Re: [gardeners] potatoes

margaret lauterbach (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Sat, 27 May 2000 09:12:54 -0600

At 11:03 PM 5/26/2000 EDT, you wrote:
>I am growing 6 different fingerling potato varieties this year from 
>Garden.com.  There's French, Russian, Purple Peruvian, Yellow Fins, as well 
>as regular Peruvian Purple, and a couple of other small gourmet varieties.
 I 
>think we planted late (last week) for California, but they are in an area 
>that won't get full all day sun.  I hope that helps.  Any suggestions on 
>techniques and success on growing potatoes????  Hubby is from WA but never 
>grew potatoes before!
>
>Mary-Anne
>zone 9B
>Sunset 14/15
>SF Bay Area
>
Watch for Colorado potato beetles, Mary-Anne. Adults are brown and cream
striped, ca. 3/8 of an inch long, larvae are red and feel wet. Handpicking
is do-able, but you have to check every day. There is a BT that kills the
larvae, but I don't recall which strain it is. Margaret L