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David Taylor
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- Joined: Sat Jun 21, 2008 12:21 pm
- Location: Crest California
Potatoes in SoCal
I haven't grown potatoes in years, but decided I'd go whole hog this year. I would've started two months ago, but Gurney's keeps kicking back the order delivery date, and the local store didn't even start selling potatoes until maybe three weeks ago. Planted some Yukon Golds last weekend. Nothing's shown yet. How long does it take for potatoes to sprout?
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goombungin
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I don't hill potatoes, but I dig holes upto 3 times the diameter of the seed potato and mound the dirt around the holes. It looks like a checker board with holes when I am done. This way I can get pretty intensive planting since I don't walk around my taters while they grow. They don't like the compaction(one of the purposes for hilling)
I love it if there are eyes already showing when I plant.
They start to get green leaves in 1-2 weeks.
As the shouts get 6-12 inches, I cover up the potato completely. Leaving a little green showing.
After covering with the hoe once or twice(sometimes I have to spot cover because they don't all grow up at the same rate) they are now ready to leave them alone for 3 months.
Once the vines turn brown, you have upto 2 months to harvest. they can sit in the ground along time before digging them up with no ill effect. It is a good place to store them temporarily.
I Always wash and dry in the sun. They can sit outside another 2 weeks, but it is best to dry for 3-4 days and place in cold storage.
I love it if there are eyes already showing when I plant.
They start to get green leaves in 1-2 weeks.
As the shouts get 6-12 inches, I cover up the potato completely. Leaving a little green showing.
After covering with the hoe once or twice(sometimes I have to spot cover because they don't all grow up at the same rate) they are now ready to leave them alone for 3 months.
Once the vines turn brown, you have upto 2 months to harvest. they can sit in the ground along time before digging them up with no ill effect. It is a good place to store them temporarily.
I Always wash and dry in the sun. They can sit outside another 2 weeks, but it is best to dry for 3-4 days and place in cold storage.
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David Taylor
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- Posts: 88
- Joined: Sat Jun 21, 2008 12:21 pm
- Location: Crest California
Your weather is very different there than in Ohio.
Are there any eyes budding out of the potato?
If so, I like to put little to no dirt on the potato till I get a little green showing.
My method, I put them in a hole, of course spring rains wash some dirt on to the potato, most are half covered by the rain washing dirt down.
Once those eyes get up above the top of the final dirt level, I gently push the rest of my dirt over them.
I weed once or twice or thrice during the year and harvest when I get time in the fall. Usually I will pull a few for the table a couple times, before I get ambitious enough to get the rest out of the ground.
The neighbor lays them on top of the ground(he tills first).
Builds a small mound of dirt with a 2 inch cover over the seed potato.
He grass mulches this mound and hills with more dirt periodically.
He's convinced I get the better harvest, I think it is about even, but some of mine are bigger...
I will say I use less water(since mine are deeper in the ground)we actually end up with about the same dirt on top of our potatoes.
Kennebec is a variety I like. and Yukon Gold are fine seed. I get mine from a local shop, rather than order them.
A local school has this amazing garden program at a 1st-4th grade building(Granny's Garden) where teachers and 20+ volunteers teach the kids about AG and the circle of life. They have a fund raiser each spring with all donated starts from the core volunteer group's green houses and raise hundreds of dollars(I'd say 2-3 thousand $). I support them by buying some starts there.
They always sell blue potatoes, YUM now you know the second variety I plant.
Are there any eyes budding out of the potato?
If so, I like to put little to no dirt on the potato till I get a little green showing.
My method, I put them in a hole, of course spring rains wash some dirt on to the potato, most are half covered by the rain washing dirt down.
Once those eyes get up above the top of the final dirt level, I gently push the rest of my dirt over them.
I weed once or twice or thrice during the year and harvest when I get time in the fall. Usually I will pull a few for the table a couple times, before I get ambitious enough to get the rest out of the ground.
The neighbor lays them on top of the ground(he tills first).
Builds a small mound of dirt with a 2 inch cover over the seed potato.
He grass mulches this mound and hills with more dirt periodically.
He's convinced I get the better harvest, I think it is about even, but some of mine are bigger...
I will say I use less water(since mine are deeper in the ground)we actually end up with about the same dirt on top of our potatoes.
Kennebec is a variety I like. and Yukon Gold are fine seed. I get mine from a local shop, rather than order them.
A local school has this amazing garden program at a 1st-4th grade building(Granny's Garden) where teachers and 20+ volunteers teach the kids about AG and the circle of life. They have a fund raiser each spring with all donated starts from the core volunteer group's green houses and raise hundreds of dollars(I'd say 2-3 thousand $). I support them by buying some starts there.
They always sell blue potatoes, YUM now you know the second variety I plant.
David,
Have the potatoes been in the ground 2 months and no sprouts or eyes?
Let me knwo how long they last that way, please?
They are a hardy seed and should sprout even in cold dirt. It's not that cold in SoCal. They grow these things in Peru all year long at high elevations in cold temps.
Dad used to plant tons of potatoes(grew enough for the family(7) for the whole year). By the time he planted the last of them(they were store in a dark place) the eyes get a foot long. We planted gently pushing the eyes up, sticking out of the ground. It worked well, I am a believer in the eyes showing before I put 'em in the ground, although it is not necessary.
Good luck
Have the potatoes been in the ground 2 months and no sprouts or eyes?
Let me knwo how long they last that way, please?
They are a hardy seed and should sprout even in cold dirt. It's not that cold in SoCal. They grow these things in Peru all year long at high elevations in cold temps.
Dad used to plant tons of potatoes(grew enough for the family(7) for the whole year). By the time he planted the last of them(they were store in a dark place) the eyes get a foot long. We planted gently pushing the eyes up, sticking out of the ground. It worked well, I am a believer in the eyes showing before I put 'em in the ground, although it is not necessary.
Good luck
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David Taylor
- Cool Member
- Posts: 88
- Joined: Sat Jun 21, 2008 12:21 pm
- Location: Crest California
2cents,
Its not nearly cold enough for potatoes or anything else not to sprout. We actually got below freezing I harvested Serrano, Anaheim, and Habanero peppers just yesterday. Temp should simply not be an issue.
Meanwhile, just this week, dark green potato plant has broken out in one of the four plots I've set up for potatoes. I took one of the Atlantic potatoes and cut it in half, then hung it in water just to see if I could sprout. This is like two months ago. Nothing. I threw the halves into the composter, damned if they aren't sprouting in the bin. I grind my teeth.
I haven't checked the potatoes as of late. We had a nice warm snap for about two weeks, after getting some honest't'God rain. Not that its ever enough rain or at the right time in SoCal. I'll go check today and get back to you.
Its not nearly cold enough for potatoes or anything else not to sprout. We actually got below freezing I harvested Serrano, Anaheim, and Habanero peppers just yesterday. Temp should simply not be an issue.
Meanwhile, just this week, dark green potato plant has broken out in one of the four plots I've set up for potatoes. I took one of the Atlantic potatoes and cut it in half, then hung it in water just to see if I could sprout. This is like two months ago. Nothing. I threw the halves into the composter, damned if they aren't sprouting in the bin. I grind my teeth.
I haven't checked the potatoes as of late. We had a nice warm snap for about two weeks, after getting some honest't'God rain. Not that its ever enough rain or at the right time in SoCal. I'll go check today and get back to you.
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David Taylor
- Cool Member
- Posts: 88
- Joined: Sat Jun 21, 2008 12:21 pm
- Location: Crest California
2cents,
Went out and dug around inside one of my potato cages. One, though good and dirty, after two, three months, is still in good shape. No rot, no mold, not soft. The second one I dug around, was sprouting. We're having a cold snap right now. It might actually freeze tonight. By three (pm) tomorrow, it'll be in the high sixties again.
Went out and dug around inside one of my potato cages. One, though good and dirty, after two, three months, is still in good shape. No rot, no mold, not soft. The second one I dug around, was sprouting. We're having a cold snap right now. It might actually freeze tonight. By three (pm) tomorrow, it'll be in the high sixties again.