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  • From: bob111higgins AT comcast.net
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Question for Potato Farmers
  • Date: Sat, 01 May 2004 02:12:14 +0000

Hi Brian,

In my experience, most potatoes are pretty easy to grow if you can avoid
colorado potato beetles and control for diseases. But that might be saying a
lot. How much will you grow? If you can grow under row covers, that will
pretty much solve your potato beetle problem. If not, you will have to pick
and probably spray. Get the Gardens Alive! catalogue for good ideas there,
pyrethrum or rotenone or combo.

For disease prevention, I use a mild copper spray that they sell (also on my
tomatoes), on a bi-weekly basis. But since I rotate my fields, I will accept
some wilt etc rather than spray more than I want. You will want lots of
organic material, and an acid soil to inhibit scab. Try to sow buckwheat on
your potato patch the fall before, it will bring up lots of minerals; but it
frost-kills, so beware the timing in the fall and in the spring.

This year I am not growing sweets (next year) but am focusing on: All Blue,
Red Norland, Yukon Gold, and Kennebec (the last for my winter keepers), 120
lbs. in all, very small production to start with. After I can increase my
garden size, I will have early, middle, and late season blue, red, yellow and
whites. This year I had to compromise. I've had no luck with fingerlings,
don't know why. I bought certified seed potatoes from Moose Tubers in Maine
(google for their website) and hope I can keep some of my own for next year.
We still have 10 lbs of Kennebecs in the fridge from last year!

Bob Higgins
Red Brick Farm
Hopewell, NJ
> We are thinking of planting potatoes, sweet and White. What are some
> varieties that are ealsiy to grow? Do you have any websites on potatoes?
>
> Any help will be appreciated.
>
> Brian J. Bauer
> Dixie Farms
> www.dixiefarmsusa.com - Website
> brian AT dixiefarmsusa.com - email
>
>
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