Potatoes

I have a complicated relationship with potatoes.  When I was 18 and living on a tiny croft farm on the Sheepshead Penninsula in the far South of Ireland, we planted potatoes in lazy-beds every year (see Bountea Article).  With the rain, peaty soil and a helping of cow manure, the potatoes simply grew themselves.

In my sandy alkali soil, I have had problems getting any kind of crop - and the potatoes often have a nasty dose of scab.  Last year I grew a couple of varieties of fingerlings with moderate success.  I dug deep trenches and filled them with peatmoss and pine tree mulch.  The more acid environment did help contain the scab.

This Sunday I started two new beds; potatoes like fresh soil.  I had forgotten how rocky my soil can be as I removed about 60 pounds of stones from an area 30" x 60".  I am trying the car tire approach: you plant 2 or 3 potatoes and cover with a car tire.  As the plant grows, you fill in the tire with more mulch and soil around the stem to provide an environment for the setting of extra potatoes.  There is a concern that the tires might leach chemicals but I will use weed block to keep the roots from touching the rubber.

I contacted the seed potato supplier, Ronniger Potato Farm, and asked for scab resistant varieties. Of their suggestions, I ordered Keuka Gold.  I also planted Peanut fingerlings for great taste.  Ronnigers also told me that I was probably not watering enough and the dry soil was promoting scab.

With better information and a few new growing tricks, I expect to a bumper crop of potatoes this year.