Taters

[tynyphil]

Visit the Oklahoma Mesonet to see what the soil temps are in your area. Once the temps are consistently at 50 and above it's time to plant

wealth of information here. I have their app on my phone and is super easy to use.....but here is a computer link to the same info if you have never been there

https://www.mesonet.org/weather
I use it daily.....seeing temps, rainfall, wind direction showing position of approaching fronts, etc

 

[HillsideDesolate]

Planted taters for the first time last year and they did pretty well. Whats the earliest and latest you have planted taters? Think I'm going to try a few rows at the end of February, end of March, end of April, then the end of May.

We have a local food bank most of these will go to, so I want to spread them out a little.

I always used St Patrick day as my go to potato planting date. But also not a bad idea to start some before and after. Before may be lost and after just means more potatoes.

There is a saying in gardening, if you really want to grow food, plant potatoes

 

[tim]

Another question is just how do you store them and how long will they be good when you store them?

 

[Snattlerake]

Dad swore by the almanac. He always chitted them first.

https://www.almanac.com/plant/potatoes

 

[tynyphil]

Another question is just how do you store them and how long will they be good when you store them?

we put them in our “fraidy hole”—cellar. Spread out on newspaper on shelves so no spud is touching another. Usually dig around 4th of July. Cure outside in the shade for about a week then move to the cellar. We will usually have good potatoes until around Christmas. I have found different varieties keep longer ( without sprouting) than others. The longer keepers for us have been Yukon Gold, then Kennebec. Love the flavor of Pontiac but usually sprout first so we eat them first.

 

[2busy]

Do not wash the dirt off. Let dry outside in shaded area. Store in a cool dark area inside out of the weather. Preferably in a single layer . Watch for rot.

 

[kirk1978]

Another question is just how do you store them and how long will they be good when you store them?

I laid them out on cardboard in a dark unused bedroom we have and they lasted 4-5 months.

 

[OHJEEZE]

Another question is just how do you store them and how long will they be good when you store them?

I dig mine by machine, rub some of the dirt off by hand and let them cure in the row for a day. Then gather them up the next day rubbing any more dirt off by hand I can, place in milk type crates and bring into the garage.

I have a wooden crate (27x27x14 inches inside) I fill up heaping, then cover with cloth, and use the milk type crates filled as much as they can hold and still be stackable

I dont have climate control, but my area is generally colder than you get.

The more the storage area stays dark and between say 33-40° the longer they last.

Lastly you want to keep potatoes from freezing. They die if froze and when thawed ooze black liquid from the eyes.

I have read where they claim potatoes are alive, consuming oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide, and also creating a wee bit of heat in the process.

I have had a mishap or two where the storage room temp went below freezing temp, but with the potatoes in the crate, covered up, no loss occurred.

I have also lost some to a unexpected overnight frost while they was dug up lying out in the furrow.

 

[mouthpiece]

Taters, what's taters precious





Boilem mashem stickem in a stew!