spuds THAT much better than bought ones? The difference between commerical and homegrown tomatoes is vast. But potatoes?

Having said that, this greenhorn remembers a Dutch Cream he bought from a farmers' market and baked. Mmmm. Some spud.

Will be checking this exciting new topic from now on.

[jerseyjohn61]

One basic on spuds is to get them in the
ground extra early in the Spring. They
could be the earliest item you plant
outdoors.

Once soil temperatures reach 70 F.,
individual potato tubers stop forming
within the root system. Those that
have formed then grow on to
maturity. A brief Spring followed by
early heat can greatly reduce your
yield....JJ61

[Grub]

$2 buys a couple of kilos of spuds down here. I like 'em all ways including with gwavy (dwooling). I like 'em baked in theirr jackets, crisscrossed with a knife, forced into an eruption, topped with lots of chillii con carne, with sour cream, guacamole, salsa and homegrown hotties that burn baby burn like a disco inferno.

I eat corn on the cob every day. I have never grown corn or potatoes. One has ears the other eyes. I don't think it's worth it in my small space. But I like the idea of the tyre or, preferably, vertical suggarbag/ hessian sack technique for spuds.

I'm goign to try onions. There's another questionable one. $2 buys a lot of onions.

But I think I will try spuds in sacks after tomatoes this year. Easy to do.

Raw spuds... eek! Keith. Starchy residue. Though a dog was eating them raw on tv last night.

[angelique]

Mmmm...Potatoes fried in chorizo (Mexican) with onions and jalapenos (fresh not pickled). Even better, the same but with scrambled egg in a burrito with cheese, more jalapenos and salsa or hot sauce.

[landarc]

Angelique,
chorizo and taters, terrific stuff! I used to go to a taqueria in South Richmond that served what they called Mexican potatoes, they were fried in Mexican spices (and manteca, no doubt) but, a split order of that with rice and some chorizo or burrito meat, what a lunch.

As for growing your own, I do think there is a difference between the potatoes I get from the Humongo-mart and those from the small market growers in this area. More variety and better texture overall. Now, my uncle up in Idaho is gonna disagree with this, but, I think smaller and local produce does make a difference.

[MsCowpea]

Also, are homegrown spuds THAT much better than bought ones?

Well, my grandmother's homegrown potatoes were wonderful-- better than store-bought. She gardened in the midwest. However, potatoes we bought in England in the grocery store were the BEST I have ever tasted--some were locally grown and some were imported. Maybe you get great tasting potates right from the store. We don't in South Florida.

The potatoes I grow in South Florida propably aren't all that much better than store-bought but we really love the THRILL and PURE FUN of digging them up. Tomatoes you see growing--no surprises but with potatoes you are so elated as you dig and reach for one and then another . There always seems to be a few more hidden even when you think you have got them all.

[Grub]

Okay Keith,

You are right. I have limited raw-potato experience. It's confined to the occasional underdone potato salad. Never a crowd pleaser.

So I take it you are telling me I'm missing out on something. Will avoid the the green ones. Raw grated potato? Hmm. Even the Pacific Islanders boil ther yams.

A roti from grated potato; now that's something worth eating.

Grub, always open to enlightenment.

[landarc]

True, one of potatoes highest orders of achievement. I believe that Chopin is one of the finest non-Russian vodkas I have had.

[Gimme3]

Grub...i can tell ya 2 reasons...for tryin to grow ya own potatoes.

Number 1...High, First, an Foremost...on the list...There aint nothin like....the Treasure Hunt ...the Joy..that one gets, when harvest time comes. U'd have to do it, one time...to understand...)))

Number 2...i can taste...the soil..in a potato i grow...an i know that what im tastin...is MY Soil. So...in that regard..if it was bad...i'd have early warning. If its Good...im feelin good about this Soil...))) Try tastin...the soil, from a commercial potato...it simply aint there.

[gardengalrn]

Grub, ABC...here's what I do when I plant potatoes. Keep in mind that I've had both success and failures in various years:
1. Buy seed potatoes. I get mine from a local co-op. A large seed potato will give you 4-6 actual "seeds," depending on how you cut them.
2. If the weather Gods are working for you and not against, you will have a stretch of 2-3 days of dry weather before you intend on planting. Cut the seed potatoes so that each chunk has at least 1-2 eyes on it.
3. Place potatoes, cut side up, to dry for several days. Some people sprinkle the cured potatoes with a sulfer dust to ward off fungal problems but I never have (thus may explain some failures, LOL)
4. Pick a well drained and amended area and make yourself a wide row, mine are usually 2 feet across and fairly high.
5. Take a hoe and make a deep ditch down the center. As deep as you can make it without destroying the row and it caving in on itself.
6. Place the seed chunks in the trench, I space mine about a foot apart. Cover with maybe 3 or so inches of soil.
7. Once they have sprouted and have grown maybe 10-12 or so inches, "hill" your potatoes by taking the remaining soil from either side and pulling it up next to the plant, leaving only the top few inches.
8. Harvest when the plant dies back.

I guess I should have called it the 123s not the ABCs. Anyway, it is really important to get them in early. I have misjudged this before and planted when it was just too cold and wet, thus my crop rotted. One year I didn't cure properly and again, they rotted. I'm sure someone will address any blatant wrong information I've given. As for taste, I've changed my mind several times on this. Usually when I didn't have a good crop, I decided it wasn't worth it, LOL. Seriously, potatoes are a fun crop to harvest and new potatoes are delicious.