# Tators in the ground?



## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Mine went in today. Soils have warmed pretty good and its about the right time of year for around these parts. 

Anyone else planted yet?


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## w_r_ranch (Jan 14, 2005)

Not me... I'm holding off until the 21st.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

I usually wait until Valentine's day...but the urge to plant got the best of me.


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## w_r_ranch (Jan 14, 2005)

I know the feeling, LOL! I started planting my seed flats today & will finish tomorrow.


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## Muddskipper (Dec 29, 2004)

Are these some of those water heater seeds and do you usually put them in the ground this early?


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## tinman (Apr 13, 2005)

I have been told that you can lay the seed taters on the ground, cover them up with hay (wheat straw) and they will do well. Just lift up the straw and grab a tater.
Never tried it, but I think I am going to this time. Supposed to have snow or freezing rain here in the morning, so I am going to wait awhile too.

Tinman


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Muddskipper said:


> Are these some of those water heater seeds and do you usually put them in the ground this early?


 Are you asking a serious question?

Assuming yes, then potatoes are started from the cuttings of a potato which then produce "eyes" which then sprout into plants above soil.

Normal planting is 6 weeks before the last frost....and that would be now in my area....although it wouldn't hurt to wait a few more days. You want to get the potatoes up and growing in cool weather and they must be harvested no later than end of May.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

tinman said:


> I have been told that you can lay the seed taters on the ground, cover them up with hay (wheat straw) and they will do well. Just lift up the straw and grab a tater.
> Never tried it, but I think I am going to this time. Supposed to have snow or freezing rain here in the morning, so I am going to wait awhile too.
> 
> Tinman


 Yes, that works...but I've gotten much better yields planting in soil.

Don't let the freezing rain fool you...you want those tators started 6 weeks before the last frost date in order to get the best yields at harvest. They may freeze back some but if so they will rebound at some loss of production. The risk/reward ratio favors taking the chance, in my experience.


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## peckerwood (Jun 9, 2012)

My Grandpa and Dad planted potatoes Feb.14th no matter what the weather.One year it sleeted so hard someone had to stay in front of the other that was dropping eyes to keep the row open with a hoe because the row was full of sleet and dissapeared.When it was wet,that sticky blackland would ball up on your feet and weight 20lbs. a foot by the time you got to the end of a row.We didn't grow very big tatters in that stuff,but some years were better than others.I don't mess with them because I still live in tight land.


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## w_r_ranch (Jan 14, 2005)

Meadowlark said:


> Are you asking a serious question?


LOL!!! But, but, but... :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:


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## txjoker (Jun 21, 2005)

My grandfather used to plant them on 2/14 regardless of whether it was muddy, dry, etc...



Muddskipper said:


> Are these some of those water heater seeds and do you usually put them in the ground this early?


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## chumy (Jul 13, 2012)

Planted 5lbs on Sunday. Cut them up 2 weeks ago and put some ash on them. They were good and dry. Hopefully we don't get a gully washer this week.


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## Muddskipper (Dec 29, 2004)

Lol

I read that dang post while sick in the dr office on my phone and swear it read Tamaters.....
Believing they tomatoes

Got it!


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## saltwatersensations (Aug 30, 2004)

U have a planter box that is @3'w x 6'L x 3.5' deep. Would this be good for planting red poatatoes?


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

saltwatersensations said:


> U have a planter box that is @3'w x 6'L x 3.5' deep. Would this be good for planting red poatatoes?


 Yes, you can harvest a bunch of potatoes out of that space...but you need to get them planted soon if in League City.


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## saltwatersensations (Aug 30, 2004)

Meadowlark said:


> Yes, you can harvest a bunch of potatoes out of that space...but you need to get them planted soon if in League City.


Thanks Will get them planted this weekend. Any tips as far as watering etc?


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Planting tips:
1) if cut, coat with wood ash
2) mix some bone meal, blood meal, and ag. lime (if soil is acidic) in the potato hole before planting
3) plant about 8 inches deep and about 10 inches apart
4) not much water required especially while spuds are not above ground yet; they rot easily
5) hill up dirt as you go along, i.e. as the plants grow
6) can start harvesting new potatoes end of April by "robbing" the mound of a few and 
7) all should be dug out before end of May


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## saltwatersensations (Aug 30, 2004)

Picked up the seed potatoes on sunday. Cut them as directed and let them dry for about a day and a half. Got them planted yesterday. Hope not too late. Mixed wood ash in with the dirt. Well see what happens. Built a 5x10 raised bed and will get the dirt for it this weekend. Probably will make another. Maybe a 5x5.


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## V-Bottom (Jun 16, 2007)

HardWood ash only......you can also use hardwood ash for dusting plants and keep cut worms away from tomato plants by putting the ash around the stalks


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## Mikeyhunts (Jun 4, 2007)

*hardwood ash*

this may sound like a dumb question, but where would you get ash if you don't burn fires?


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## Mikeyhunts (Jun 4, 2007)

dangâ€¦.I need to get busy! going to get my potatoes here in a minute.

Sam "aka" WR got me hooked on Kohlarabi and now my wife and I LOVE it.


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## w_r_ranch (Jan 14, 2005)

Mikeyhunts said:


> this may sound like a dumb question, but where would you get ash if you don't burn fires?


Buy a bag of powdered sulfur, which is what I use.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

The primary beneficial element in the wood ash is calcium. Some other stuff as well, but calcium is the main thing. You can get that element also from Ag. lime...but it generally takes awhile for the soil to assimilate the ag. lime, whereas the ash is in a form that is readily useable. 

I use both because I have acidic soil and I need to increase the ph. It just depends on your soil.

If the pH level is below 6, the soil is too acidic, and you need to add ag. lime and/or ash. If the measurement is above 7.5, the soil is too alkaline for most vegetables, and you need to add soil sulfur.


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## Dick Hanks (Aug 16, 2007)

I'm confused on something here. Everything that I've ever read, indicated that wood ash will raise the Ph of the soil. This is an excerpt from "Gardening Know How":

"Another use for ashes in the garden is to change the pH of the soil. Wood ashes will raise the pH and lower the acid in soil. Because of this, you should also be careful not to use wood ashes as fertilizer on acid loving plants like azaleas, gardenias and blueberries."

Potatoes like acidic soil. More so than almost all other garden vegetables. Another excerpt:

"Plant the potato seed about 2-4 weeks before your last late frost dateâ€¦depending on the potato variety and whether it is an early season or late season type. Soil temperature should be at least 40 degrees F. and, ideally, moderately acidic with a pH between 4.8 and 5.4. Sandy loam amended with organic matter to improve drainage and soil quality will promote healthy growing potato plants."

I have always read that powdered sulfur, like W R is using, is the correct thing to use because of it's tends to be acidic.

Where did this 'wood ash" on potatoes concept originate? Is the soil in most areas so acidic that it needs to be raised to get to up to Ph 4.8?

Potatoes are the only garden vegetable that I DON'T put wood ash in their soil.


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## Dick Hanks (Aug 16, 2007)

Here is some more info from "The National Gardening Association:

*Potato Rotations and pH*

*by National Gardening Association Editors*

Crop rotation is a must with potatoes. Troublesome insects and diseases can build up in the soil when you plant potatoes in the same spot year after year. Each season, move the potato patch to a new, sunny location. If possible, allow three seasons to pass before going back to the same area. 
Since potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and eggplants are all members of the same family, consider them together. Don't put potatoes where tomatoes, peppers or eggplant were grown the previous year and vice versa.

*The pH Factor*

Nearly everyone who gives advice about growing potatoes mentions soil pH -- the measure of soil acidity or alkalinity -- as an important factor. Commercial, large-scale potato growers monitor their soil pH carefully and try to keep it in the range of 4.8 to 5.4, which is an acid soil condition. (7.0 on the pH scale is neutral; higher figures indicate an alkaline condition.) 
The 4.8 to 5.4 pH range is important to commercial growers because the common scab fungus, Streptomyces scabies, which causes raised, scabby marks on potato skins, isn't active in soil with that pH range. 
Most gardeners don't have to be that particular about the soil pH of their potato rows, though. You can raise good potatoes with a pH ranging from 6.0 to 6.5, the slightly acid condition that is still suitable for many vegetable crops. However, lower pH is better if you want greater yields and less disease. 
If scab disfigures too much of your crop, you should try to reduce the soil pH. Avoid adding lime or wood ashes, which raise pH, to the soil where your potatoes will grow. While scab doesn't look great, it won't cause your potatoes to rot or decay, so you may decide to accept a little on some potatoes rather than start tinkering with your soil's pH. It's okay to eat scabby potatoes; simply peel and cook them normally.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Dick Hanks said:


> ....Where did this 'wood ash" on potatoes concept originate? Is the soil in most areas so acidic that it needs to be raised to get to up to Ph 4.8?
> 
> ....


 LOL, I have no idea where it originated and frankly, don't care. I was taught to use it on the cuts by the best gardener I've ever known. It helps prevent the cut seeds from rotting in the ground around here in our wet soils.

If I had alkaline soil, which I don't, and I had wet conditions, which I always do this time of year, I'd probably use it anyway in spite of the ph because it does such a good job preventing rot.

I generally harvest at minimum 10 pounds of potatoes for each 1 pound of seed....and I'm pretty happy with that. I've never lost any seeds to rot, either. I'd say we have been growing scab free potatoes in East Texas soil for over 40 years...never lost a crop....and have the waist line to prove it. LOL.


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## Dick Hanks (Aug 16, 2007)

Well.... I guess this is one of those "If it ain't broke... don't fix it" things.


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## chumy (Jul 13, 2012)

Meadowlark said:


> LOL, I have no idea where it originated and frankly, don't care. I was taught to use it on the cuts by the best gardener I've ever known. It helps prevent the cut seeds from rotting in the ground around here in our wet soils.
> 
> If I had alkaline soil, which I don't, and I had wet conditions, which I always do this time of year, I'd probably use it anyway in spite of the ph because it does such a good job preventing rot.
> 
> I generally harvest at minimum 10 pounds of potatoes for each 1 pound of seed....and I'm pretty happy with that. I've never lost any seeds to rot, either. I'd say we have been growing scab free potatoes in East Texas soil for over 40 years...never lost a crop....and have the waist line to prove it. LOL.


 yes, rot prevention is what I was always told. we would cut them up, throw some ash on them and let them dry a couple weeks before planting.


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