Any potato growers?

[hotrodharley]

one of the biggest growing areas in the country other than idaho is the san luis valley of colorado. when we drive thru there, its nothign but potato fields and storage areas.

They call them potato cellars. The above ground ones. Grain and spuds. Grain and spuds. Ship both all winter. If it got to -15 or warmer we shipped. Bulk. 1000 pounds per inch into refrigerated trucks (those units heat as well as chill). I was the only white guy working on a farm in the valley who wasn’t an old drunk looking for a warm shop to hang around in.

 

[hotrodharley]

Grew bud at a couple of pivots. Thought nobody noticed. Turns out the owner did time at Buena Vista for dealing smack!!!! He knew all season I had them going. Lol. He didn’t say anything until “all those weeds are dying but your plants stick out like a sore thumb.”

 

[MICHI-CAN]

In MI we just put cut sprouted eyes about 6" deep in our leaf/ compost piles. A bit smaller due to poor drainage. But they grow in poor quality sand based soil easily as well here. The potato is a store house of food for them. The larger the piece you bury? The less fertile your soil needs to be as I've been shown. But just MI muck farming. LOL.

 

[myke]

I grew french fingerlings last year,great for fries.5 g buckets.Some promix mixed compost and a hand full of tomato tone,4-4-8.Cold up here so started in the garage then moved outside.

 

[rkymtnman]

I worked on a potato farm at Center. We sold and shipped bulk. The last year we harvested 2.75 million pounds of spuds.

no shit??? where'd you live, Alamosa? Del Norte?

 

[Herb & Suds]

VODKA

lots and lots of vodka

 

[hotrodharley]

no shit??? where'd you live, Alamosa? Del Norte?

Lived in Del Norte. I loved it.

 

[rkymtnman]

Lived in Del Norte. I loved it.

del norte is getting big time!. they have a brewery thats not too bad and a distillery is coming this summer ( i think) .

 

[hotrodharley]

del norte is getting big time!. they have a brewery thats not too bad and a distillery is coming this summer ( i think) .

There was nothing in 1981. When they built a cafe on the east end it was the thing. Then a guy calling himself Catfish opened a tattoo shop across the highway. Lol.

Harley Davy was still alive and had a shop in Alamosa. The San Luis was great.

 

[hotrodharley]

There was Lane’s Truck Stop on the east side. Best greaseburgers ever. Lane could talk if he had to but he smiled easy and didn’t spit on your food. IGA grocery store and the little hospital. Across the road. Not much else. Durango was incredible then. Tourist trap now.

 

[rkymtnman]

There was Lane’s Truck Stop on the east side. Best greaseburgers ever. Lane could talk if he had to but he smiled easy and didn’t spit on your food. IGA grocery store and the little hospital. Across the road. Not much else. Durango was incredible then. Tourist trap now.

we dont go thru it much but i think Monte Vista is a cool little town too.

 

[xtsho]

I just put some Yukon Golds in the ground. I'm chitting some reds right now.

I grow in the ground but I'm probably going to do a few 5 gallon fabric pots as well. I probably planted the Yukons a little early so I covered the bed with black plastic to keep them warm. Just the standard trench that's filled in as the potatoes grow. I tell myself every year to wait but every year I just can't seem to do it. But I was digging potatoes in June last summer.

 

[HGCC]

I have tried to grow potatoes a few times but am apparently bad at it, plants are beautiful but come fall I would only get a handful of fingerlings. Tried using a tote last year to do the thing where you add soil as the plant grows but nope. Will likely give it another go this year and keep on researching to figure out what I'm doing wrong.

Gardening in Colorado is rough and a learning curve.

 

[DarkWeb]

I have tried to grow potatoes a few times but am apparently bad at it, plants are beautiful but come fall I would only get a handful of fingerlings. Tried using a tote last year to do the thing where you add soil as the plant grows but nope. Will likely give it another go this year and keep on researching to figure out what I'm doing wrong.

Gardening in Colorado is rough and a learning curve.

New 20gal rubbermaid garbage can. Drill lots of 1/4" to 1/2" holes in the bottom for drainage. And lots of 3/4" to 1" holes on the side for air.
Put 6"-8" soil in the bottom and some seed potatoes or prepared chunks from whatever potatoes you like. Every once in a while add more soil so only 6" to 8" of the plant shows.

 

[rkymtnman]

Gardening in Colorado is rough

within a few minutes of me, there used to be old potato beds that were tended by german ww2 prisoners of war. potatos are one thing that really does great for me @ 9000 ft

 

[rkymtnman]

New 20gal rubbermaid garbage can. Drill lots of 1/4" to 1/2" holes in the bottom for drainage. And lots of 3/4" to 1" holes on the side for air.
Put 6"-8" soil in the bottom and some seed potatoes or prepared chunks from whatever potatoes you like. Every once in a while add more soil so only 6" to 8" of the plant shows.

i've seen peeps do the same thing with old tires. keep adding a tire and dirt in the middle as they grow up.

 

[myke]

I put about 2” of clay pebbles in the bottom of my pails. This way it drains well when it rains hard.

 

[DarkWeb]

i've seen peeps do the same thing with old tires. keep adding a tire and dirt in the middle as they grow up.

My buddy does it that way. I didn't want a bunch of tires around. And I think the rubbermaid is food grade but I don't remember. It works good I put rows in.......not as many as that one year lol

 

[rkymtnman]

My buddy does it that way. I didn't want a bunch of tires around. And I think the rubbermaid is food grade but I don't remember. It works good I put rows in.......not as many as that one year lol

i agree. i got rid of all my tires awhile ago too. and i'm not sure if tires would leach crap but i wouldn't take the chance.

 

[myke]

You can also use straw or mulch to hill your plants.