Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
williammorgan

Too soon for potatoes?

williammorgan
9 years ago

I'm in SE MA and I have a raised bed(about 2 feet high, mortared stone). Soil drains well. It's covered with straw right now. The old saying is plant potatoes when the dandelions bloom. Well they're about to shoot up their flower stems. Think it's okay to plant today? I don't have a soil thermometer but to the touch the soil is warm having been sunny the last two days. I do have straw available to tuck them in until they are ready. Dandelions will probably be in bloom in a week. No rain in sight. Low of 30 for tonight.

Comments (7)

  • veggievicki
    9 years ago

    Go for it. You can use a kitchen thermometer to check your soil by the way. The main issue is a combo of cold and wet. If it's both cold and wet your seed potatoes will rot before they sprout. You can also help yourself out by getting them to sprout before you plant. I'm in zone 7 and mine are a couple inches tall.

  • Ohiofem 6a/5b Southwest Ohio
    9 years ago

    I planted mine April 5 and they started showing sprouts yesterday. We did have snow and a low of 22 on Tuesday, but it was sunny and mild before and after that. Mine seem to have made it without problems. They can handle temps down to about 30, especially before they emerge. Look at your 10-day forecast. If there are no sustained freezing temps forecast, you'll be fine planting now.

  • williammorgan
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Okay thanks people. I did plant ones before and they almost all rotted but can't remember what happened that spring. I think it was very wet. One year we had late blight killed everything. An Gorta Mor all over again...well the disease part.

    I've green sprouted them and some warm weather to come should get them popping. Think they might like their new home. The organic insecticide I used killed a wirewrm I think. He wasn't moving. Soil is warm enough I think. Thought the bugs just couldn't stand the smell. I'll use it again when it's time to hill up.

  • terry_neoh
    9 years ago

    I have very good luck using this method for seed potatoes:

    Right after cutting them up (while they are still moist) I put the pieces in a paper bag, add some Captan powder, and give them a good shake. I'm not sure if Captan is still available as I have been using the same container I bought some 15 years ago. At any rate, any powdered fungicide would probably work.

    This allows the potato sets to survive cold, wet soil without rotting. Also, if you cut them but need to wait some time before planting, they will keep better without rotting.

  • williammorgan
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I remember that being recommended in Crockett's Victory Garden.

    Think I'm going to be okay. High 60's next two days. Then high 50's, low 60's, mid 60's over the course of a week. Then it cools off a bit but they really don't know that yet, they just guess based on models, charts, historical data and they're often wrong. However I always expect some cool weather in early May. People get the urge in late April to put out their tomatoes and then early May brings some cool weather and they get stunted. But 1 nice week of weather should et them to continue to shoot their eyes. There was a little frost on the ground last night but they're in a raised bed.

  • 2ajsmama
    9 years ago

    Going to rain a few days this week here, check your forecast again before you plant. I think I'm going to hold off until the weekend - also supposed to be another couple of around-freezing nights. Haven't checked soil temp yet here, but we have been below freezing almost every night last week even though days are warm so holding off with beans too.

    Just trying to get my lettuce and kale starts hardened off to plant later this week after the freeze.

  • williammorgan
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    As queer as it sounds I'm to the north of you but i'm in a warmer zone. I heard showers for tomorrow perhaps but I'm not seeing terribly cold weather in the forecast. I've watched poatoes growing mulched with leaves in February before. One bed I'm confident in and the other two i'm iffy because one is lower in a valley if you will and the other doesn't have as good soil. I mulched with straw so there will be some insulation.