Seed potato's
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I’ve got a 3 lb bag of russets that are sprouting and I thought I’d cut ‘em up and plant ‘em..... of course, I’ve never grown OR dug potatoes..... will this work?
BigG
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l2501, FEL, BB, Rotary cutter, rake,spreader, roller, etc. New Holland TL80 A
It will work. Cut them into pieces with an eye in each. Plant them 6-8 inches apart.
Yes it will work but after you cut them let them set so the cut part drys over like a scab, this way they wont rot. Plant about 3 inches deep dress with some plant food or maybe some 10 10 10 and forget about them till the leaves come up. Let the stocks get maybe 4 tp 6 inches high then mulch or hill up the the top leaves. and then just let them grow, weed of course but dont bother them. When the tops start to die off in the fall it will be time to dig them. When you do DO NOT RUB THE DIRT OFF,, the skins are very tender just let them set for a day or so in a cool dry place so the skins toughen up some. OR if you have a half barrel fill it with mulch put them in over and let them grow, do same things or just lay on top of the ground, and cover with about 6 inches of hay or straw, and mound when they grow through. Come fall just move back the covering and they should be laying on top of the ground
Poohbear
Active member
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L3301 HST, LA525, LP shredder, BB1566 box blade, QH10, Worksaver pallet fork
We buy a sack of taters in late Jan. & let them sit on counter till eyes start. Aftercutting up coat with sulphur or seven dust. I planted new/reds 1st week Feb and they will break gnd this week. Garden got set back by the week of sub zero temps & snow that we just don't experience.
I always save some from previous year, but like to order a few pounds of a new variety just to have a different flavor. One supplier was all sold out in January. Another had some, but price really high. My eating supply in the basement is starting to sprout pretty bad so I'll have to refrigerate them. Never mind the don't refrigerate rule, it doesn't ruin the flavor that much, and sure beats nothing until next August.
Preordered mine in December, expecting to get them soon. Seeds of all sorts were totally sold out last year, including potatoes, figured it was likley to be the same this year. Online suppliers are limiting orders. Just like everything else, supply seems limited lately.
Lil Foot
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Lifetime Member
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1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
Lil Foot
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
Are we talking SEVIN dust?
Seems counterintuitive to eat potatoes grown from seed potatoes dusted with bug killer.
Maybe I'm missing something here.
Seems counterintuitive to eat potatoes grown from seed potatoes dusted with bug killer.
Maybe I'm missing something here.
Likely not. Most 'store bought' potatoes for cooking have a growth inhibitor that will stop them from producing. They may grow, and make beautiful plants, but won't bear.
I tried this with some red-skin Irish potatoes. The plants were huge, but I doubt I got a peck of potatoes from a 50 foot row, and none of them was much bigger than a golf ball. I waited until the bottom leaves on the plant 'fired up' (turned yellow) which is when we harvested potatoes when I was a kid. I scratched a few from the hills to check size, and when the tops started dying off, I decided to go ahead and dig 'em up. I was sorely disappointed after seeing the plants.
I need to fuss at my grocer then, because their “growth inhibitor” ain’t working... I’m gettin’ fatter’n fatter the more of ‘em I eat. ... suppose it could be the butter and sour-cream...??
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Lil Foot
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Lifetime Member
Equipment
1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
As a guy with no green thumbs, I am just guessing, but my guess is that sevin is a pesticide, and not a herbicide, so dusting with sevin would not damage the potatoes after cutting, and before planting, right?
I have little concern about pesticides generally, and use Sevin, both spray and powder. But I would hesitate to dust freshly cut seed potatoes with it - I would be concerned about it being absorbed into the potato through the unprotected part and being spread systemically to the harvest. (haven't researched and have no data, that's just my initial reaction)
I suppose if you have a soil pest problem like grubs or something it could help to dust before planting, but it's not something i've ever had to deal with.