Sweet Pea
Full Member
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu May 08, 2008 3:31 pm
Location: Kentucky

Drowned Potatoes

Hello, this is Sweet Pea, have a question about my potatoes. I planted 10 lbs the last week in April so far I only have about 11 that have come up. We have lots and lots of rain, my new garden looks like a mud hole, do you think they could have drowned? I have some lelt over, should I plant over again or keep waiting for the others to come up?

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Quietly Awesome
Cool Member
Posts: 63
Joined: Sat May 05, 2007 6:10 am
Location: Indiana

That could be possible. Dig around and see what you find. They may have rotted on you. If you dig and find muuush. Replant ;)

opabinia51
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 4659
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:58 pm
Location: Victoria, BC

Sound to me like that may very well be what happened. Replanting is definately the solution for now but, for the future, work as much leaf matter into the soil as you can using trench composting and sheet composting in the fall. Leaves will hold between 300 and 500 percent of their mass in water.

This will prevent you from getting a mud hole in the future.

Happy Gardening!

Sweet Pea
Full Member
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu May 08, 2008 3:31 pm
Location: Kentucky

Thank you so much for the leaf advise, leaves I have plenty of. This is a new garden so I have plenty of work to do to improve the soil. I'm going to replant the rest of the potatoes this week end.

opabinia51
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 4659
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:58 pm
Location: Victoria, BC

You are most welcome! Add the leaves each year, some manure helps them to break down faster. Otherwise it could take a few years for them to break down. But, that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

If you plan on growing corn with your potatoes (they are companion plants, as well as beans and peas) don't use oak leaves. And don't use walnut leaves they contain a chemical known as Juglone that retards the growth of most plants.



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