Your comments and tips

04 Dec 21, Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 7b Mild Temperate climate)

Most people grow potatoes from “seed potatoes”. Some people chose to grow their potatoes from actual seeds – think tomato seed. These seeds are called “True potato seeds”. The reasons to grow potatoes from TPS are numerous. The main reasons tend to be: more variety, and cultivating a variety that is well suited to your conditions. When the intent is to cultivate a variety well suited to your taste and growing conditions you generally purchase a package of say Andean TPS. This package will contain MANY different kinds of potatoes: flesh and skin colours. It will also contain short day, day neutral and long day potatoes; their ideal climates may differ. The idea is to grow as many of the potatoes as you can first year; some will grow well, some will not grow, some will grow poorly and some might just LOVE your place. Some will set a lot of potatoes, and some will set fewer; the idea is to find the potato/potato plant you like best – then save those potatoes to use as seed potatoes next year. In the first year you really don’t expect to have eating potatoes – it’s a year to find your potato variety. When growing from TPS you start the seeds early indoors, like you might do for tomatoes. Then transplant outdoors at the appropriate time.

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12 Dec 21, Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 7b Mild Temperate climate)

When looking at your growing seeds/plants this may help you figure out what is going on: Analyze the flower: Anther can be Red, blue or yellow/white. For Red or Blue Anthers: Red Anther, red skinned potato. Blue Anther, blue skin. The petals of the flower tell you the flesh colour: Red petals, red flesh, blue petals indicate blue flesh, yellow/white petals indicate yellow or white flesh For Yellow/white Anthers: you have yellow white flesh and the petal tell you the skin colour. It should be noted that red is actually more like magenta, and blue is more like lavender or violet; the experts call them red or blue; because your looking for the presence of red or blue which will indicate the presence of red or blue in the tuber. Also saturation of the colour varies from light speckling to deep saturation.

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10 Mar 21, Heather Warren (USA - Zone 8b climate)

I live in Squamish, BC. (Zone 8b). When can I start putting potatoes in buckets? :) (Gardenate: Try here /www.gardenate.com/plant/Potato?zone=12 )

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14 Feb 21, Chef (USA - Zone 8a climate)

New to container potatoes Looking at Early types Late types Larger the better Thank you all for your time

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16 Feb 21, Anonymous (USA - Zone 4a climate)

Look up the internet for varieties in your state/country.

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09 Feb 21, Patricia Adams (USA - Zone 8b climate)

I'm a beginner an is really fascinated with patio & container garden.what information can you give to be successful

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01 Mar 21, Matt stephens (USA - Zone 9b climate)

My first season growing potatoes was last year. We used the Ruth Stout Method and had no problems. We created the raised bed, turned the dirt and added a layer of compost, then put the potatoes down and laid hay on top. We added a good 6-10 in of straw over the top when the sprout came out of the soil. Best and easiest method I have ever seen or heard of. What is described on here is also interesting, I just don't have enough cardboard or newspaper, so I'll be using straw again this year. Just a side note, we have seen/heard people grow things directly in the straw bale too. Usually when they don't have space in their yard, or no yard at all. This method also works well. Good luck!

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04 Dec 21, Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 7b Mild Temperate climate)

I've used straw to mound my potatoes and had a lot of issues with slugs and other insects. The straw also made it difficult to water (surprisingly), I had to add a lot of water to get down to the plant roots - I think when it is all soil, the water distributes better. I would use straw again, but it would not be my go to choice; but when there's not enough soil, straw is certainly easy to transport, light and affordable, additionally it is a byproduct (3rd cut) of another process. The straw also left the underlying soil in really good shape (taking the brunt of the sun and wind).

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12 Feb 21, colleen (USA - Zone 10b climate)

That's a big subject! I'd say it depends on what you're trying to achieve. Do you just want a few really good veggies? Do you want to grow as much of your daily food as possible? Does your garden need to be aesthetically pleasing? There are lots of books on container gardening, you could try browsing your local library online. If space is limited, I say think about which veggies you love the most, which are pricey at the store, and which are most improved by eating fresh. Basil and salad greens for instance, are very easy to grow but very overpriced at the store. Corn and tomatoes are so much better homegrown. Whereas potatoes and onions are cheap at the store and not THAT much better homegrown so they're only worth it if you have plenty of space to devote. My advice for a beginner would be to start small and manageable, and build on that each year. Maybe this year buy a couple of Earthboxes or DIY a knockoff, and just grow a few of your favorite veggies. This will also reveal what some of your challenges might be. For instance my first year raccoons ate all my sweet corn, that taught me I would need a good fence in the future. ;-)

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11 Feb 21, Gary Hall (Australia - arid climate)

Patricia you need to find out what the Potato season is for your climate Zone 8b is check with local Nursery or where you buy seed potato don't use culinary potato's as they might have fungus or disease.

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