We dug our Yukon Gold potatoes today, and wouldn't have had much of a harvest except for Sjoerd's advice about digging a trench and then planting the seed potatoes in small holes in the trench. We are the only garden up and down the road to harvest potatoes. Our ultra-rainy spring either washed out other gardeners' potatoes, or washed the soil off after they had been hilled. Ours were deep enough that they survived, and even thrived!
Sjoerd will be so pleased that he gave you a helping hand. He's a great source of information and what makes it even better is when you can get a crop like yours where others have failed.
I have been trying to figure how they washed away. We are in sand,,and I plant on top of the row with the seed potato about 4 to 6 inches deep. Our rains were hard, washing rains at 5 and 6 inches at a time and that was several different rain sessions. My potatoes didn`t move and made potatoes like crazy. On one row I dug for 2 days and still have another row to dig. One reason I plant on top is because of the rains. Water drains through sand pretty fast,, we have red clay under the sand. If I planted like you and Sjoerd I would have a bunch of rotten potatoes. Maybe our soil packs a little more and holds them better !! What is the ground like there MG ?
Mart, we have blackland prairie, aka "gumbo". In back of the barn there is an area where pigs were kept, and that is sandy. We planted potatoes in both types, and the ones in the sandy area did better. I think that because our area is slightly raised we get better drainage. Our neighbors down the hill got most of the soil washed off their seed potatoes and although I didn't ask, I think they planted at about 3"-4" deep.
I am really very pleased for you, Jane. I shall be interested to hear how you liked those spuds (the Yukon Gold). They did well for me and I liked the flavour. It is such a shame about your neighbours. Gosh, and you know--the pic of your basket-full of spuds looks grand.
Well,, if I were there I would certainly share. At the moment I have spuds running out my eyeballs. And am no where near finished. The row I have dug was from the potatoes we harvested last year. Can`t remember the variety but they are about two weeks earlier than red LaSodas. They didn`t have the LaSodas last year so tried another. Now wish I could remember the variety. I like them early and then some later. I even planted another row after I dug this years spuds. I had a flat that was nothing but sprouts,,potato part had dried up but sprouts were good. I planted the row with them to maybe get a late crop. Really just to see if they would grow. I still have another row to dig so we have enough to last till doomsday I think. Its really odd,, but last two years we had quite a few that were,,well,,not pretty. Odd shaped and with little potato bumps. This year all I dug except maybe one or two were really pretty potatoes. Nicely shaped and smooth, with consistent size. Looks like yours are too MG. Is this the year for pretty potatoes?
It's much too early to harvest potatoes in Michigan so I'll be content to admire your's, Marlingardener. The basket is a treasure too. I wish I had one.
