Subject: Potatoes

From: [email-masked] (Gerald Belton)
Date: Thu, 6 Apr 1995 09:43:54

If there is a faq for this group, someone please point me to it.

If not, then someone tell me about potatoes.

I have recently put in a 5' x 20' raised bed, a la John Jeavons "How to Grow 
More Vegetables," and part of it is planted in potatoes.  They are just 
starting to sprout.

I have never grown potatoes before.  How do I know when they are done?  With 
the radishes and the carrots, the seed packets give a figure for days to 
maturity (and I know that there is a lot of leeway).  But the potatoes I 
planted were from the grocery store, just plain old red-skinned irish 
potatoes.  I'm in zone 9 (near New Orleans) by the way... so how do I know 
when to start digging up the 'taters?

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From: [email-masked] (Polar)
Date: 6 Apr 1995 20:36:19 GMT

In <[email-masked]> 
[email-masked] (Gerald Belton) writes: 
>I have never grown potatoes before.  How do I know when they are done? 
 With the radishes and the carrots, the seed packets give a figure for 
days to maturity (and I know that there is a lot of leeway).  But the 
potatoes I planted were from the grocery store, just plain old 
red-skinned irish potatoes.  I'm in zone 9 (near New Orleans) by the 
way... so how do I know when to start digging up the 'taters?
>
>a.  Be sure you "hill up" the earth around them.  The potatoes will 
form in that hill.

b.   When the tops get yellow and start to fall over, stick your hands 
in and feel around for the potatoes.  If you want little new ones, go 
ahead & harvest.  If not, wait a while.

BTW, did the spuds have "eyes" on them?  The more developed the "eyes" 
are, the faster you're going to see action.  You can also cut up an old 
potato w/lots of eyes, (leaving plenty of flesh for interim food), let 
it callus (sp?) or harden off for a few days, then plant, eyes up.

(I hope this is correct!  That's what I've been doing; any input?

Polar

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From: [email-masked] (Polar)
Date: 6 Apr 1995 20:36:19 GMT

form in that hill.

Polar

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From: [email-masked] (Polar)
Date: 6 Apr 1995 20:36:19 GMT

form in that hill.

Polar

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From: [email-masked] (Christine Owens)
Date: 7 Apr 1995 19:07:35 GMT

>when to start digging up the 'taters?

90 days after you plant the eyes should be about right.  You can
"cheat" a little by gently digging down with your hands until
you find the potatoes, then judge for size.

Chris Owens

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From: [email-masked]
Date: 8 Apr 95 10:14:54 -0600

>>If there is a faq for this group, someone please point me to it.

Our FAQs and archives are at sunsite.unc.edu.  

> you find the potatoes, then judge for size.

You may have a bit of trouble with getting spuds to form this time
of year.  My recollection is that potatoes don't have much of a
crop until the night soil temps are below about 60-65oF.  I don't
know if this is due to photorespiration (see earlier post on C-3
and C-4 plants: potatoes are C-3) or a straight temperature
effect.

At any rate, "new potatoes", which are small tubers, are harvestable
about a 4-6 weeks up here.  Dig into the hills and see what you've
got, and  harvest when you're ready!

Kay Klier  [email-masked]

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From: [email-masked]
Date: 8 Apr 95 10:14:54 -0600

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From: [email-masked] (bob)
Date: 10 Apr 1995 01:32:51 GMT

In <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (Christine 

>>I have never grown potatoes before.  How do I know when they are done? 
 With 
>you find the potatoes, then judge for size.

I was told that when the tops die off they are ready to be dug.

Patty

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From: [email-masked] ()
Date: 10 Apr 1995 19:16:07 GMT

Ok, I'll bite... I've seen references here indicating that gardening FAQs
were archived over at SunSITE.  I've browsed all over that site, read some
very interesting stuff, and have still managed to miss the gardening FAQs.

Would some kind soul please post the specific location of where I should
look for the FAQs using a web browser?

Thanks,

- Tom

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From: [email-masked] ()
Date: 10 Apr 1995 19:16:07 GMT

Thanks,

- Tom