Potatoes in Fall

[Meadowlark]

I either have Dark Red Chieftain potatoes or Red Pontiac potatoes because I didn't look at the store-bought name when I had gotten them. I also have some sprouted Russet potatoes.

Yes, the Red Pontiac is a mainstay around here to plant in early Feb and harvest late May. Excellent potato.

 

[Durgan]

Several years past I wanted to know the production for each potato plant. I made a test box and started to weight the potato growth. This is the result of Yukon Gold. I discoverd by weighing over a few years that weight was uually from 2 to 8 pounds, closer to 3 average.

https://durgan.org/2010/September 2010/11 September 2010 Yukon Gold Test Box Potatoes/HTML/ 11 September 2010 Yukon Gold Test Box Potatoes

Yukon Gold Potatoes were harvested. A total weight of 23.5 pounds was harvested from the 4 by 4 foot test area. The objective was to determine what quantity and quality, that could be obtained from a small area.The quality is excellent. Another plant could probably be placed in the center of the area without crowding. The average weight per plant was 5.9 pounds. From my experience anything over 4 pounds is acceptable. It is now 26 January 2011 and the tubers are still in great shape in my cold room.

 

[Meadowlark]

... This is the result of Yukon Gold....

Great information. Thanks.

That is a variety I definitely plan to include in my own upcoming experiment.

How about Huckleberry Gold? Ever try that one?

Or Baltic Rose?

 

[Durgan]

Great information. Thanks.

That is a variety I definitely plan to include in my own upcoming experiment.

How about Huckleberry Gold? Ever try that one?

Or Baltic Rose?

Not familar with either.

 

[ThePlantKid]

They both look pretty cool from the pictures I see.

 

[ThePlantKid]

Last question, how do I protect my potatoes from the winter frost and cold?

 

[Susan BBPM]

Last question, how do I protect my potatoes from the winter frost and cold?

Horticultural fleece does the trick for late frosts here in the UK, but typically they aren't too hard.

I've noticed that it's not the temperature that matters. My polytunnel doesn't stay any warmer at night than the outside air. But potatoes (and other plants) in there won't be affected by frost. So maybe it's windchill? Or something to do with moisture freezing on the leaves?

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I reckon your last suggestion about water freezing on the leaves is the answer. The damage is done when water in the cells of the plant freezes and expands, rupturing the cell wall.

 

[Susan BBPM]

I reckon your last suggestion about water freezing on the leaves is the answer. The damage is done when water in the cells of the plant freezes and expands, rupturing the cell wall.

Another observation that supports that theory is that I have noticed little 'burn' marks on leaves of some plants in the polytunnel. It only happens when there's cold weather overnight (so isn't sunburn). The most likely thing is that condensation forms on the roof of the polytunnel, drips onto the leaves of the plant and if there's a freeze it damages the cell walls - but as it's only a few little spots it doesn't set the plants back noticeably. It would also explain why this doesn't happen when I fleece the polytunnel plants.

 

[Meadowlark]

Last question, how do I protect my potatoes from the winter frost and cold?

I use plant cloth draped over some hoops I made. Protective plant cloth is widely available on Amazon.

With grow bags you can easily move them into a protected area. That is probably what I will do with certain HK tubs. We usually get one humdinger cold spell a year and for that I will move some tubs into protected area but for the nights when the temps are in the 20s the plant cloth works fine on potatoes. They generally don't damage until it gets below 28 and plant cloth will protect to several deg. lower.

By the way, those green sprigs(plants) pushed up by your seed potatoes are absolutely critical to tuber production. @gary350 is the only person I have ever encountered who says he can grow tubers without the plants. It just doesn't happen. The plants provide photosynthesis which fuels the growth in the tubers. Without them, no new potatoes.

 

[ThePlantKid]

Thank you all for the replies.

 

[Meadowlark]

Something you might try for fun... Potatoes don't need much nitrogen and I find I can provide what they need generally with a companion planting of sugar snap peas. They don't take up much room...and few things better than a pot of creamed peas and potatoes.

 

[ThePlantKid]

Thank you.

 

[gary350]

My second row of 44 potatoes plants have come up. I planted 2 containers of carrots in 10 gallon pots, 13" deep with potting soil, 375 Danvers seeds in each pot. I have a tiny 24" square green house for Scarlet Nantes carrot seeds. I can't grow spring carrots our spring weather is too short, freezing weather to 98° weather in 6 weeks. Fall carrots has always worked for me but having a terrible time getting good seed germination this year. Our first frost is often Nov 5 and we are having 75°F weather. We already has frost and freeze 2 weeks ago. I need a green house for winter potatoes.

 

[Meadowlark]

I planted 2 containers of carrots in 10 gallon pots, 13" deep with potting soil, 375 Danvers seeds in each pot.

13 inches deep? Seriously?

My first planting of carrots (with parsley as late companion) this fall was started in late Aug. and just barely covered the seed.

Second planting in early Sept. again just barely covering the tiny seeds with soil...

Third planting late Sept. w/ buttercrunch lettuce companion, again just barely covering seed...

Fourth planting, mid Oct companion planted with cabbage and again just barely covered seed...

Fifth and final planting (until Feb.) just made today. We should have a continuous supply of carrots through next spring.