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Post by ladymarmalade on Jun 9, 2019 18:14:22 GMT -5
So I totally forgot about these, and when I was in the basement I saw the bag and peeked in, preparing myself for something really nasty. I have a garden bed that I can pop these right in, but I'm wondering if I should drop them as is, cut them up a bit? I have only tried potatoes twice and have not been super successful. But this is too good of an opportunity to pass up.
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Post by hairymooseknuckles on Jun 9, 2019 19:15:34 GMT -5
LAUGHING!!! I thought you was showing us your colonoscopy photos.
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Post by paulf on Jun 9, 2019 19:17:45 GMT -5
Those may do OK. I would drop them in the holy hole whole. Cutting may invite disease.
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Post by paquebot on Jun 9, 2019 19:18:04 GMT -5
I can't see the length of the sprouts but anything over an inch should be pulled off. Then assuming that they are eating-size, quarter them. Let them dry for a couple days and plant them 4" deep. As soon as the first leaves break the surface, pull another 4" of soil over them. They'll grow back through and you'll have an 8" zone for tuber production. Simple enough?
Martin
The truth is more important than the facts.
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Post by brownrexx on Jun 9, 2019 20:43:51 GMT -5
I would take off any really long sprouts and then cut the potatoes into pieces and each piece should have one sprout. You will get more plants that way but be sure to let the cut surface dry for a couple days before planting. The cut surface may look black and ugly but it will be fine.
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Post by octave1 on Jun 9, 2019 21:10:53 GMT -5
I would not cut anything. They are at a stage where if you cut you may disrupt the the growing process and end up with shriveled up starts.
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Post by Gianna on Jun 9, 2019 21:38:03 GMT -5
I also wouldnt cut them especially if growing potatoes has been a challenge for you in the past. They appear to be past their prime and cutting might only encourage failure. I assume you are just trying to salvage something from them, not looking to get the largest crop possible.
Good luck... and have fun. I loved growing spuds in containers this past year.
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Post by paquebot on Jun 9, 2019 22:43:51 GMT -5
If there is a live eye, it does not matter what the rest of the potato looks like. Seed companies have been selling just eyes for over 30 years. Potatoes growing in compost piles often come from just parings. All it needs is moisture to break dormancy and begin growing. Also, shriveled potatoes are actually dehydrated. Soaking them in water rehydrates them. Same happens in damp soil.
Martin
The truth is more important than the facts.
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Post by brownrexx on Jun 10, 2019 8:15:43 GMT -5
Yes, I have broken off sprouts and then cut the potatoes with no problems but if you worry about that, then just plant the whole thing. You will still get potatoes.
Interestingly I always get some volunteer potato plants in the garden that is roto tilled in the Fall. Those must be coming from missed potatoes during the harvest but they have been chopped up by the roto tiller and have been in the soil over the winter. They are not as delicate as you may think.
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Post by Gianna on Jun 10, 2019 20:36:37 GMT -5
Interestingly I always get some volunteer potato plants in the garden that is roto tilled in the Fall. Those must be coming from missed potatoes during the harvest but they have been chopped up by the roto tiller and have been in the soil over the winter. They are not as delicate as you may think. I've had a lot of gopher and rabbit problems recently, and am growing more things in pots (15 gallon). I re-use planter mix including from my potato pots. I've noticed a couple potato plants coming up in they large pots of beans... and I really like that idea. I've decided to stick at least one sprouting potato into each pot of beans I plant. They all seem so happy growing together.
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Post by paquebot on Jun 10, 2019 20:49:51 GMT -5
Speaking of volunteers, nobody has a mess like mine. With my neck problem last fall, had to have a friend dig the potatoes. When all done, wondered why there were so few Pinto Gold. Apparently the vines had totally vanished so they weren't found. Hard to bring myself to hoeing off perfectly fine potato plants but they seem to be all over the garden. No problem except that most are in an area with a lot of cabbage. A few days ago, made the decision to keep anything between rows and hill them good. They survived temperatures below -20ºF but under a lot of snow. Should get a good harvest, just a year late.
Martin
The truth is more important than the facts.
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Post by brownrexx on Jun 10, 2019 21:02:13 GMT -5
paquebot, I think that the roto tiller pushed my potato pieces deeper and last year I didn't hill the volunteers all and I got a nice pile of potatoes from them. This year I have them between my rows of corn and am leaving them there. This is what I got from just 3-4 plants of last year's volunteers and I never hilled them or did anything special to them. 20180707_135337 by Brownrexx, on Flickr
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Post by paquebot on Jun 10, 2019 21:22:56 GMT -5
Hilling volunteers is important if the seed depth is unknown. And, of course, it is always unknown. If there is ample rainfall to keep the first several inches of soil moist, then that is all that is needed. If the soil is allowed to dry out before the tubers are formed, the ends of the stolons will dry up and produce nothing. (They won't turn downward to seek moisture.) We hilled a couple inches as those which were hoed out were only a couple inches deep or just below the surface. Still ended up with twice as many as I would have planted intentionally.
Martin
The truth is more important than the facts.
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Post by ladymarmalade on Jun 11, 2019 9:53:43 GMT -5
Thanks for all the advice gang! Hopefully I'll get a chance to pull them out today and assess. We have a grad party for my girl on Saturday so tons to do to get ready this week, and of course, I failed to really look at my schedule and see all the running around my son needs this week. Mom Taxi. I mostly don't mind, but I'm so close to having the garden completely planted!
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