Your comments and tips

19 Jan 24, Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer climate)

It depends -- not all potatoes are suitable for towering (layering). Additionally, I have found that the potato plant SPENDS A LOT OF ENERGY GROWING UP, UP, UP, as you cover its leaves with soil (leaves have specialized cells designed to collect light - and why you would want to cover them with soil is beyond me this is not really a good move -- leaves are not roots). My recommendation is: if you have a DEEP PLANTER bag starting at about six inches from the bottom -- in sort of a pattern that looks like the 5 on a die (dice) -- make about 3-4 inch round holes -- and make them on the sides that receive light keeping the holes about 10 inches apart (6 inches away from the bottom and 10 inches away from the top of the bag). Fill the bag with a good soil/compost/manure mix of some kind -- starting from the bottom -- when you are level with a hole, place a seed potato there, level or slight below the bottom lip of the hole, and about 3 inches from the side of the bag (so there is soil between the potato and the hole) -- continue up until the bag is full -- the top layer of potatoes can be planted as usual. Yes, the soil will come out of the holes ... not to worry -- just be sure that the soil covers the topmost holes by at least 6-8inches. That is - each potato planted in the bag should have access to a WINDOW (air and light) OR those planted on the top layer (like a usual planting) should be down about 9 inches or so. The Key to this planting is ALL potatoes need to be able to put leaves somewhere -- they will follow the air and light to find that spot -- all potatoes need water -- so you will be watering from the top of the bag only (like a potted plant) -- but you water DEEPLY, since the water needs to make it to the very bottom potato plants -- so maybe you water every 5 days or so... depends on the soil, temperature, amount of light , amount of wind/air (which whisks moisture away), Additionally, ensure there is drainage at the bottom of the bag .... maybe a two inch hole directly at ground level. It might be better to use a crate of some kind.... rather than a bag...anyhow this set up will work with any kind of potato plant without consideration as to whether or not it can handle towering. Hope this helps. Conversion of inches to cm : 1 inch = 2.5cm

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14 Oct 23, Anonymous (USA - Zone 10a climate)

Which varieties of Indeterminate potatoes do well in Zone 10A?

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10 Oct 23, Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer climate)

I forgot to mention -- and kept forgetting to post this additional part. When you are "hilling up" you are actually burying LEAVES. Leaves have specialized tissue to COLLECT LIGHT -- that is to say, they are NOT ROOTS -- so to me, burying leaves is NOT CORRECT. It may help to get the potatoes producing sooner, BUT somehow to me if a potato plant made leaves it wanted to collect light -- roots are different, they are sort of thin and round/tube like and are used to transport water and nutrients -- AGAIN: leaves are leaves and roots are roots -- and when I stop and think about it burying leaves doesn't seem right... and my gut instinct is saying that it is not correct. I have also noticed that roots are thinner, and are probably easier for the plant to make/grow -- leaves look like they take a lot of work/nutrition -- so why bury something that is specialized to be above the ground???....... again, the pros may say otherwise and have lots of data and past successes to prove their view point. I have done it both ways (not sure why I did- but I did) and really have not noticed any differences in OVERALL potato production.... so why bury the leaves and make all that extra work hilling up ??? Also, potato tubers seem to like lots of air flow... so make sure the soil is light or ir your in containers ensure lots of holes near the bottom sides to create updrafts..

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19 Oct 23, Anonymous (Canada - Zone 3b Temperate Warm Summer climate)

Pull the leaves off.

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24 Nov 23, Faith Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer climate)

Seem like a waste to have the plant grow leaves just to pull them off.... I'm all for burying the seed potatoes at the correct depth (based on soil conditions -- mine go down about 10 inches) -- it saves me the work of hilling up... seems like it saves the potato plant some work as well. The results are about about the same so why bother with all the extra work ?

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16 Sep 23, Mpho Molefe (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)

Question: Its my 1st time to embark on potatoe planting. What are the common diseases or challenges that may be encountered and how to combat them? The information is top class and straight forwsrd and simple to follow. Thanks a million times.

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20 Sep 23, Anonymous (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)

Just plant them and watch them grow.

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04 Aug 23, CANDY (Canada - Zone 5b Temperate Warm Summer climate)

I PLANTED POTATOES IN MAY IN A CONTAINER HOW WILL I KNOW WHEN TO HARVEST - THANKYOU

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20 Aug 23, Anonymous (Canada - Zone 5b Temperate Warm Summer climate)

Look at the guide to harvest time, 12-16 weeks or just dig around the plant a bit to feel how big they are. Also the plant will start dying.

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20 Apr 23, Benjamin Chapman (Australia - temperate climate)

I understand that "non specific" potato varieties don't need the soil to be mounded up as they grow. Where can I find a list which shows "specific" and "non-specific" potato varieties.

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