When do you plant spuds?

Discussion in 'Planting, growing, nurturing Plants' started by Plane Jane, Nov 6, 2006.

  1. Plane Jane

    Plane Jane Junior Member

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    Hi, I'm struggling with this one.

    I LOVE kipfler spuds and want to grow some but I'm not having a lot of luck. I'm wondering if I used soil that was too rich, or if it's just too warm where we live - on the coast it mightn't get cold enough through winter. Plus, my chooks got into the spud plants and ate all the green off them, they only sprouted back a little after that.

    I've harvested one of my three spud heaps, I got a handful only. Still a 'profit' but I want to grow much more than that.

    I have more seed potatoes, waiting to go in - should I wait until autimn again?

    All info welcome!

    Oh, and I'm going to try jackie French's straw and bandicoot method next time - why waste my lovely chookhouse compost on spuds that don't need it? Chances are, it's too rich a diet for them.
     
  2. Cornonthecob

    Cornonthecob Junior Member

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    I'm thinking Jackie French's straw method is probably the same as a potato cage.

    I use star pickets (or whatever else is about) to set out the dimensions and run mesh wire around the pickets. I usually place cardboard or newspaper down straight onto the ground, approx 5cm of dirt/compost...place the seed spuds onto this then cover with cane mulch/straw. Water and ensure it stays moist (not wet!).

    As the plant grows I continue to top up the mulch so that it's just below the top of the plant.

    I'm not too sure about growing spuds down your way..but up here (Bundaberg QLD) I'm trying to have some growing year round. So far they're doing good...will see how they go with the hotter weather.

    My theory is.....give it a go. Then you will know if you can or can't!

    :)
     
  3. Plane Jane

    Plane Jane Junior Member

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    Thanks for the suggestions. I'm still trying to work out what I did wrong. I'll have another go, but I was especially wondering - do some spuds, like kipflers, need to be grown in cold climates?
     
  4. Cornonthecob

    Cornonthecob Junior Member

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    I've planted some here and they seem to be going ok. If you can try and plant a couple different types at the same time...see what grows best.

    :)
     
  5. Franceyne

    Franceyne Junior Member

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    I plant my seed spuds about four weeks before the last expected frost - which down my way is usually the first two weeks in November - i.e. now. When did you plant your kipflers? Perhaps you'd like to try again and plant some now.

    Cheers,
    Fran.
     
  6. Tezza

    Tezza Junior Member

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    Yes Ill agree with Francyne wait untill about now when frosts are gone.and hopefully pullem before the real hot days of summer...

    The best thing about Potatoes is its never to early to pull em.younger they are the better the taste.... 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)

    Nice to see you again Francyne is it true that youved moved from your paradise?

    Tezza
     
  7. Plane Jane

    Plane Jane Junior Member

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    Thanks for the info. We don't get frosts here, we're too close to the coast. Not even in mid-winter do we get frosts. Flamin' cold southerly winds, but no ice anywhere except when it hails.

    I've just put down another three plots, using straw. We'll see how they go. Just need to keep the chooks out of 'em now. I've put them in a tyre with straw and a wire grate on top for now. As they grow I'll need to cage the plants in firmly - gotta keep out the cockatoos as well. Round our way they rip plants to pieces out of pure malice. Even my ornamentals and herbs have to be caged. Veggie garden - caged. A woman down the road converted an old tennis court into a vegetable and herb garden by netting it in over the top as well. Local community garden - caged completely also, including roof. We have some nasty and determined garden pests in our area!

    I've finished my last harvest of kipflers - a handful of pebbles, no more. I'd love to know where I went wrong. I may have harvested too early because the plants died back, aided by bird attack. I'm working on that theory, anyway.
     
  8. SueinWA

    SueinWA Junior Member

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    Potatoes prefer cool (not freezing) temperatures.

    Potatoes need fertile, well-drained soil with high amounts of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus, along with plenty of organic matter. The soil temperature should be at least 7°C (45°F) for sowing and 15-18°C (60°-65°F) for growing. The ideal pH for potatoes is 5.0 - 5.5 to prevent scab.

    Since potatoes aren't thinned, plant them 15-30cm (6"-12") apart in all directions.

    Most seed potatoes are about the size of a hen's egg. If you are cutting larger seed potatoes into egg-sized chunks, you should let them dry for a day or so before planting. Some people say that letting the seed potatoes sit in light to turn green and let them form some sprouts before planting encourages early growth and speeds the development of the potatoes: Spread the potatoes to be used as seed potatoes in a open-top box, crate or flat. Place the potatoes in the container so that the side with the most 'eyes' (the little dimples) is face up. Do not stack the potatoes. Keep the flats of potatoes warm and in a spot where light levels are medium to intense. The warmth will stimulate development of strong sprouts from the bud eye clusters and the light will keep the sprouts short and strong.

    If you are using the mulch method, cover the tubers with about 7.5cm (3") of straw. Do not water them until you see leaves. Then keep adding straw as the plants grow, until you have at least 30cm (12") of straw over them. Not continuing to add mulch will cause them to turn green from exposure to the sun. The green in potatoes is called Solanine, and is bitter at best, and poisonous at worst.

    Keep potatoes evenly moist and water deeply during dry spells. Potatoes that get a lot of water, then dry out often have 'hollow heart', a hole in the center of the tuber.

    New potatoes can often be found when the potato plants blossom, but harvesting them when small will reduce the final amount produced.

    Potatoes are mature when the leaves die back. Let the soil dry before harvesting, if you can. Just brush the soil from the potatoes, but don't wash them. They will need to cure for a few weeks in a cool, dry, dark place.

    Many kinds of potatoes can be stored for 5-10 months in temperatures from 40°-50° and 90% relative humidity for mature potatoes. New potatoes should be stored at 50°-60° and 90% relative humidity.

    Potatoes are sensitive to ethylene gas, so do not store them with fruits and vegetables that produce ethylene gas (apples are the worst).

    Sue
     
  9. Plane Jane

    Plane Jane Junior Member

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    THanks Sue, that's the sort of info I have been looking for. We may have goofed already - my son emptied the chook's watering dish into the potato tyre, what tipped out was mostly solid from all the organic matter they've scratched up. it was like tossing a bucket of mud on top of the straw, I didn't realise it was that bad (and we change the chook's water daily, too).

    So our spuds get lots of organic matter. I thought it might have been too much.

    The last crop had the plants attacked badly, the leaves died off so I harvested. So from here, I'll cage the plants in to protect them from attack.

    Our pH is acid, the soil temperature is never as low as 45 F (but it can get up to a heck of a lot more - I'll have to stick a thermometer in the soil to check, but today's air temperature was close to the 100F) and the soil (when unimproved) is salty sand. I planted the last lot in almost pure compost from the chook house - well aged manure combined with rotted down mulch. We had a lot of rain which may have also waterlogged that rich mix. It was chock full of earthworms when I harvested the spuds. If I'd been growing a worm farm I could have been happy.

    If I need to have colder growing conditions then I will have to grow spuds over winter. As we don't have to worry about frosts, this may do the trick for us.

    If we're trying to grow daffodils or other bulbs in our area, we often have to store them in the fridge for a month or two before planting, or they won't flower. Should I have done that with the spuds?
     

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