potatoes under straw PART II

Forgot to say I keep forgetting to take a pic of my sprouts. I'll try to remember when I get home today!

Very cool that everyone is having such success with their potatoes! I guess I need to roll the bags down a little more so that mine are accidentally blocked from the sun. They all look great!!
Do you fertilize now?

This from Ronnigers...

Fertilizing
Other than green manures, the best organic fertilizer for potatoes is good compost mixed into the soil the fall before planting. You may also mix in some compost before planting, however make sure it is done composting. Fresh manure will cause scab in the potatoes. Try to use compost that is 2 years old or more. The older the better. Adding compost to the soil is a good start for beneficial soil microbes.

The sugar in molasses is a good way to enhance the health of potatoes and the soil by feeding and multiplying the beneficial soil microbes. Fill a 5 gallon bucket with water and add one cup of molasses to soak for a day and night. Place the bucket in a hall or pathway so that you can stir it when you walk by several times that day. Apply the liquid molasses so that it soaks into the root zone of the potatoes. You can do this 1 to 4 times during the growing season. Another benefit to increasing the population of beneficial
microbes in your soil is that they will compete against the harmful soil fungus that causes scab. Amazing results!

http://www.ronnigers.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2010rpfguidecover.pdf

Kelly the molases mix is a great idea, I am definetely going to use it for my potatoes and even other veggies thank you!

I thought so too. Definitely gonna give it a try this year!

So, now I've gotta go buy molasses, huh?

How 'bout we make this interesting? Ya'll do the molasses and I'll do the homemade compost?

Lemme think on that one.....

I usually add dry molasses to my beds prior to planting, but didn't think about it for the potatoes. Will have to do the 5-gal bucket thing! I could also put some finished compost on top of the soil and then cover it with mulch, but it won't really "feed" the plants will it?

Sure it will, Steph. It will work into the soil when you water. Maybe not fast but over time which is good...

Where do you buy the dry molasses? A feed store?

The molasses might be good for potatoes growing in the ground, but I wonder if it would work for container potatoes because the soil in the containers tends to heat up more than the ground. The heat probably kills the microbes.

Ok. I'm gonna cheat, er, improvise.

Since it's a sugar activator we need here, Instead of the molasses, I'm just gonna buy a plain 'ole warm Coca Cola and pour into my tubs and water that in...yep, that's what I'm gonna do...yep...

Would the acid in Coca Cola cause a problem for the potatoes? I use coke to clean my battery cables. LOL!

It will clean your toilet too - lol...

Kelly I believe you can get unsulfured molasses even in Walmart in the baking section, at least that is where I get mine.

Yes I am wondering about the cocacola too, maybe the caffeine will perk them up ,lol.

Hey Carmen - I have the unsulfured liquid one. I was talking about the dried molasses that they use in cattle feed. I think they sell it in like 50 lb bags at maybe feed stores? You can buy small bags online but they're expensive.

Linda - let us know if the Coca Cola perks your plants up - lol.

O.K now I understand, now I also want to know.

I will have CLEAN potatoes, ya'll!

Lookie! This sprout is about 7" tall.

This message was edited Mar 16, 2010 8:49 PM

Those look great Linda!

Got my seed potatoes yesterday, have them out on the sun porch to encourage sprouting.

This year, I'm going to hold back until April instead of jumping the gun as usual. Soil is cold and muddy.

gymgirl - Nice 7" ers! Some of mine are leggy, so I figured out that I didn't have the grow-bags rolled down enough. They were stretching to see the sunlight. I think sun and ocassional watering are the main things these potatoes need.

ARRRRGGGGHH!
I FORGOT 2 ROLL THE BAGS DOWN!

(Tear rolling down the face Smiley)

Kelly, I get the molasses at the feed store/organic gardening supply center. It's really not a feed store anymore, but it used to be.

LOL! It just makes it easier when I have to add more dirt on top of them. LOL!

Thanks Steph - that's where I figured they might have it. I will check this weekend.

It wouldn't surprise me if you can find it at Lowe's in their organic section, but probably not in the big quantity (50 lb bag) and it's probably more expensive than at the feed store.

I guess that I am jumping in a bit late. First of all, Happy Birthday, dear Linda~~~~

I grew seed potatoes from Ronniger's last year. I put some of them into my raised beds and others into a laundry basket! Since we have such clay soil, thought that the other soil would warm up better...a fair amount of success, but, honestly not much! I was expecting a lot more. Now we saved the samller ones to plant this year, and the ones that are smaller than an egg...well, I had better get them out and see if I can sprout them first, huh?

Potatoes sell for $3.99 for 15 lbs at the discount store! I spent way more than that, buying seed" potatoes...reds, whites, blues...and of course, Yukon Gold! Of course, I don't know if they were grown in good soil without pesticides, and all that...I just wonder if potatoes are worth the effort....

Evelyn - You know ... I am wondering the same thing. For what I spent for seed potatoes, I could certainly buy a lot more bagged ones to eat. But then again, I am hoping the ones I am growing taste a lot better than the grocery store. This year is an experiment in growing veggies for me. I am considering the expense and my options...

If you can save some of the potatoes you grow, then your initial expense is very little compared to what you can save in the long run. Plus you have the satisfaction of eating something you've grown, picked when it's actually ripe as opposed to picked green and forced to ripen, and if you're organic, not filled with chemicals.

Who's got a Bday today?

I bought my organic potatoes from the Farmer's Market - way cheaper than buying seed potatoes. You're stuck to what varieties they have, but we have people here that grow some unusual ones... It's all good!

We're getting a cold front this weekend! Arg! It's supposed to rain and get down to freezing. Do I need to cover my taters or leave them alone? I'll have to haul in all my jugs with mater seedlings and others that have sprouted. Ugh!

Stephanie,

Just cover your potatoes with more straw or dirt. They grow through it anyway. I let some of my potatoes freeze last year--most recovered, but took longer to produce and I expect there were fewer potatoes. If you cover, you can always brush some of the cover away after the cold clears.

Okie dokie! We've pushed back the leaves to get the soil warmer since we planted. We found that not only was it helping the soil retain moisture (afraid the seed taters would rot) it was keeping the soil cooler. When we moved the leaves back, the things started sprouting! Will pill them with more leaves over the weekend. Thankfully, the freezing weather isn't supposed to last long.

I'm also going to sprinkle some compost and dry molasses on top of the soil.

I had to hill up my sprouts on ALL the potatoes yesterday! When I rolled the bags down, I could truly see the height they had grown. So, I got the shovel and started mounding potting mix and coco coir around each. That mixture was so wonderful cause it went where I needed it to go and stayed in place with just enough moisture that I won't worry about any rot (at least not now!)

It's all good!

Linda

Linda your potaotes look great! I was wondering when to hill up mine but mine are not as tall as your's yet so maybe I'll have to wait a little longer.

Thanks, Carmin!

Cool, Linda! I'm planting mine today. WhooHoo!

How exciting, Linda!

At the rate they're growing, I'm gonna run out of bag by next week! What's my contingency plan?

Who'd a thought POTATOES would generate this much conversation, huh?

I wonder if once the tators reach the top of the bag and start growing out of the top, if they start putting out additional potatoes along the main stem because the upper part of the stems are no longer covered?

I don't think so. Exposure to light would turn them toxic green...