Garden growing question

[vineyardblues]

Any one have luck in NewEngland growing sweet Potatoes ? They look tuff for NE weather

Also has anyone used "Bags" for growing them ? for Reg tats in the yard....
Thought this would be the way , and recycle the soil for somthing else each year
Calling Mr Raven

[vineyardblues]

spuds

[Fishpart]

Peter, those your spuds???

[vineyardblues]

No, internet pic, but they sure look good !

I did buy a bunch of seeded pototoes , blue / etc / etc
I want to do raised beds or bags.... this year
I also would love to try and will , sweet potatoes as we eat more of them they Reg ones.... just maybe to short of a season in the hills of Worcester , and you need lot's - of room .....

[american spirit]

i've got some broccoli inside right now. when do you guys thrown it in the ground unprotected (not in a greenhouse). i also have some good looking lettuce. first year doing both. when can you toss the lettuce in the ground?

[Raven]

right after may 15th it's safe to plant everything

I have a source for you for a sweet potato variety that does very well up north

they don't ship for awhile so....... as soon as i locate it
i'll post it here

raised beds that are comfortable to reach across
to workem/ weedem and harvest is the way to go...

[smokefish]

Did a small patch last season for the first time. They took well, had some that were about a .lb. Only problem is they were some Japanese variety. Red skin with a white inside, kind of bland but made great dog treats when sliced and dried.

[Raven]

Potato's in General love mulch....the more the better,
so when you cut your grass spread it out on a flat surface to dry in the sun

maybe the driveway with a tarp on it
(so you don't "grass" your drive way) is a good drying spot

[Jenn]

Never did sweet potatoes but have done reg ones with great sucess.

Peruvian Blue- Blue skin & flesh-awesome and keep VERY well
Red Norlands-red skin white flesh-great taste but do not keep as long
Katahdin & green mountain- (white flesh)decent flavor-keep well
Adirondack Red-Red skin & pink/white marble flesh Very good flavor & yeild but did not keep long

Last year was the first year growing the Blues. I did not expect them to yield as well as they did nor keep as long as the whites but they did! Also tried the Adirondack Reds for the first time last year and was VERY pleased with the flavor. Their storage time seemed very short however...so we made sure to use these first (it was not a hard thing to do)

I throw right in the ground & hill them....mulching seems like to much work for me!

Good luck and have fun growing.....and make sure you taste test them right out of the ground before their sugars turn to starch.....SO DAMN GOOOOOOOOOD! No butter or sour cream needed!

[vineyardblues]

Great Info, thanks

Just a fyi ... Price chopper has them all on sale in the garden section, I think they were 3.99 for 5 seed patatoes,,,,,, cheaper then e-bay , Home depot nothing as of yet

[Jenn]

VB 4bucks for 5 taters? What kind? just got 5 LBS of Norlands at Tractor supply for $5

[vineyardblues]

looks like i rushed into it a bit ....6 all blue / 8 red norland / 8 kennebec 3.99 box

[Raven]

Originally Posted by vineyardblues

Calling Mr Raven

sweet potato link (best deals are 50 of GEORGIA JET )
does well in NEW ENGLAND

Steele Plant Company - Our Sweet Potatoes

[Raven]

one thing about potatoes is they like lightened up soil,so
mix in some compost or some pink sand to make
it easier for them to grow and expand

saw several varieties at BJ's last night

here's a link to MUDDA earf - tips on taters

When and How to Plant Potatoes

Jenn, the blue taters were sold out in many places i looked

[vineyardblues]

Thanks , Great info

[Adam_777]

I can't even get grass to grow never mind taters.Ever year I have to till the yard.Treat the soil.Replant seeds and the grass barely survives the summer.I may just turf the front yard.Anyone have a good source for fake grass mats ?

[Raven]

grow it in flats like sod then transplant the whole flat at once
cutting a rectangular hole first to accommodate it

[zimmy]

Beauregard - Johnny's Selected Seeds

we grow these in potato bags. They do well here. Even though I am in southern CT, my yard is typically at least a few days behind the inlaws who are up around hartford and even a up to a week behind houses down the street. They should work well in MA

[Saltheart]

I've grown Georgia Jets. Trick is to make mounds and cover the mounds with black plastic. Heat is what you want so you want them where it gets sun all day beating down on the black plastic to warm the soil. after about 2 weeks of preheating the soil you cut little slits and plant in the slits. Keep the plastic on the whole time they grow.

Regular potatoes are easy up here. I like the red potatoes from the garden but have done maybe 6 different ones over the years. Pontiac reds grow well.

The cool weather stuff like broccolli , lettuce, cabbage, peas ,cauliflower etc need to go in as early as you dare, Certainly by May 1. I think even earlier if you can. They need to be almost done before the hot weather hits. plant a second crop of the cold weather stuff so they mature again in late sep to october. Some like brussel sprouts will grow until thankgiving and actually benefit from some light frost.

End of May is for tomatoes , peppers summer squash , zuccini , egg plant , corn , string beans , carrots, radishes , onions , cukes,


Herbs are definitely worth growing now as they have gotten so expensive.

[Raven]

i grew broccoli in the northwest corner of the house
in the shade that gets maybe 3 hours of afternoon sun in pots
as an experiment and kept them well watered .
they grew all summer long....just fine!

where ever the snow was the last to melt in your garden area
is the coolest spot and that's where my big broccoli crop is going in

broccoli can take a frost easy..... cover the first true leaves with
a plastic cup anchored down with a rock on a night where the
frost is expected to hit and they'll be fine.

[vineyardblues]

Any tips on BLUEBERRIES

Wish I had planted them years ago , any good info

[Raven]

Blueberry's like a more acidic soil PH

Paul "the Professor" would be the guy to talk to
on them.... he's an expert by now.

you can buy the LARGE bushes though and save years
of growing time

you'll want to lay them out in a straight double row
so during the fruiting stage they can be netted to prevent
the birds from gobbling them up.

[Raven]

mother earth news has a seed/ plant finding service

and here's the link:
Mother Earth News Seed and Plant Finder

then throw in blueberry in the search box

Nourse farms is listed and they are in western mass
i mention it because then the soils are similar
that your bushes purchased grew in

[Swimmer]

Received twenty packages of donated seeds that are raffled every year within this group I belong too. Ten of the packs are from fruit that weighed from 1300 #'s to 1500 #'s. Unsure if I am planting any this year yet.

[fish4striper]

Originally Posted by vineyardblues

Any tips on BLUEBERRIES

Wish I had planted them years ago , any good info

blueberries need tons of water. They grow well in swampy areas that never dry out.


hijack:

Just moved, new place has a groundhog. How do you get rid of him?

[Raven]

Originally Posted by fish4striper

blueberries need tons of water. They grow well in swampy areas that never dry out.


hijack:

Just moved, new place has a groundhog. How do you get rid of him?

so pee in a jar or straight down his hole
buy some cheap mothballs too they hate
those more than pee....
but pee says: my place >>>Get .The .Fok.OuT

[vineyardblues]

UPDATE :
Took for ever to get theses seet potatoes seeds .. Another story 4 sure ..................

Any how built a raised bed 12 ft long 3 ft wide 12inch high that they will be going into tonight !!


Wish me luck

VB

[Raven]

they are called slips...... not seeds

it's a good day to plant today
the moon's in the sign of CANCER

one of the better times and in the fourth quarter
which is perfect for taters (root crops)

good luck VB

[vineyardblues]

Soon

[Saltheart]

This spring has been cold. The sweet taters like warm soil. Use the black plastic to absorb more heat into the ground !