The Case of the Missing Pontiacs

[David Taylor]

I haven't grown potatoes in years, and even then half-heartedly, but this year I made a real effort, growing Pontiac Reds, Yukon Golds and Atlantics, in trenches and cages. I've just dug up the last of the trenches, and I'm reasonably satisfied. Learned some lessons, have lots of notes to refer to for the next season. However, absolutely none of the potatoes are Red Potatoes. I went ahead and planted the different varieties amongst themselves, figuring I'd be able to tell the difference. Well, they all look the same to me. In fact, maybe I didn't get Yukons either. Anybody have any ideas?

[!potatoes!]

true yukons will have pink in their eyes, if that helps in distinguishing. I don't know atlantics...

aside from that, don't know what to say.

[applestar]

Did you pre-sprout the seed potatoes before planting? If you didn't, maybe the three potatoes have different ideal growing requirements and one or both of the others didn't sprout and rotted in the ground....

My other idea is that since you mentioned planting in cages, I assume you were anticipating underground "thieves" -- Maybe they got to the red ones?

We just dug up the last of our potatoes as well. It's a lot of fun and rewarding. My mistake was that I left some of them in the ground too long after the tops died (thinking the kids will want to dig them) and 1 good sized one and 3 small ones had gone soft and yukky. Lesson learned.

[David Taylor]

Gophers are the on-going curse, so I know I lost some to the vermin in the trenches. One even got into one of the cages. I wouldn't mind so much if they polished off a tuber and moved on, but they eat half, then move on to the next. We got 50lbs of whatever spuds I've got, and I started another three cages and bin to see if I can get more before it gets too cold. The biggest spud I got was half an ounce short of a pound. I lost some to leaving them too long in the ground as well. Once again, the kids like the cages because you just open up the sides and the dirt pours out. Digging down isn't quite the thrill.

[David Taylor]

!potatoes!, I guess I then did get some Yukons, by you're description. Applestar, I did not pre-sprout. Tell me how you do this, would you?

[Diane]

!potatoes!, I guess I then did get some Yukons, by you're description. Applestar, I did not pre-sprout. Tell me how you do this, would you?

I only plant potatoes in pots and this is my second year.
I have a roasting tray that is 4 inches deep. I put all peals and pieces with eyes in this tray filled with compost. When they sprout leaves I plant them.