Potatoes anyone?

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Rosamunda
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Re: Potatoes anyone?

Post by Rosamunda » Tue Apr 15, 2014 12:44 pm

onkko wrote:
Rosamunda wrote: anything with 50-60 cms depth.

I have been harvesting and planting potatoes since birth and i can say thats something what is just not true. Potatoes are in few centimeters underground.
Never seen any potato 50cm underground. More than few centimeters is rare.
Watch the video.

The idea is that you plant the seed potatoes quite low down in the container then, as the shoots and the tubers develop, you add earth on top (this is called "earthing up") which increases the length of the stems that carry spuds so you get a heavier crop. Try it.

Of course if you have unlimited space and can't be arsed to "earth up" every couple of weeks then you just get less potatoes per plant which doesn't matter if you plant long rows of seed potatoes. But if you have limited space (eg on a balcony) and you want to get the maximum you can per plant, then it is worth going to the extra effort. Container growing is often quite different to growing fruit and veg on an allotment.

Also, "earthing up" prevents potatoes from going green and it limits damage from pests.



Re: Potatoes anyone?

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onkko
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Re: Potatoes anyone?

Post by onkko » Wed Apr 16, 2014 1:53 pm

That could be good for individual potatoes on cases what really never happens but if you really plan to grow potatoes you forget that. Of course if you look only how potato grows and forget anything else....
I have been planting potatoes since birth and my family has been planting potatoes few hundred years and it was matter of life and death. Today we dont plant potatoes since price is so low there is no financial reason.
Its not about how potatoes grow but combined effort to plant and gather. It doesnt matter if potato is 10% bigger if you have to use 20% more to get it.
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DMC
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Re: Potatoes anyone?

Post by DMC » Wed Apr 16, 2014 2:36 pm

I have grown potatoes in a bag like that, and got a good crop. Much more than I would have got by devoting the same space to growing potatoes in the ground. That wasn't the motivation for me though, as I have plenty of space. I did it because I am lazy and, like growing in raised beds, it is easier. No digging, very little weeding, and getting the crop at the end is also easier.

Rosamunda
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Re: Potatoes anyone?

Post by Rosamunda » Thu Apr 17, 2014 12:04 am

DMC wrote:I have grown potatoes in a bag like that, and got a good crop. Much more than I would have got by devoting the same space to growing potatoes in the ground. That wasn't the motivation for me though, as I have plenty of space. I did it because I am lazy and, like growing in raised beds, it is easier. No digging, very little weeding, and getting the crop at the end is also easier.
Me too but I think growing stuff in bags, beds, pots and other miscellaneous containers must be a Brit thing because Finns just don't seem to believe that anything other than a cactus can grow in a pot :roll:

And they think they invented potatoes... :roll: :roll:

(and, btw, if you want really nice Finnish potatoes for Juhannus then I think it is actually CHEAPER to grow them yourself, rather than be ripped off with those tiny green potatoes they sell in the shops for a helluva price the week before Midsummer.)

Rip
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Re: Potatoes anyone?

Post by Rip » Thu Apr 17, 2014 10:33 pm

CH wrote: even Van Gogh has lost it's nr. 1 place (but that I had already noticed in the store), and seems to be loosing numbers fast. The Wikipedia article for Finnish potatoes still lists it as the most common, but the number is from 2006. I wonder why, it's a pretty nice potatoe.
Van Gogh's demise was noted in the press some time ago:
http://www.ts.fi/uutiset/kotimaa/468384 ... +kaupoissa
There is apparently race between the potato growers ant plant diseases. When the latter evolve, the varieties need to be changed.

At least in my local S-market those red and yellow bags do carry the name of the variety, but it is not very prominent and/because most shoppers don't care too much.

When I was a kid, some years ago already, I sort of got used to the idea that one did not expect too much regarding the taste of commercially grown potatoes.

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Pursuivant
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Re: Potatoes anyone?

Post by Pursuivant » Fri Apr 18, 2014 2:12 pm

My dad used to grow potatoes with "apulanta" but then went all biodynamical. His secret for early potatoes was to use year-old hay as piles on the stems. Protects them from the frosts. Other trick was to plant some spuds on the dungheap. The rhubarb was the other plant liking the vicinity, but the compost self-generated heat also did miracles as we had a very frost-prone low field.

Other I tried was US trailer trash "tyre taters" which actually is the easiest. The tyre rim keeps water, the black rubber sucks in sunlight and keeps it warm so you can get really early ones. Unless you have a greenhouse. But harvesting... Just a few kicks ;)
"By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes."

harryc
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Re: Potatoes anyone?

Post by harryc » Mon Apr 21, 2014 11:14 am

1. Correction - The Lidl price on Puikula was 1.50 per kg - still a far cry from S price.

2. Made some soup with Puikula - and found that besides the good taste - they also are indestructible - I left the soup on the boil for an eternity unintentionally - the taters were still firm while of course cooked.

priki
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Re: Potatoes anyone?

Post by priki » Tue Sep 29, 2015 9:24 pm

Ok, I've found another tasty potato. :) It is called Annabelle.
It is currently sold in the local Lidl as 'kesäperuna', we've eaten it several times this summer at the summer cottage as simple boiled potatoes (keitetyt perunat), or paistinperunat on the next day. Today I made some jauhelihaperunaviipalelaatikko, and it is yummy. :) My hb told that the same Annabelle potato was discussed about on radio today, it is new one and outdoor market sales people (torikauppiaat) have to teach people how to use it. :P
If you see it, give it a try. :)

Rosamunda
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Re: Potatoes anyone?

Post by Rosamunda » Wed Sep 30, 2015 1:11 am

I mentioned them already higher up in the thread: viewtopic.php?f=12&t=83275#p521987

They are really good. I have been growing them for three years and even this year I got a good crop. They are a nice shape, don't disintegrate when boiled and they have a distinctive flavour. Would definitely recommend them.

harryc
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Re: Potatoes anyone?

Post by harryc » Sun Oct 08, 2017 9:35 pm

A new variety was mentioned here - Annabelle.

I tried it then and was OK.

A week or so ago, Lidl had both Annabelle and Sikli for sale. I took a bag of each and we did some 'testing' (incl 'blind')

We found the taste of each to be very similat in terms of flavor - but the Sikli flavor was decidedly more intense - and in our opinion, far better.

This difference was reflected in the price - 50% higher but inview of the absolute price - not to affect a purchase decision.

(So one really does wonder what the point of introducing this variety)

+++

Re Sikli - I heard an YLE program with one caller telling what I have found out - Sikli also makes excellent 'Ranskalaisia.'

Rosamunda
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Re: Potatoes anyone?

Post by Rosamunda » Mon Oct 09, 2017 11:48 pm

Annabelle is an early potato and (in my humble opinion) tastes best in June. They can even be ready before Timo. If they are left in the ground too long they get too big and then the taste is not so good - but for sure the farmers get more € per hectare!

harryc
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Re: Potatoes anyone?

Post by harryc » Tue Oct 10, 2017 4:42 am

The Annabelles from Lidl were 'small' - probably were in August. Siklis small too - I always look to see no 'big' ones.

(Now realize time has 'flown' - as per why the moron threw the clock out the window)

As said - AnB taste was good - but was pretty much same 'flavor' as Sikli - but didn't have the same 'kick' I like so much in Siklis.


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