Excited about growing potatoes

[audreyh1]

The sweet potato is in the ipomea genus. Ipomea batatas. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_potato

 

[NW-Bound]

In contrast with yam leaves and sweet potato leaves, potato leaves are toxic. The latter has a compound called solanine which is a poison.

Solanine poisoning is primarily displayed by gastrointestinal and neurological disorders. Symptoms include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps, burning of the throat, cardiac dysrhythmia, nightmares, headache, dizziness, itching, eczema, thyroid problems, and inflammation and pain in the joints.

Potatoes that have green spots also have solanine, hence we are advised to throw them away.

Here are some stories about solanine poisoning from the Smithsonian Web site.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts...-caused-mass-sickness-and-even-death-3162870/

 

[Graybeard]

Potatoes that have green spots also have solanine, hence we are advised to throw them away.

Here are some stories about solanine poisoning from the Smithsonian Web site.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts...-caused-mass-sickness-and-even-death-3162870/

You can just cut off the green area and the rest of the potato is safe to eat, you don't have to toss the entire spud.

 

[audreyh1]

Potatoes are a nightshade, like peppers, tomatoes and eggplants. What did you expect!?!

One reason Europeans weren’t so sure about eating tomatoes for a long time after they were brought from the New World.

Somehow they weren’t worried about pepper or potatoes?

 

[street]

I believe the green on potatoes come from being exposed and not covered with dirt. They have grown part out of the ground. Hilling is important part of a successful harvest.

 

[old medic]

Ours are looking great so far.

 

[SecondCor521]

We're growing some for the first time this year. Five or six plants, just about ready to hill for the first time it looks like. Mine appear to like sun as well - the plant nearest the fence shade is the smallest.

Also planted some carrot seeds about a week or so ago but none of them germinated. Not sure why.

 

[RobbieB]

Got my tomatoes, peppers, string beans, basil, oregano, chives, lettuce and cilantro in but no potatoes. Only have 6 pig troughs for the garden.

 

[street]

SecondCor521 >>> I planted carrots last year and it took a while for them to germinate. Hope to hear in future how your potatoes are doing.

RobbieB >>> I take it you are planting in troughs not directly in the earth? We have tomatoes (18), beets, lettuce, cucumbers, pole beans, squash (4) and pumpkins (4) and of course a few potato plants.

Pumpkins are a thing my wife likes to raise for some fall decorating etc..

 

[Graybeard]

SecondCor521 carrots are very slow to germinate. You need to keep the soil moist. I used to put a piece of burlap over them and water it each day, twice if it was very hot and sunny.

Gumby there is an organic pesticide you can use to spray the potato plants to kill the CPB larvae, it has no effect on the eggs or the adults. It washes off with rain. It is BT but there is a specific variety of BT for potatoes, the other varieties won't work. Any decent garden center even Home Depot sells BT but HD might not have the BT used on CPB.

Bt san diego and Bt tenebrionis will take out certain coleoptera (beetles). These types come into play when battling the elm leaf beetle and Colorado potato beetle on potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, or elms.

 

[RAE]

So, I been reading up on them and they say, a couple week after they are done flowering there should be some small spuds for the taking. Is that true??

Yes, that's about right, although I wait to start digging a few potatoes until the tops of the plants die back, at least somewhat. If you dig too many before that, you'll probably end up with a smaller overall harvest than you would otherwise.

 

[audreyh1]

There’s new potatoes and then there’s fully grown potatoes.