Any potato growers?

hotrodharley

Well-Known Member
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.
 

MICHI-CAN

Well-Known Member
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.
 

hotrodharley

Well-Known Member
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

Well-Known Member
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

Well-Known Member
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

Well-Known Member
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

Well-Known Member
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

Well-Known Member
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

Well-Known Member
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.
 

DarkWeb

Well-Known Member
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

Well-Known Member
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.
 
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