Propagation: Potato Theory of Growing

Discussion in 'HortForum' started by Durgan, Jun 22, 2010.

  1. Durgan

    Durgan Contributor 10 Years

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    There is much nonsense published in garden books and on the internet about growing potatoes.The small test patch is an attempt to clarify ultimate potato growing, meaning maximum production per plant. Potato growth along the stem was debunked by a test last year, and the results are included in this article. A potato is a forgiving plant and anybody can grow them. My objective is to grow the plants for maximum production and quality, under the best conditions available.

    http://www.durgan.org/URL/?DZVDQ 12 June 2010 Potatoes
    New tubers of the potato plant grow about six inches above and around the seed stock in a circle. The new tubers must be covered to prevent light turning them green indicating solanine, which is harmful if ingested. This is the sole and only reason for hilling. There still persists an irrational belief that potatoes grow from stolons along the stalk, and often high hilling is undertaken to encourage this imaginary growth. This practice hides the leaves of the plant, which is forced o produce more leaves for survival, which is self defeating.

    My method is to plant the potatoes in a small trench, and when the plant is six to eight inches high to fill the trench with soil to a depth of about six inches above the seed potato. Potatoes need constant moisture, so the hilled potatoes are heavily mulched after a heavy rainfall to prevent moisture evaporation. The vegetation is allowed to flourish, generating food for the new tubers. Hiding the vegetation by unnecessarily concealing by hilling is bad culture practice.

    Commercial growing or a very large patch required mass hilling due to the effort required. But the small home gardener can produce ideal conditions.

    Production should be measured by the weight and useful size produced by each plant. Comparing the seeded weight to the harvested weight is utter nonsense, particularly in a small patch. I have rather unscientifically estimated that anything above four pound per plant is acceptable. This year ten plants of each of my five varieties will be carefully tabulated to get a realistic weight value per plant.
    For reference here is background information to indicate and substantiate my procedure.

    21 August 2009 How a Potato Plant Grows. 21 August 2009 How a Potato Plant Grows

    http://www.durgan.org/URL/?YSMQE 2 May 2010 Planting Potatoes
    A kilogram of five varieties were selected. Five rows, about eight inches deep, and two feet between rows, was dug, and the tubers separated about a foot apart and lightly covered. The row length is 25 feet. The varieties were ordered from Eagle Creek in Alberta, since there was blight in my area last year and I thought it was prudent to order out of Province. Varieties are; Russian Blue, Agria, Viking, Alaskan Sweetheart, Chieftain.

    http://www.durgan.org/URL/?EMUAN 25 May 2010 Hilling Potatoes
    Potatoes were fertilized with compost between the plants in the small trench where they were planted. The soil between the rows was rototilled to loosen the soil and the surface area was smoothed over. The seed potato is covered with about six inches of soil. This will be the first and final hilling. After the next heavy rainfall the ground area will be covered about threes inches deep with wood chip mulch to retain moisture. Each potato plant was marked with a stake, since the vegetation is gone when digging and this will identify the center of the tubers.

    http://www.durgan.org/URL/?GUPAA 1 June 2010 Conserving moisture in potato patch by mulching.
    After an appropriate heavy rainfall, moisture is being conserved by heavily mulching the potato patch. The patch was previously hilled to a depth of about six inches above the seed potato. There should be enough moisture retained to almost complete the potato growth, but there will still be some more rainfall, throughout the growing season. This is the first time that I have tried mulching potatoes. The mulch is bedding wood chips, which I believe is of spruce tree source.

    http://www.durgan.org/URL/?LREPQ 22 June 2010 Potatoes.
    A string is tied around the vegetation to keep the stalks upright. The premise being that the vegetation exposed to the sun is essential for maximum tuber growth.
     
    Last edited: Jul 14, 2018
  2. Durgan

    Durgan Contributor 10 Years

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    http://www.durgan.org/URL/?OGLPR 27 June 2010 Potato Patch Update on Growth to date.
    Growth from 2 May 2010 until 27 June 2010. The potato plants are 36 inches tall, with maximum vegetation exposed to the sun. no water has been applied other than normal rainfall.There are a few immature potato bugs, which get squashed daily. I am looking forward to the harvest with some high expectations of quality and quantity. There are about 70 plants and each row is a different variety. Russian Blue, Agria, Viking, Alaskan Sweetheart, and Chieftain are the varieties. The Russian Blue and Chieftain have been grown in previous years.

    Where are all the people who grow potatoes in barrel, bags, tires, tall towers?
     
  3. Durgan

    Durgan Contributor 10 Years

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    http://www.durgan.org/URL/?XKLUS 15 July 2010 Viking Potato
    One Viking potato plant was dug long before the tops have started to die off, meaning long before maturity. The potatoes were perfect and the weight was 2.5 pounds. From previous experience I would consider this plant to be perfect, justifying my growing procedure. Notice how the new tubers congregate around the seed potato around the root.
     
  4. Durgan

    Durgan Contributor 10 Years

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    http://www.durgan.org/URL/?TNFCR 11 September 2010 Yukon Gold Test Box Potatoes

    Yukon Gold Potatoes were harvested today. A total weight of 23.5 pounds was harvested from the 4 by 4 foot test area. The quality is excellent. Another plant could probably be placed in the center of the area without crowding. The average weight per plant was 5.9 pounds. From my experience anything over 4 pounds is acceptable.

    For reference.
    http://www.durgan.org/URL/?MTQAO 19 May 2010. Test to determine quantity by weight of four Yukon Gold potatoes.

    A box 4 by 4 feet by 11 inches high was made in ideal soil and location to determine the quantity of potatoes by weight that can be produced. Each plant has about a foot on each side to insure minimum crowding of the root system. The seed potato was planted just below ground level and covered with soil about two inches on top.

    Soil was placed in the corners for the first hilling. After the first hilling the growing plant will be covered adequately with bedding wood chips until the end of the season.

    This test is to establish by weight the quantity, and size quality of potatoes that can be grown in a small space.

    http://www.durgan.org/URL/?YJSOC 26 June 2010 Yukon Gold Potato Growth in 4 by 4 foot Test Box
    The potatoes were hilled once and heavily mulched. A string was tied around the vegetation to keep upright. The premise being that the more vegetation exposed to the sun feeds the new tubers. This opposed to deep hilling and hiding the vegetation.
     
  5. Durgan

    Durgan Contributor 10 Years

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    Russian Blue Potatoes.

    http://www.durgan.org/URL/?XTPIM 11 September 2010 Russian Blue Potatoes.
    Ten plants were grown and the average weight was 3.2 lbs per plant. The smallest yield was 2 lbs and the largest 5 pounds per plant. From previous years three pounds per plant is about normal for a good yield. I consider anything above 2 lbs per plant to be acceptable for Russian Blue. The potatoes keep well. When boiled or baked the purple color remains. The texture is dense, and after accepting the color, the Russian Blue is a fine table potato. There was some damage from a bug, which I think is a squash bug.
     
  6. Durgan

    Durgan Contributor 10 Years

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    This is the end of my potato growing season. The growth and final result probably couldn't be improved upon, but I will try for better in 2011.

    Thirty two potato plants were harvested today using a garden fork. If there was ever an avocacy for slavery this is it, amongst other husbandry practices. From 32 plants 140 pounds of excellent potatoes were obtained. There was no disease or major damage.


    http://www.durgan.org/URL/?TCZXY 15 September 2010 Agria Potatoes Harvested
    Potatoes were harvest for Winter storage. This depicts the Agria, which is a fine quality potato. There was no damage with any of the potatoes and very few were discarded. They will be kept in a cold room, which is not ideal, but the best space available. About half the planted crop is depicted in the following series of four types, since the other half was utilized as required during the growing season. A total of 70 tubers were planted and 32 plants were left for winter storage.

    http://www.durgan.org/URL/?PUMCN 15 September 2010 Alaska Sweetheart Potatoes Harvested
    The tubers are small and the yield of 17 pounds from seven plants is low, but the potatoes are excellent quality, and are utilized whole as small potatoes. The tubers have a red ring tinge, which is rather attractive. They are amongst my favorites baked or boiled.

    http://www.durgan.org/URL/?SXFNP 15 September 2010 Chieftain Potatoes Harvested.
    Chieftain is the king of the six types that I grow. The largest tuber was two pounds, and it was not hollow in the center. The tubers are prolific and very large.


    http://www.durgan.org/URL/?FAXVE 15 September 2010 Viking Potatoes Harvested
    The Viking is a beautiful white tuber. The yield per plant is low in number, but the tubers are quite large. This is a welcome addition to any garden. The yield is 33 pounds from nine plants.
     

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