It all started awhile ago - https://www.gardenstew.com/threads/i-wanted-to-plant-potatoe-but.39208/ and then - https://www.gardenstew.com/threads/the-potato-story-continues.39218/ and now The conclusion was about a month or so ago and I have no idea why I can't just find the time to post it. Anyway after I came back from a nice vacation in China, I totally forgot about the potato that was chitting on top of my entertainment computer cpu. It was only a couple of days later that I saw it when I was looking for something behind the TV where the cpu is! What a pleasant surprise to see that it had chitted and I cut it into 2 pieces to be planted in a garbage bag. They were covered to a depth of about 2~3 inches. A couple of days later they popped and looking really good! The wire mesh is to prevent birds from pecking on it. Compost enriched earth was added to cover the new growth every time it reaches about 6 inches in height. When the bag is about 20 inches high, the plant was left grow as much as it want too. Lost a plant about 2 months plus later and have no idea what had really happened. The weather was really hot during the 3rd month and the plants suffered from leaf burnt I think! By the beginning of the fourth month the plant started to die out so I decided that it is time to dig it out. Well your guess is just as good as mine and my curiosity is satisfied.
OK,, I am confused ! You pulled the plants but didn`t dig to see if they produced ? Did the plants bloom ? Are you sure the seed potatoes had not been sprayed ? They spray with a chemical to retard growth,, they will eventually sprout but in these potatoes any growth will usually be marble size potatoes.
Oops! Sorry Mart I thought that the picture is almost at the base of the bag . I believed they are sprayed since they came from China but the plant grew well. There is no evidence of any potato, marble size or not. I read that if the temperature of the soil is above 25°C tubers might not form and also the quality of the earth that it is grown in. I would think that it is more of the temperature because I use 50% compost in the earth mix.
Oh ! I do not grow my potatoes by covering them as they grow. Our soil is quite loose because of the sand content so mine are planted about 6 inches deep and they make in the top 8 or 10 inches of soil ! Mine always do well so I can`t see the reason for doing extra work. I do not think temperature has anything to do with it. I can grow potatoes in Texas summer heat which is pretty darn warm ! Bet they were sprayed ! Next time order some certified seed potatoes ! I think you can find them on ebay.
Sorry that your spuds did not perform for you. It does look like they suffered from heat and dryness. Mart may well be right about those spuds having sprayed with something. We here on our gardening club land are not allowed by the club to use grocery store bought spuds because of spraying and that they could be carrying disease, We are compelled to but certified ones. I think that if you want to experiment again, I would follow Mart's advice and buy certified spuds to plant (if you can). Ach mate--I find it such a shame for you. BTW did you feed your spuds a bit?
