Potatoes grown organically

[taitgarry00]

Potatoes don't like fluctuating moisture, always best to have some kind of watering system, otherwise yield suffers, but after a big rain they may crack (mostly the red varieties, it seems), or worse, they will form internal voids. Or if too wet internal black spots.

[pepe2000]

I wondered what caused the voids in some potatoes, thanks.

[DanNH]

I have been told many different things cause hollow hearts in potatoes. My grandfather always claimed it was when they grew too fast and that you found them in big potatoes. I have read it is a result of a change in water plenty of water a dry spell then too much water. The theory being that when they start growing again they get hollow hearts. And lastly which I tend to believe is that it is a bacteria that gets into the soil. I say that because I had them in one spot of my garden and not anywhere else and my soil gets about the same water. The person who told me bacteria said move them and don't plant potatoes back there for 3 years. He actually said not tomatoes either the are subject to alot of the same soil issues.

[Chris]

Moved some potato posts from Craig's project thread. Let's at least keep the off topic posts on their own threads.

[pepe2000]

Hey Guys, here's an interesting video discussing determinate and indeterminate potatoes. Shows the growth pattern of each and shows clearly which ones can grow potatoes up the vine as you hill it or container grow them.

[rustyold36]

Not seeing a video but a product list and description Pepe. Good stuff here keep it coming.

[KristijanL]

One of the biggest and nicest potatoes were grown on a pile of burnt old hay with goat manure being washed slowly over it. Actualy it was a compost pile, and some peelyngs sprouted in to some realy nice potatoes.

Since then l always add ash to my potatoes. And lots of aged manure. A combination many say is the worst for potatoes, but works for me.

Ha, a nother trick l tryed last year. Dug out the first early potatoes, but just put the plants back in the soil. Water a bit, and it produced a second, smaller thugh, yeald of young potatoes later.

[pepe2000]

Whoops, don't know where the old address came from, Jim.

[dbaillie]

How appropriate this topic came up pepe. We were cleaning the greenhouse beds yesterday and found some forgotten treasures. The plants got smothered by the chard in the fall and we forgot about them. A bit of frost rot but other wise fine. Fresh from the ground...

[taitgarry00]

Pigweed seed is very small but easy to harvest and very nutritious.

I don't doubt that the seed is as you say, it's a wild / feral form of amaranth, and I wonder if native Americans didn't cultivate pigweed in times past... The trouble is pigweed sheds the seed very easily, I would opt for amaranth.

However, pigweed is a first rate vegetable, (prized in some parts of Mexico). Pick the soft tops from plants before they produce much of a flowering head, they aren't fibrous, and very nicely flavoured, amenable to blanching steaming, or cooking in the microwave.

So although it is a nuisance weed, I am pleased to have it appear, it gives weeding a whole different complexion.

[pepe2000]

I agree, Garry, and amaranth is a beautiful plant in bloom.

[SteveUnruh]

Hey MrPepe
Wife dragged home three dug up root chunks of leafing out Rhubarb. Her old heritage row has dwindled.
I had to dig out the old 1961 "How to Grow Vegetables and Fruits by the The Organic Method" Rodale 926 pages book for planting technique's. The old books truly are better. More facts help. Rhubarb originins, history, introduction into North America and best practices culturing all in just three sescint pages 498-501. Not the full-living-color over-picturing, and edges white space waste spinning of most all post 1970's exuberance's publications..
Surprise. Surprise. I was supposed to dig up, and select out/divide the old row by it's tenth year. Ha! Another get down on my knees, make-me humble, dirt-job. 'MaNature talking to me again.

Pepe and David I wear year around merino wool socks. Four diffenrt weights, depending. Hiker shear liner merino's in the hot, hot days. They all do eventually heels hole wear out. Terrible for grease rags. This bag of saved backs looking perfect for gasifier gas filtering. Heat resistant. Self draining wool fiber shingling. Water/soap rinse washable. Charcoalman GaryG has proven sheeps wool blanketing.
You two live where sheep are raised some. Bulk, shorn, washed sheeps-wool fleece for a filtering material? Local. Organic. Direct-use, Low-tech solution?
J-I-T Steve unruh

[pepe2000]

Hi Steve,
I have a small rhubarb patch that's been around for about 25 or so years. I got the shovelings from a friend. Went out to his patch sliced off some chunks with a shovel, took them home and stuck em in the dirt. They grow like crazy. I eat a raw stalk on occasion, but when strawberries are in, strawberry rhubarb pie can hardly be beat.
Pepe

[madflower69]

So although it is a nuisance weed, I am pleased to have it appear, it gives weeding a whole different complexion.

It is a nuisance weed and the only pleasure I get from weeding the stuff, is that it makes a nice thick mat to walk on and helps prevent more from growing. I probably should -remove- it from the garden but i don't as it adds lot of organic matter. It is the main reason why I tried no-till, no-weeding gardening last year.

[taitgarry00]

I probably should -remove- it from the garden but i don't as it adds lot of organic matter.

If you hot compost it aside then bring it back it should largely deal with the seed issue. Pigweed produces so many seeds, and they probably persist for years in the soil, it's hard to break the cycle.

[DanNH]

Yes the seeds last for years in the soil. I don't know how long but my grandfather had the garden really cleared of almost everything about 20 years ago when he tended it. He always said it took years to get it to look so good.

[taitgarry00]

I have no doubt about the persistence of seeds in soil. I burnt down an old house on my land, which wasn't occupied since the late 1970's. The following year I was astounded to see an old variety of yellow snapdragon had come up around the burnt perimeter of the building and in front where apparently there had been a flower bed 40 years ago.

Wild oats are another topic of speculation, some seeds seem to persist for a very long time in the soil.

[DanNH]

The forester I talked to recently said the cherry trees here seeds will last for 70 years and sprout when the light is right after ground is cleared. That blows my mind.

[madflower69]

If you hot compost it aside then bring it back it should largely deal with the seed issue. Pigweed produces so many seeds, and they probably persist for years in the soil, it's hard to break the cycle.

I am just rolling with grass clippings for mulch. I doubt it is getting hot enough to kill weed seed in the soil. It gives me and the garden a break from weeds. I just have to figure out whether I should till up where I grew stuff last year or leave it and try and plant in it again. I only get enough clippings for about 1/3 of the garden and I haven't done the center section yet.

[KristijanL]

A older guy here once sayd they once demolished a old house, abandoned for 40 years. Next years, tabacco started growing on its place. The deceased owner grew tabacco and had seeds in somewhere.