[gardeners] Re: Growing potatoes
Bob Kirk (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Sun, 28 May 2000 19:14:33 -0500 (CDT)
> > 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
>
Best trick I ever tried was the widely-reported method of planting them
directly atop spaded-up soil and adding straw, leaves, etc. as the vines
elongate. You do have to keep them well covered, else the outer/top ones
will turn green - growing them in the traditional stack of tires, half a
steel barrel or just a >= 24" wire cage makes this a lot more reliable.
All the known advantages - check progress, harvest some or all at any
stage, minimal if any washing, if your time is worth anything you simply
can't justify the effort of digging & sorting them out of the soil.... Or
even picking commodity potatoes out of the mulch, but not necessarily true
for high-priced varieties like you're growing.
Btw, this still works pretty well once you've planted in the soil.