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Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsJust finished hauling in the first half of my tater crop!
26+ pounds of Adirondack Reds from 15 seeds They are a very nice tater, hi in phytochemicals, mash to creamy, creamy smooth.
Yesterday I got about 11 pounds of Purple Majestics from Colorado, also from 15 seeds. Actually, they sent me 30 seeds, but only 15 produced eyes. Also high in phytochemicals. Deep purple skins with a surprising bright turquoise flesh! I made mashed taters with a couple yesterday. They held their color, so were a lovely muted turqoise with bits of bright purple skin. They mash creamy smooth and mmmm...mmmm...mmmm
A few minutes ago I was weighing the reds and several rolled off the counter into the dog's water dish! GAAAAH!!!! My recently cleaned kitchen floor was coated with loam and water I had to finish putting up the taters, so tracked it all over the floor! Sigh. Just finished re-mopping. Now I can't go in the kitchen...
I towel dried and set aside the wet taters. I'll have to keep an eye and use them up first. Maybe I'll see how they fry dam I luvs me some taters....
elleng
(131,105 posts)My neighbor/landlord, with gardens, said his were decimated by critters this year, so I saw NONE! He has given me tomatoes, wax beans, green pepper, and eggplants, tho.
magical thyme
(14,881 posts)Maybe Belladonna or the presence of dogs has inhibited them.
The Majestic Purples brought in potato beetles -- my first. I threw the 2 plants that were overwhelmed by them into the compost heap well away from the garden. I was able to hand pick the rest off and then they mostly disappeared. I found one yesterday.
My wild Peruvian Purples resisted them totally. My Reds got picked up a couple from their nextdoor neighbor, but mostly were pretty resistant.
I'm looking forward to harvesting the Peruvians in a couple weeks. They didn't start dying off until early Sept last year. A couple stubborn ones have just flowered again IIRC, I ended up with some 40 seeds from last years planting, and every one came in, so they will be pure savings! They cost me all of $1/pound last year, whereas purple gourmets were selling for $4/pound at the supermarket. They are extremely high in phytochemicals -- higher than anything you'll find at the supermarket, including kale!
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)Though it's hard to tell. He's kind of a curmudgeon. And a dumbass to boot.
magical thyme
(14,881 posts)i'm trying to lure him in!
taterguy
(29,582 posts)magical thyme
(14,881 posts)red taters. white taters. purple taters.
magical thyme
(14,881 posts)KamaAina
(78,249 posts)in the Ocracoke tunnel.
Skittles
(153,193 posts)LEMME AT YOU!!!
magical thyme
(14,881 posts)Red taters. Purple taters. Turquoise taters. Mashed taters. Fried taters. Roasted taters. Taters with butter. Taters with sour cream. Taters with butter and sour cream.
Skittles
(153,193 posts)yes INDEED
magical thyme
(14,881 posts)with roasted onion, mushrooms, carrots from my garden, cherry tomatoes from my garden, and eggplant from my garden, and a little burger mixed in.
The tiny taters are the itty bitty babies that are too tiny to even waste peeling. Neonate taters. Marble size and even smaller. Real tater tots! The advantage of growing your own...nothing goes to waste. I love taters, too!
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)...does that make me a commontater?
OxQQme
(2,550 posts)About thirty years ago, while living five miles up a county road, I was all into organic gardening and belonged to a sanga of like minded folks.
Passing on a method of growing taters.
I had a tater plot 10x10', used a hoe to scrape out shallow trenches, laid the eyes, and 'shingle' covered the whole plot with thick sheaves from straw bales. The taters grow right up through, looking for the sun. Add more as needed during the growing. At harvest time I was able to lift up the straw mulch with the taters just hanging from the bottom for the picking. No digging needed.
Also made paths between rows throughout the garden using a bottom layer of newspaper overlaying the same straw sheaves. Barefoot wonderful.
More about straw: http://noticingswportland.wordpress.com/2013/11/11/straw-bale-garden/
http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/7-ways-plant-potatoes?page=0,1
http://milwaukee.uwex.edu/files/2010/05/StrawBaleWSU.pdf
magical thyme
(14,881 posts)but per your link, the yield is somewhat lower and invites mice to move in and eat.
OxQQme
(2,550 posts)if you've got so many spuds you're giving to friends and neighbors.
Cats take care of any mice. And the cats leave evidence at the front door. LOL
magical thyme
(14,881 posts)and I'm growing in limited space, so yield does matter to me, at least right now. Once I'm able to quit one of my 2 p/t jobs, I will be able to seriously expand, although I have additional crops that I want to grow in the new space. At that point, easy to grow may take precedence over space utilization. Time will tell.
Raven
(13,899 posts)OxQQme
(2,550 posts)I wasn't growing a 'to market' crop so a casual harvest was my thing.
magical thyme
(14,881 posts)so it staggers the harvest.
My Majestic Purple's died first, with the Reds right behind them. I could have left the Reds a little longer, but the foliage was clearly dying off and I had more time this past weekend then I will next.
The wild Peruvians are still growing strong, and a couple just flowered again. Last year, iirc, they didn't die until early-mid Sept.
Longer time means more and bigger taters. And I have a use even for the tiny babies that came in too late to grow. I roast those. The egg-size in perfect condition I will save for seed.
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)To stay in shape, I started taking two 50-pound potato sacks and began gradually and gently over at least a week with light lifts before progressing on to a full press.
After a few weeks of various exercises with ever-increasing numbers of reps, I stop and consider whether or not I want to put any potatoes in the sacks. Then, after dissolving into paroxysms of laughter, I'm so exhausted that I'm ready to take a couple of months vacation from my exercise routine.
I have no muscles at all, but I know how to have fun.
magical thyme
(14,881 posts)under the counter!
Oh, wait a minute. Still me...
(Last time, I managed to whale my shoulder onto the corner of the cabinet door. Sporting a loverly purple bruise as a result. Matches my taters...)
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)magical thyme
(14,881 posts)My understanding is that the Petco store about 40 miles to my south turns them into big shopping bags and gives the profits from selling them to local animal shelters.
I've been collecting them to take them down there when I get a chance. You've just volunteered to be my chance! Thank you!!!!