Is anyone else growing potatoes? I ordered two pounds of certified potato seed (small potatoes) from Ronnigers. In the photo, you can see Blossom fingerlings on the left (pink-skinned, pink-fleshed potatoes), Maris Piper on the right (high-yielding cream fleshed, cream-skinned potato similar to Yukon Gold), and unidentified bonus from Ronniger's.
I put them in a window that gets moderate light (not too bright) in a warm part of the house (in the 70+ degree range). This is called chitting. Stolons (the stems that the potatoes will grow on) begin growing from the potato eyes. I'm told that you should usually chit for a week or two before you plant the potatoes. This will give them a good head start.
The potatoes that are already growing stolons are Carolas (which make super yummy mashed potatoes, by the way) that I've had in the closet since late January. I'd hoped that they wouldn't start chitting in there, but apparently it's warm enough that they did. I'm wondering, though, why some of the stolons have black tips on them. Guessing that it has something to do with the less than ideal conditions that they were stored in, but I don't know for sure.
Great information on chitting--I didn't do this last year, but will try it this year. Now all we need is for the rain to stop so we can get these planted. My potatoes will ship this week.
I also ordered from Ronnigers--here's my list (just 1/2 pound of each)
Caribe
Red Gold
Snow White
Russian - Fingerling
Kennebec
I will be growing either in smart pots, or above ground modified cages, so I can hill up as they are growing. Anyone have any advice on fertilizing potatoes?
I think I placed my order in early January. I grew the Caribe last year, and it was my most successful, followed by the Red gold. The others will be new to me this year. Although I love Yukon golds, decided to try some I could not get locally.
ha! yep, mine are sprouting. I'd wanted to get them in by Saturday, but I might wait another week. They could sprout a bit more, the ground's wet, and I'm worn out from the antibiotics I was taking. But I think I'm on the mend. :o)
JaeRae, are you going to do some potatoes? You're at least a few weeks behind us with frost dates, planting schedules, I would think?
Name: Jamie R Zone 5, WI save the rainforest & habitat
Heidi, yes, our weather has been funny though. Usually we don't put anything in the ground before late April (if hardy) or May. This year we have had several unusual days in the 60's already but I have been mostly raking around perennials because they are popping and if they get too big, the rake hacks them up. Tonite it is cold 30 again, 'sposed to be into the 70's next week. I have a bunch of stuff in temp pots in the heated sunporch but have not done anything with my potatoes. I looked at them today, they are on the steps in the indoor back hall, and they are happily chitting away. Perhaps this week I will start them in a container indoors; they seem real content as they are now though....my guess is that they are completely unconcerned about getting taxes filed.
Woman on the eastbound train
...........................................Je Suis Désolé.
(also a mule lovin', Charley huggin' girl)
I have to look up my bonus potato (don't remember getting one of these last year). The variety is "Nicola". It's probably large enough to cut into 3-4 pieces! Know anything about this variety?
Yeah--not quite for the gardening season....highs on Sunday are in the 40's.
I'm not familiar with Nicola but looking at the description on Ronniger's, I'd say you have a winner there. Keep us posted.
At least we're not getting snow. That's about the only good thing I can say about this weather lol. But have you heard ... maybe reaching 70 next week! wooohooo!
The A was scratched off the envelop, so I thought that meant the order was packed by someone named Nicole. Figured they'd given me a boring-old russet burbank. Thanks for clearing that up!
mom2goldens, joy on DG mentioned a potato fertilizer from Gurney's so I asked her what's in it. She's using hers in containers.
"The gurney's potato fertilizer is 3-4-3; 2lbs per 100 sq foot, I only bought 1 2lb bag which should do me and yes you can use it in the ground. It says it's derived from alfalfa meal, bone meal, poultry manure, soybean meal and sunflower ash. Hope this helps."
Maybe that will give you a bit of an idea of how to fertilize them. Sunflower ash. Interesting. Haven't heard of that.
Speaking of, did you get your Sunflower Project seeds yet? They charged my card, but I haven't seen the seeds yet. Plenty of time, though.
.Heidi, have yours been doing anything but sitting on the couch chitting? 
