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otamot
head gardener
1013 Posts |
 Posted - 13/07/2008 : 19:17:30
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thanks for the info ladies
tessa do you grow yours in the ground or do them in your pots of compost like your other vegies? there's nothing in the veg patch right now (apart from weeds!) so I may as well give them a go, from what you said it sounds like they'll be fine. do they like lots of compost or is will that be too wet for them? ah, Im so clueless on this! |
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The Estate
head gardener
Australia
3676 Posts |
Posted - 13/07/2008 : 20:35:08
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I would not worry too much, us women are allowed to changed their minds 
and tell DH I got more spuds when I cleaned me ears out the other night and he should lift his game 
My basic weeding rule: if they grow in rows they're flowers;
if they don't they're weeds.
Melbourne |
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tessa
head gardener
Australia
3682 Posts |
Posted - 13/07/2008 : 21:44:57
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ota...i grow them both in pots and in the ground.
personally...i think i get better yield in the pots tho.
yes...they'll like compost...but they won't like sulphate of potash...so be sure to not spread any of that around.
definitely go to the health food store for your seed supply. of course, i recommend dutch cream as the one to go for, if you can find them. second i'd suggest spunta, and third, ruby lou.
you go girl! nothing is easier to grow than a spud....cuz they don't want much from you labour-wise.
i'm planting some tomorrow. why not you do the same and then we can a good old fashioned potato growing contest! LOL.
cranky people live longer. i'm going to live forever!
perth, wa |
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otamot
head gardener
1013 Posts |
Posted - 13/07/2008 : 22:54:19
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LOL sounds good tessa, I'll see what I can drum up in the way of potatoes  |
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tessa
head gardener
Australia
3682 Posts |
Posted - 15/07/2008 : 21:13:09
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ota...i've fallen behind schedule and haven't managed to plant out just yet. you found your seeds?
here's a pic of the spuds we had for dinner tonight.
they are king edward whites...an heirloom potato.
i planted one potato, the size of the largest one here in the pic, in a 25cm pot...which upon harvest, i discovered that one complete side of it was dry as dust. all the spuds grew on the moist side. from one small potato...came dinner for two. not great, but not bad...and from a very small pot too!
a very pretty potato...and tasty!. i would hold it equal third with ruby-lou.
cranky people live longer. i'm going to live forever!
perth, wa |
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Mary-Anne
garden sage
Australia
10809 Posts |
Posted - 15/07/2008 : 22:33:14
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That's a fantastic yield from one spud Tessa and as you say they are pretty too.
I steamed some of those up top for Tony tonight he said they seemed a little harder then usual but tasted the same.. But then he says everything tastes good so no help at all..
But I am not complaining. 
Good Things Come To Those That Wait ... I am Tired Of Waiting
Love Your Enemies... It Will Drive Them Nuts |
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otamot
head gardener
1013 Posts |
Posted - 16/07/2008 : 14:59:05
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tessa I havent had a chance to go on my potato hunt yet LOL
I love that one! it looks like it's got lipstick on it
I'm going to try and get some spudlies today for planting |
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otamot
head gardener
1013 Posts |
Posted - 16/07/2008 : 21:27:04
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alrighty, I found some ruby lou! I hunted around and found them at the fruit and veg shop, but they're not organic so hopefully they'll still grow eventually? the only organic ones I could find didnt have any names on them so I decided not to go with them and I DO like pink potatoes 
I couldnt find any small ones so should I cut them in half or just plant whole? when's planting day tessa? |
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tessa
head gardener
Australia
3682 Posts |
Posted - 17/07/2008 : 12:32:22
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planting day will be today for me.
since you got your's from the commercial shop...your's are sprayed with growth retardant...and it's not going to be a fair competition.
but here's my suggestion:
plant 2 today.
put the rest in the pantry in a paper bag...dark, dark, dark.
i say, just plant two today...because there is no need to have them all ready at once. 2 potatoes planted today...*should* grow enough potatoes for two meals X two people. this two meals a week will start in about 3 months. diligent succession planting will be *so* appreciated 3 months from now. you will congratulate yourself! trust me
now plant 2 more next week.
repeat until your bag of potatoes are gone. towards the end (depending on how many you have) some of them should be sprouting already.
i wouldn't cut these ones, ota, since they will take longer to sprout...they might rot if cut.
but don't worry...they WILL eventually sprout.
and ruby lou are the best ones in the commercial shops, in my opinion...so nice selection! 
you are definitely going to enjoy the taste difference. it's as dramatic as folks say the difference between commercial and home-grown tomatoes are.
plant them about a foot deep...and a foot apart.
where are you, btw?
i thought you lived further south than me...but one of your recent posts led me to believe you might be in the 'burbs here.
i'm in bullcreek.
cranky people live longer. i'm going to live forever!
perth, wa |
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otamot
head gardener
1013 Posts |
Posted - 19/07/2008 : 21:19:29
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no Im up in the northern suburbs. I havent planted any yet, my backyard is a mess so I've been cleaning up out there - see topic "Im so fed up"  |
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tessa
head gardener
Australia
3682 Posts |
Posted - 20/07/2008 : 16:16:00
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ota...go to alive organics, 28 drynan street, bayswater.
it's a crazy little shop in a crazy kinda residential spot...and they have really old potatoes (sorry) in bins, covered with hessian lids. when you peek in there...you'll see the spuds are all sprouting. not something you'd buy to take home to cook...but definitely something you'd buy to take home to plant.
that's where i got those king edward whites...and no one else has ever had those before!
cranky people live longer. i'm going to live forever!
perth, wa |
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Jacqueline
assistant gardener
Australia
249 Posts |
Posted - 22/07/2008 : 14:19:29
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I have some pink potatoes in the cupboard here that have all started sprouting beautifully. This is probably a really, really stupid question....BUT....Do you plant them with the eyes pointing upward..or are they roots and should go downward? I plan to cut a couple into quarters. Never grown a potato in my life.
The red potatoes are actually better for persons with type 1 or insulin dependent diabetes (such as myself) because the potato flesh is more glossy and therefore less starchy and thus reduces the glycemic index...thus a much more gradual release of sugars. I have lived with this pesky disease since I was teenager, had 3 healthy children, worked as an intensive care nurse for 22 years and have none of the long term complications such as blindness, amputation, kidney disease etc. I cannot stress the importance of low GI foods enough.
Ok I will hop off my soap box now!!!!!!
Jacqueline, Brisbane |
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Mary-Anne
garden sage
Australia
10809 Posts |
Posted - 22/07/2008 : 19:57:06
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Good to know all of these things Jacqueline..
I don't think it matters which way they are planted as our ones had sprouts both sides though if you were planting cut pieces I would plant the cut side down I think you have to have so many eyes per piece and let the cut pieces dry out a few days before you plant, that's what we used to do in Melbourne years ago, things could be different in Qld.
We have never planted cut pieces here as the local fruit shop sells Desiree chats for $2 kg and there is a lot of them in one kg also every three weeks Aldi sell the same Desiree potatoes for 99 cents kg and they are the ones we plant small and firm..
Good Things Come To Those That Wait ... I am Tired Of Waiting
Love Your Enemies... It Will Drive Them Nuts |
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tessa
head gardener
Australia
3682 Posts |
Posted - 23/07/2008 : 00:11:42
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those will be shoots, not roots, jacqueline...so the majority on top...and you'll be fine.
another great meal of king edward whites.
these ones are really good too, waxy, not starchy.
and 16 to one ratio is pretty darned good. these are all from one planted potato.
cranky people live longer. i'm going to live forever!
perth, wa |
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Mary-Anne
garden sage
Australia
10809 Posts |
Posted - 23/07/2008 : 12:15:53
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Thats really good Tessa a fantastic harvest ...Well done
Good Things Come To Those That Wait ... I am Tired Of Waiting
Love Your Enemies... It Will Drive Them Nuts |
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