Gardening for Old Folks (Adaptative)

[bruceha2000]

My farmer friend said to dig the potatoes when the plants start to die. The whites looked like this today

So I collected them. Lifted the compost (chicken litter, alpaca poo, kitchen scraps and some ash from the wood stove) into one bucket and the potatoes into a bushel basket. The right side tires yielded

Adding the second tire

Adding the third (I let the 2 very young snakes out of the tire) for a total of

I spread them out in the little barn so the "dirt" could dry and made it as dark as I could do easily. This is with the light on and the door open. I’ll have to make a storage area in the basement. Any suggestions are appreciated

I am quite pleased they did so well. The blues and reds are still looking alive so I'll give them some more time. Besides I need to deal with these first.

 

[jvls1942]

cold , dry , dark.
do not store near apples.

 

[cavemanrich]

I never grew potatoes , but recall about 30 years ago, my mom tried. and planted a few in her garden. To our surprise, the Colorado Potato Beetle somehow found those 2 plants.
Consider that Mom's garden was in middle of Chicago neighborhood with closest farm many miles away. And our area is not ideal potato growing land/soil.
jvls1942,,,, You are located ether in or near potato country in Wisconsin.
Next year, I will try to container grow a single potato. (just for fun and experiment) I know I will need to get an Organic potato that is not treated, from sprouting. I don't want to get a bag of seed potatoes from nursery, since I could not use that many. I will get the store potatoes, plant one, and eat the rest.

Here is a snip of the cute lil devlz.

 

[R2elk]

I will get the store potatoes, plant one, and eat the rest.

Walmart's white potatoes show eye growth after about 2 months so buy a sack a couple months before you plan to plant them.

 

[Molpet]

I never grew potatoes , but recall about 30 years ago, my mom tried. and planted a few in her garden. To our surprise, the Colorado Potato Beetle somehow found those 2 plants.
Consider that Mom's garden was in middle of Chicago neighborhood with closest farm many miles away. And our area is not ideal potato growing land/soil.
jvls1942,,,, You are located ether in or near potato country in Wisconsin.
Next year, I will try to container grow a single potato. (just for fun and experiment) I know I will need to get an Organic potato that is not treated, from sprouting. I don't want to get a bag of seed potatoes from nursery, since I could not use that many. I will get the store potatoes, plant one, and eat the rest.

Here is a snip of the cute lil devlz.
View attachment 3639762

The old big r had whole seed potatoes by the lb, so you could buy just one.

 

[cavemanrich]

The old big r had whole seed potatoes by the lb, so you could buy just one.

If I recall correctly,,, You started your Yukon Golds from store stock... After you harvest your own,,, then you have a good seed potato source . Did you grow any this year?? Yukons or other varieties?

 

[Molpet]

If I recall correctly,,, You started your Yukon Golds from store stock... After you harvest your own,,, then you have a good seed potato source . Did you grow any this year?? Yukons or other varieties?

Yes my first were store potatoes that started to grow. Yukon Gold and russets. They did well.
This year I grew Yukon Gold, huckleberry gold and a red fingerling. Last two were originally shipped seed potatoes.

 

[bruceha2000]

I will get the store potatoes, plant one, and eat the rest.

I planted the tiny ones from the 5# bag I got from my farmer friend at the Farmers market last year. He sells quart containers and 5# bags at the market but also sells 50# bags. I know he isn't treating them to stop sprouting. I definitely trust the food I buy there to be less "treated" than whatever is at the store. Goes for meat and veg.

 

[bruceha2000]

cold , dry , dark.
do not store near apples.

Do they need airflow all around? I was wondering if I need to make hardware cloth racks to put them on.

 

[R2elk]

Do they need airflow all around? I was wondering if I need to make hardware cloth racks to put them on.

We used to store them in burlap bags in the root cellar.