going overboard with plants?

[brandnewb]

I have some news,, some news that might be uplifting and also potentially some bad news.

The news is.

Look this;



I am neutral about the results because to me it looks like a small harvest but because I have no reference it might be an average harvest.

But even if the harvest is not great then I still have something to look forward to.




Now for the bad news,

Why my, at least 4 months ago planted, sweet potatoes grow so slowly?

 

[brandnewb]

I have noticed that when watering with a rather heavy handed stream then the soil will compact. So even though I start out with super loose soil, so that roots can find their way without struggle,, the soil is condensed after a few watering sessions.

Not sure if that is relevant though

 

[SamDeleted]

I am neutral about the results because to me it looks like a small harvest but because I have no reference it might be an average harvest.

Ah interesting, cause I've just been researching this to see if I did any good with my spuds ..... Average is 10kg per square meter, Good growers get 15kg per m² ... great would be 18kg

35cm circle bag is 0.1m² , so a good crop per bag would be 1.5-1.8kg

 

[brandnewb]

this corola yields
1.617 KG

 

[SamDeleted]

this corola yields
1.617 KG

View attachment 165663

Then you have done very well ?

 

[brandnewb]

yeah sure, this is including dirt and what heve we. also not all bags torun out to be this average

 

[SamDeleted]

yeah sure, this is including dirt and what heve we. also not all bags torun out to be this average

Haha , I've had a few bags totally fail.


I am only counting my best bag ?

0.33m² bag made 5kg of desiree potatoes, almost exactly 15kg per square meter


(this isn't all, I already ate half)

 

[brandnewb]

Haha , I've had a few bags totally fail.


I am only counting my best bag ?

0.33m² bag made 5kg of desiree potatoes, almost exactly 15kg per square meter


(this isn't all, I already ate half)
View attachment 165664

please do share your magic potion. your ceremonial with which you enhance results.

I imagine you wake up when the sun is down and the moon is high and the skies are clear.

Then please tell me the words to chant.

hahah I am just making a joke. In no way am I being cynical about your process.

Sure I am in awe and a bit jealous.

 

[SamDeleted]

please do share your magic potion. your ceremonial with which you enhance results.

I imagine you wake up when the sun is down and the moon is high and the skies are clear.

Then please tell me the words to chant.

hahah I am just making a joke. In no way am I being cynical about your process.

Sure I am in awe and a bit jealous.

Ah well you see, I grew up on an old potato farm back east, so I learnt a trick or two along the way ?

It has been a good year for spids, but really there's no secret, they're easy, you've already done very well



Use lots of good compost , plenty of chopped straw and animal manure. If the soil is poor, supplementary feed with nutrients. Spuds are hungry, feed your spuds.


Lots of water, on the farm they had a bore hole and huge irrigation pipes watering the potatoes almost constantly

We use black permeable soaker hoses , but any good irrigation system will do , or just a man with a bucket if hes dedicated enough! Trick is to water through every day unless it's been raining and they are drenched

Harvest news when they are ready, dig around and see,

harvest 'main fields' after they flower when they die back

 

[SamDeleted]

Doesn't look much cause they've all died back, looked great a few months ago ?

 

[brandnewb]

So Sam, seems you and I are in the same freaking growing zone. Don't you just hate it when there are seasons to speak of that have to do with temperature?

I am in the NL and already dreading the winter to come.

I for one am still looking to setup a veggy garden somewhere around the equator.

Sure it will bring new problems but temperature will not be one of them

 

[42OhmsPA]

I've gotten more ?s than anything this year. Potato's were a decent harvest, need to do a lot more next year. Lots of onions, I spaced out the planting of them.
More than likely going to grow indoors this winter since I should have enough solar...
Random photos I found quickly. I've also made a bunch of pickles.

 

[42OhmsPA]

Can you start taters from spuds you buy at the store if you let them sit around long enough?

 

[brandnewb]

Can you start taters from spuds you buy at the store if you let them sit around long enough?

yes I have done so.

But depending on the source they might be treated with a sprout inhibitor. So better then to wash them gently before putting them on a window sill.

Also when I tried last time the leaves had gotten a bad case of potato sickness. Not sure if it was related to it being store bought.

 

[SamDeleted]

yes I have done so.

But depending on the source they might be treated with a sprout inhibitor. So better then to wash them gently before putting them on a window sill.

Also when I tried last time the leaves had gotten a bad case of potato sickness. Not sure if it was related to it being store bought.

Yea correct . Also there's another issue . Proper seed potatoes from a reputable source have been carefully selected from successful and healthy plants


The spuds you get from the shop just come out the field, so even if they do grow, any given shop bought spud you pick might've been from a plant that was sick like you said, or possibly didn't do very well! It could've made only 1 spud , and you just happened to get it !



You should only grow on from the best

 

[SamDeleted]

I've gotten more ?s than anything this year. Potato's were a decent harvest, need to do a lot more next year. Lots of onions, I spaced out the planting of them.
More than likely going to grow indoors this winter since I should have enough solar...
Random photos I found quickly. I've also made a bunch of pickles.

Looking fantastic


What lights are you going to grow under inside, LEDs?

 

[SamDeleted]

So Sam, seems you and I are in the same freaking growing zone. Don't you just hate it when there are seasons to speak of that have to do with temperature?

I am in the NL and already dreading the winter to come.

I for one am still looking to setup a veggy garden somewhere around the equator.

Sure it will bring new problems but temperature will not be one of them

Pretty much I think, I am in west Wales , we get good long summers , and mild wet winters . It hardly ever drops below freezing here cause we're stuck out to sea on a peninsula.

it's good but the damp in the winter is just about enough to rot any plant ...





they grow 365 the lucky buggers at the equator , but I doubt European veg will grow, too hot, it's all yams and banana leaves ?

 

[42OhmsPA]

Looking fantastic

Thanks

What lights are you going to grow under inside, LEDs?

Yea, I have a variety of them, mostly all good quality.

 

[brandnewb]

Yea, I have a variety of them, mostly all good quality.

please go into full detail mode. My cheap growing LEDs from amazon keep breaking on me

 

[brandnewb]

So I have again an update. It is about growth that appeared somewhere out of nothing it seems (I must have forgotten that there was a spud hidden in the soil)

It started growing and I labeled it as;
potato ???
6-6-23

Look what happened



It looks like corola but the yield is such a let down. I am not even going to bother to weigh it.