Potato Planting

Intro: Potato Planting

This is my entry to the "Share Your Garden Photo Contest". Please take the time to vote for someone (hopefully me!).

This is my very first time planting potatoes, so any tips from avid potato gardeners are welcomed.
I would have started earlier, but here in CANADA!!!, the warmth came much later then expected this year.

I started by digging trenches, about 3 inches deep. I then inserted the potatoes with the sprouts facing up, and lastly, filled in the trenches (leaving the tops of the sprouts uncovered).

Yes, I did a very shabby job of watering. That is because I had to use a small bucket, and go back and forth from the inside tap because the hoses are not yet turned on.

The last two pictures are of the mysterious plants that grow in the spot where all other plants have refused to grow, from the birdseed (yes, birdseed) that the squirrels had knocked out of the bird feeder during the winter.

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Note: Those damn little creatures dug up all my potatoes and ripped them apart (without even eating any). I have now planted many herbs and other vegetables over them.

Comments

[Vyger]

From my experience the bigger potatoes do better if you cut them into pieces before you plant them. The big ones will produce but not as much. I think what happens is the plant relies on what is stored in the large potato and so uses that instead of putting its energy into growth. On the other hand the little ones or pieces have to grow to survive so they really take off.

Sometimes the long sprouts that get left above ground get sunburned and die back. If that happens don't worry about it, they will put up new shoots.

[tqwerty]

Thanks, I read about that, but it said that you have to wait for another day or two for the cut potatoes to scab over, and I had already started quite late in the season, so I just decided to plant them as is.

Thanks for the tips!

[SHIFT!]

Woa, nice macro shots! I've never actually seen what potatoes look like before the roots are removed, thanks for sharing!

[tqwerty]

Thanks!