Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Planting Potatoes

These went in the ground about a week ago....


This is actually after planting...the potatoes went in about 6 inches from the top of the boards, then were covered with just a couple inches of soil. As the plants grow we'll hill up around them with the excess dirt.

I ordered quite a few seed potatoes from an organic source but also planted a couple of regular spuds that we bought from the grocery store....we'll see if there is any measureable difference.

7 comments:

Patricia said...

Interesting that you plant your potatoes so very early. Here, in Santa Rosa, only a couple hundred miles north of you, we don't plant until March.
When do you harvest?

Maureen said...

This is only our second time planting potatoes and I'll plant more in Feb also. I'm still trying to figure out when the optimum time is for getting them in the ground and if it makes a difference in yield.

We harvested our first spuds last year on the first of May, and got them all out of the ground by the end of June. Though that was mostly because I wanted to plant something else in their spot. This year I'm going to try to leave them in until they die off completely. When are they harvested in your area?

Thanks for stopping by and commenting!

Stefaneener said...

I came over here from Sonoma Gardening. I love the sharecropper idea and do not understand why more people don't do this! It's the perfect solution to urban isolation and lack of food production. My sister and I are trying to do something like it -- but so far we just have our own yards under production.

Maureen said...

I SO agree with you Stefaneener!

We are actually looking for more yard space. I think that in the next few years as food supplies dwindle there will be a lot of older folks who could really benefit from fresh fruit and veggies picked in their own back yards :)

MAYBELLINE said...

Good luck with your crop. Last year mine grew brilliantly then was hit with what I suppose was blight after I hilled them. Lesson learned.

An interesting use for a half potatoe that I learn on Jacque and Julia last night. Use the oiled half potatoe to prop up any meat you are grilling that needs to be cooked on its edges - like a big fat pork chop. Then you can have a grilled potatoe for your side.

Brilliant.

Amanda said...

So, when in February do you expect to plant potatoes again? I'm wondering if I got my planting dates all wrong -- my potatoes grew lovely tops, but were completely rotten when I dug them up in July.

What do you have in flats right now? I haven't even begun.

Maureen said...

We planted on the 1st of Feb. last year and those did really well, tho like I said we got mostly new potatoes because I pulled them up in June.

When did yours go in the ground last year?

And by flats do you mean what we've got started....cause embarrassingly enough I'd have to admit that I have nothing going yet. The plan was to start tomatoes and peppers this month but we've been either busy or sick or broke (need seed-starting medium) so I am a bit behind...what have you got going?