There's nothing better than "new" potatoes from the garden in early summer. I usually don't plant them as I don't have the room, but I'm lucky to have a neighbor who does so we swap. Happy chitting to all!
Sjoerd - my spuds usually look similar to that by the time I get them planted! So I guess I chit them after all! (I like to buy them while there are plenty to choose from and they don't get planted right away)
Next year, Nelleke...next year. Bet you won't forget now. BTW, if you remember...include their names, ok?
I buy seed potatoes that are certified by the gov here. A huge sack. i use a flat wooden crates an lay out a single layer of potatoes then i start to water them every week, an lay a huge rug over all the flats. this is in march, by may i have potatos with pretty long stems an ready to plant. I do this in a cold barn (you know breath an the steam comes out the mouth,,lol) so they are already weather ready to go when i plant.
That sounds like a good and obviously successful technique. I've never heard of watering them, though. Live and learn. My biggest problem is keeping them from going too fast, as I don't have a cold barn or anything like that. Well done, you.
the reason why i water them Sjoerd is it helps to weather them by a mild freeze then thaw, they get stronger. here it never really goes about mid 70's or i should say in the low 20's C. so the ground is warm but it never gets hot,, so i make the potatoes adapt to the climate,, sometimes we have summers that don't even see above 10 deg C, thats 50 deg F. so i have to make them adapt to grow in the cold climate. the rug helps them from totally freezing then they would just be a bunch of black mush. as the weather gets nicer, i lessen the water an start to let them sprout on their own, with just an occasional water to keep the sprouts happy,,, then in the ground they go.
