# Potatoes



## Kodeman (Jul 25, 2013)

Some of my potatoes have already gone to seed. Should I pinch them back or just let them be? Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Kodeman


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

You can dig them anytime after they bloom.
the longer you leave them in the soil, the bigger your crop, until the tops die.
If you leave them in the ground for more than 8 weeks, after tops die, in the hot Summer & Fall, the
potatoes could spout.


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

I'm sorry but what do you mean by "gone to seed"? 

I know different folks use different terms but I have never heard of potatoes going to seed?

Around my neck of the woods you ...

Plant then hill, they grow and you hill, they bloom and you hill, they die back and you dig, dry and store. (The short version )


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## Kodeman (Jul 25, 2013)

*Andi said:


> I'm sorry but what do you mean by "gone to seed"?
> 
> I know different folks use different terms but I have never heard of potatoes going to seed?
> 
> ...


Sorry for the confusion, I guess I meant to say that some were in bloom.


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

Congrats!

In that case ... just let them be. (other than a little hilling)


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

Wait, potatoes don't ever produce little tomato like fruits full of seeds for you guys? Is it a climate thing?


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## mosquitomountainman (Jan 25, 2010)

Way back we used to plant lots of potatoes. When they blossom they will have small spuds growing on them and when the peas were ready we'd have peas and new potatoes.

If you plant the spuds by dropping them on the ground then piling up a couple of feet of loose straw over them you can just reach into the straw and feel around for the potatoes. You can then pick those you want and the rest will keep growing as long as you do not uproot the plant. Be careful doing this if you have lots of snakes though!


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

mosquitomountainman said:


> If you plant the spuds by dropping them on the ground then piling up a couple of feet of loose straw over them you can just reach into the straw and feel around for the potatoes. You can then pick those you want and the rest will keep growing as long as you do not uproot the plant. Be careful doing this if you have lots of snakes though!


Been there and done that ... :gaah:

I planted in straw only once, they were clean potatoes but the number of snakes.


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

cowboyhermit said:


> Wait, potatoes don't ever produce little tomato like fruits full of seeds for you guys? Is it a climate thing?


It could be a climate thing or a maybe certain/different varieties ... Down here the summer heat takes a potato plant rather quick after the bloom. (In my area anyway. )


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

cowboyhermit said:


> Wait, potatoes don't ever produce little tomato like fruits full of seeds for you guys? Is it a climate thing?


 We also get the odd potato grow the tomato like seed pods, if it happens again I am going to try to save some and see if they grow. this seems to happen on wet years


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## HardCider (Dec 13, 2013)

When you all dehydrate your potatoes, what method of storage seems to work best for you for longevity and ease of use, canning jars, mylar pouches or food saver bags.


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## SouthCentralUS (Nov 11, 2012)

We put some in jars to keep in the kitchen and most go in mylar. When the jar is empty we just open a bag and refill the jar. Food saver is a bad idea because of the sharp edges. Hubby dehydrated cubes last week and put them in paper bags before putting in mylar. Those cubes have really sharp corners.


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

*Andi said:


> Been there and done that ... :gaah:
> 
> I planted in straw only once, they were clean potatoes but the number of snakes.


Fried Snake & baked potatoes.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

HardCider said:


> When you all dehydrate your potatoes, what method of storage seems to work best for you for longevity and ease of use, canning jars, mylar pouches or food saver bags.


We loose pack them in 5 gallon ziploc bags inside 5 gallon buckets, we use them regularly so haven't had any stored more than a few years. Being loose packed, they dont puncture the bags or at least if they do they dont seem to suffer any ill effects.

The oldest ones we've used have been just as good as the ones right out of the dehydrator.


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