Fascination with potato

[Nematode]

I have been analyzing my fascination with potato.
They are good food, no doubt about that, and most don't understand that a fresh tater is amazing next to store bought.
but thats not it.
I think its the mystery of opening up a hill and the amazement of what you got.
Everything else in the garden has one root, or you get to watch it from flower to table.
Every potato hill is like a trip to vegas.

[pauldavid]

I have to plant potatoes next year, sounds like having an early Christmas!

[AlittleSalt]

Paul, I agree with Nematode, growing potatoes is fun. And they taste soooo good.

[pauldavid]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

Paul, I agree with Nematode, growing potatoes is fun. And they taste soooo good.

Robert, my uncle used to grow them for market and I worked for him but I have never grown them since I was young. Do you buy the seed potatoes from feed stores? Which varieties do you recommend for a potato newbie?
Not trying to take over your thread Nematode. Just wondering.

[AlittleSalt]

I buy ours locally at the M&P shop I've written about, but yes, they're sold at feed stores as well. So far, I've only grown varieties recommended for my area, Red LaSoda, Red Norland, Pontiac, etc.

[pauldavid]

Thanks for the info Robert. I have to do some research

[Nematode]

Originally Posted by pauldavid

I have to plant potatoes next year, sounds like having an early Christmas!

Dont have to wait that long. You could actually have them for christmas.
Its not too late to plant even in the frozen northeast.
Finding seed taters might be a small challenge this time of year, but they are around. Dont know anything about growing taters down there.

[pauldavid]

Originally Posted by Nematode

Dont have to wait that long. You could actually have them for christmas.
Its not too late to plant even in the frozen northeast.
Finding seed taters might be a small challenge this time of year, but they are around. Dont know anything about growing taters down there.

Thanks for the info, Nematode!

[Tracydr]

Can I grow them in the fall in southern NC?

[Durgan]

I consider a choice potato food of the Gods. I prefer them cooked in a Dutch oven whole with the skin intact. Usually at a temperature of 400F for an hour. I like them large about fist size. Served with a bit of butter, right out of the oven. They are a meal unto themselves.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?KQZUM 18 October 2013 Baked Yukon Gold Potato

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?GIHJO 21 October 2013 Russian Blue Potatoes
Supper was prepared around baked Russian Blue Potatoes.The complete meal was a garlic bulb, one potato, four steamed NZ mussels, nuked butter, and a composite drink of pumpkin,grape, and pepper/vegetable juice. The whole meal was prepared in about one hour and 15 minutes.Everything except the mussels was from my garden previously stored.The butter was made from purchased cream without additives. Pictures depict the process.

[pauldavid]

Has anyone ever eaten a potato cooked in coals? Wrap a potato heavily with foil and place it in the coals of a campfire. Delicious! An oven baked potato can't even compare with these.

[salix]

Nematode - agree wholeheartedly. I always feel like a pirate digging up buried treasure (gems).

[Nematode]

Originally Posted by Tracydr

Can I grow them in the fall in southern NC?

I would say yes, especially for fresh eating. Quick poke around on the web has July as planting window for your area for fall harvest potato. Winter is mild there you may be able to late fall plant them(with compost) for very early spring potato. This might be your easiest option for disease pressure.
Main crop potato can be a long haul time wise. Early varieties keep me going until then, and hedge my bets against a late blight wipeout.