As most of your may know by now, I'm trying my hand at growing potatoes in pots this year. Into each of my 8 seven-gallon buckets, I planted 4 seed potatoes. I'm growing three varieties this year - All Blue, Rose Finn (fingerling) and Red Thumb (fingerling). Last week, I noticed that my potted Red Thumb potato plants weren't looking so hot. In fact, their leaves had begun to turn yellow ever since I added more potting soil and straw to their buckets. The ones that I have planted directly in the ground are tall and lush. These never grew past the rim of their pots. My guess is that this particular variety does not grow all to well in containers.
So yesterday, I decided to overturn one pot to see if their were any baby potatoes I could harvest. Much to my surprise, there were in fact a few. Nothing to brag about but at least it wasn't a complete loss.
The potatoes themselves were quite stunning. Under better conditions, I'm sure that they would have all sized up nicely. I only planted 1 lb of Red Thumb seed potatoes this year. Because of their premature demise, I was only able to get 0.53 lb of small potatoes from this one bucket. I'll have to make up the difference elsewhere.
On a happy note, we grilled them up for dinner tonight. They were absolutely DELICIOUS. I don't remember the last time I tasted a potato this good! We don't normally eat potatoes all that often (about 2 or 3 times a year) but I have a feeling that's about to change.
Garden fresh harvested potatoes are definitely more tasty than any stored potato purchased from a market. I think that is true with virtually all vegetables but potatoes tend to be overlooked by home gardeners because they are cheap to purchase elsewhere - but honestly the taste difference should motivate one to grow at least a few potato plants every year - if not a huge plot!
ReplyDeleteNothing better then fresh baby potatoes! Don't you wish use gardeners could win them all :-)
ReplyDeleteI dropped you a line the other day about fall trades, sent it to your yahoo account.
At least it wasn't a complete loss.
ReplyDeleteDo you think the roots get too hot in those pots? Lovely looking potatoes, though.
ReplyDeleteI just picked up some seed potatoes today. I have only tried potatoes one time before, and they did not do so well...yours look yummy!
ReplyDeleteHiya, Annie could have a point there also I would maybe try just one seed potato per pot because if you think about it you wouldn't plant that many so close in the open garden. I've grown some in pots to bring on in the greenhouse for an extra early crop. I'm not getting anything like the crop you do out in the garden but they're okay for a bonus and as you say they taste good, I will post a picture next time I turn a pot out. I hope this is of some help to you.
ReplyDeleteI dumped one of the five gallon buckets I was using for my potatoes one day last week. Red ones, as I wanted to use them in some green beans I had canned last fall, and I ended up with 4.2 pounds of delicious new potatoes.
ReplyDeleteThe tops of this particular bucket were starting to turn yellow so I thought what the hay?.. I do however have them in part shade for the hottest part of the day, so maybe granny is right, the roots got too hot.
Yummy.........fresh potatoes! With all of the vole problems I had this year. I am hoping for any potatoes! Next year, they are going back in to the ground! We are already planning two new beds in my neighbor's yard (my son)
ReplyDeleteWoohoo! Glad there was a surprise at the end of the rainbow.
ReplyDeleteWe eat a lot of potatoes, at least once a week. I will have to try growing them next year under covers. Otherwise they are destroyed by potato beetle.
ReplyDeleteAlthough there was not much to harvest, these potatoes look great.
I know you were hoping for more, but they look fantastic and there's something to be said for a harvest that you can gobble up the whole thing for dinner and not worry about what to do with the excess! I lifted up the bottom of one of my cages and they were only the size of marbles so I will wait a bit longer... good thing since I wasn't looking forward to digging those big cages in this heat. Now I am wondering what if the heat wave never ends LOL?
ReplyDeleteGran - that might be the case. But others I have growing in pots are doing fine. I won't know for sure until I inspect the other pots.
ReplyDeleteHow did you grill them? In a foil packet with some butter and salt?
ReplyDeleteThey look great! I've been thinking of trying potatoes in buckets. After seeing your post and reading the comments, I'm really interested in trying them now. :)
How many days from planting until the foliage died? They may just have thought they were done (some are only 50 days) and not have sized up well for other reasons (lack of consistent water is the #1 cause).
ReplyDeleteMy Red Thumbs are growing very well in their 5 gallon buckets. The plants aren't quite as large as my Purple Majesty or All Blue, but I'm thinking you just got unlucky or there was a water problem. Did you always leave 3-4 inches uncovered when you added dirt?
Steve - I think that might be the real culprit. I think I might have smothered them accidentally. They were I definitely got a little heavy handed when piling on the potting soil.
ReplyDeleteThat is not a bad return on 4 seed poataoes if you ask me, the pound of seed you mentioned went into multiple buckets right?
ReplyDeleteThey sure look delicious Thomas, I hope you are more pleased with future harvests!
Hi Kelly, yes they did. A few went into 2 buckets and the rest went straight into the ground. Hopefully the numbers will work out in the end.
ReplyDeleteThe potatoes look good and cute, that gives me hope. Like you, we are not potato eaters either, I'm anxious to try mine and taste the difference.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, potatoes are the veggie that varies most wildly in the flavor you get from a home grown one compared to a store bought one. Fresh, garden-grown potatoes are a wonder. I think you'll be changed! And growing a lot more potatoes next year!
ReplyDeletemight just be the variety as you said. Interestingly - using a gardening technique where you dig the veg peelings directly into the ground under cardboard instead of composting first, I had a few buckets of potatoe peelings in among the veg. When I went to dig over this patch I was surprised to find lots of potatoes had grown from the peel!! Obviously it must have had eyes on the peel but it was a lovely surprise windfall - and they were delicious.
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting to see when you harvest the rest if the in ground ones do a lot better or not. I always love experiments.
ReplyDeleteI agree, red spuds are stunners ! Only 2 germinated in my trug experiment but they have endured extreme temperatures so it's actually surprising they survived at all. Will be interesting to see how many I get.
ReplyDeleteThomas, my pots have not done well either: I've had foliage in 4 of them die; yes, there were potatoes just as you experienced, just not large ones. At this point I'm not sure I will do that again. Live and learn. ;)
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