[AT] Info on potato growing and crop insurance - was RE:OTHappywhite easter

[charlie hill]

Thanks Grant,  that is kind of what I was thinking as far as consequences. 
I think last year I failed to fertilize enough as the plants started to 
flower.  I had potatoes and they were good but not enough and not big 
enough.
I use manure or manufactured fertilizer depending on what I have easiest 
access to at the time and sometimes a combination of the two.  Manure is 
cheaper (free) but bagged fertilizer takes less time and effort.

Charlie

-----Original Message----- 
From: Grant Brians
Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2012 4:35 PM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: Re: [AT] Info on potato growing and crop insurance - was 
RE:OTHappywhite easter

Here is my second take on your issue.... If you have compost, apply the 
equivalent of an inch thick and plow it in. Or place it in a wide planting 
furrow and then put the potatoes on the compost and then cover. If Chemical 
fertilizer, apply the same amount as the most you would give Tomatoes before 
planting to the sides (sidedressed) and then sprinkle some more on at the 
time of tuber set unless the vines are super tall already (you will 
know....) If you have raw manure only then place it in the garden and turn 
it into the soil in the fall and then add half as much fertilizer as you 
think you need in the planting furrow just like the compost application 
method.
     The reason they said don't give too much nitrogen is that the potatoes 
will start breaking down early and the plants will put more energy into the 
vine than the potatoes. Also they get a funny taste....
           Grant Brians

-----Original Message-----
From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
[mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com]On Behalf Of charlie hill
Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2012 12:57 PM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: Re: [AT] Info on potato growing and crop insurance - was RE:
OTHappywhite easter


Thanks Grant.  I wasn't expecting you to go into such detail but I
appreciate it.  As for the Crop Insurance,  I used to adjust Federal Crop so
I have some idea what you are speaking of.  Our agents never even tried to
sell federal crop for any sort of veggie crop other than potatoes and some
cabbage but both of those crops here are a one shot harvest.

I'll expand a bit on my question about fertilizer for potatoes.  When I was
a kid we grew them in a large garden and it was essentially like growing
them in a farm situation, just on a smaller scale.  Back then I knew how to
do it.   For the last few years I've been raising a small home garden and
potatoes are something I alwaysb plant and have mixed results with.  The
reason for my question about fertilizer is that one of my farmer friends
once cautioned me against putting to much nitrogen to them.  I asked him
why.  He just laughed out loud and said "if you do it you'll find out." His
buddies laughed too.  I'm not sure if they knew what he was talking about of
if they were just going along with the joke.  Well from then on I've been
gun shy about applying nitrogen and since they wouldn't tell me what the
result is I don't know how to tell when I've gone overboard so I err on the
side of caution and probably don't use enough.  My guess is that if I use
too much I'll have all bush and no potatoes to speak of or I'll have a lot
of necrosis but I just don't know.   Anyway, thanks for the lesson.

Charlie


_______________________________________________
AT mailing list
http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at