In the Potato Patch

[the1honeycomb]

this is my first year planting potatoes in the ground, not sure I am! I planted yukon and a red potato ( on the tip of my tongue but not on the tips of my fingers) I have harvested one of the plants for new potatoes and there really wasn't that much. hopefully when I get the rest they will make up for it. my plants are still mostly green so I won't be harvesting very soon.

@digits have you tried the bags yet? I just planted mmore Yukon gold in the bags so that I'll have fresh this winter!!

 

[digitS']

Your potato bags are sure innovative and a temptation, @the1honeycomb . How will you deal with the fall crop? Are you having your husband move those indoors for the winter?

The idea of starting them near a basement window and moving them out in the spring is the temptation. I wonder how well they might transplant, out of, say, 8" pots. But, no - I certainly don't have the basement for it. There is one west window that catches some afternoon light but there are trees on the west side of the house.

Schlepping down the 12# of potatoes that I have been harvesting made me wonder how much longer I can be doing that. I will carry them back up when my garage cools in the fall, then ... back down to the basement in December!

It's easier to get them up than down. I'm concerned about slipping on those steep stairs ...

Steve

 

[thistlebloom]

Steve, what you need is a potato chute. You could rig up a sheet and slide them down to the bottom in that.

My greenhouse boss had a billion or so container plants on a second story deck. When it was time to put them to bed for the winter they rigged up a tarp and slid them down to the "catcher" on the ground. It saved miles of trudging up and down stairs.

 

[digitS']

Those stairs are almost a chute, Thistle'.

Or, they are with me on them .

Maybe that west window could be used.

Steve

 

[thistlebloom]

Well, please take care when you have to go down them. We don't want to hear about you getting put out of commission on account of your potato crop!

 

[the1honeycomb]

You need to put a slide on the stairs. that would make it easier and fun to go down!!! I know I need a slide. I love having a wagon that I can put my bags makes it easier for transport. I'm moving them myself. I hate having to buy potatoes, I send my husband to the store for them. I'm too embarrassed

 

[digitS']

... I'm on to the Dark Red Norlands next. I'm not optimistic because those plants were so short compared to the others. . .

I'm not sure if I've finished the Dark Red Norlands. I was initially encouraged with their harvest. Since July 27th and with my lightning fast method ... I've harvested 3 plants ..! Nearly 9 pounds!

Then, I discovered serious problems with 2 of the tubers. I don't know what their problem was but they were diseased, I'm guessing. There were already garden symphylans inside the potatoes so it may have just been that soil pest but I think there was a break or decay before the symphylans showed up. So ... perhaps bad seed!

If there was a bad tuber on the first plant or more problems with the ones I've got, I don't know about it but will separate them in storage. I don't need rot!

The good news is that the bok choy seed popped up almost overnight, all of Marshall's Holland greens are up and that ancient guy lon seed finally sprouted! I'll likely put a little more bok choy seed in the ground in the next few days and then hurry the potatoes out so that there is room to transplant and move those greens around.

Yeah, I think I might be able to dig 8 potato plants this week. Might even get to more ...

Steve

 

[thistlebloom]

I just read about symphylans, I had never heard of them before.
It was interesting to note that they prefer loose, healthy soils high in humus. I'm not sure if I've ever seen one, but now that I know about them I'll be on the lookout.

I think I may swelter up to the front garden and pull a potato plant, just to see what's going on under there. It's a little scary...I hope I'm not disappointed, and I sure hope I don't see any of those symphylans!

 

[digitS']

You may have just thought of them as their relatives the centipedes, Thistle'.

They aren't horrid munchers of veggies. That's why I'm inclined not to blame them. If a radish splits, you may find them dining on the interior of the bulb ... That sort of thing.

Steve

 

[so lucky]

You need to put a slide on the stairs. that would make it easier and fun to go down!!! I know I need a slide. I love having a wagon that I can put my bags makes it easier for transport. I'm moving them myself. I hate having to buy potatoes, I send my husband to the store for them. I'm too embarrassed

Haha! They should come in a plain brown wrapper!