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Post by thomis on Mar 31, 2015 10:02:35 GMT -5
I'm getting mine in the ground Tomorrow evening. They shipped late this year due to weather, two weeks later. And the instructions say to keep them for two weeks in a warm place 65 to 70 degrees before planting, so the end of my two weeks is tomorrow. I've had the beds ready for a month or so. What calamity am I to expect planting so late here in central NC? Also, I used claybreaker with gypsum as well as peat moss to amend the soil, which was really a mix of silt-loam and clay. I took a soil test last year and pH is spot on at an average 5.4. I wonder what, if anything, the gypsum will do to help?
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Post by desertwoman on Mar 31, 2015 10:53:46 GMT -5
Is this thomis from the old site?
If it is, glad you found us. If it's a new thomis- Welcome!
(I don't grow taters, but someone will chime in)
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Post by thomis on Apr 1, 2015 7:32:06 GMT -5
It is me! Thanks desertwoman ;)
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Post by brownrexx on Apr 1, 2015 7:44:01 GMT -5
I grow potatoes but it is warmer in NC than PA so it will be different. All I can say is that gypsum is slow acting to add calcium. You didn't say when you applied it but if it was last year you may see some improvement. Having a somewhat acid pH is supposed to help with avoiding scab.
According to the U of Maine potatoes like a pH of 5.3 - 7.0 so you should be fine with your pH.
I know that potatoes don't like to be too warm so I would mulch heavily if I were in a warm area like NC.
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Post by kimmsrđź•Š on Apr 1, 2015 11:00:20 GMT -5
Generally gypsum does nothing to help soils, clay or not. The people that push gypsum are people that sell it. If you talk with the horticulturist at your local office of the North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension Service they will tello you that gypsum will do nothing for your soil.
puyallup.wsu.edu/~Linda%20Chalker-Scott/Horticultural%20Myths_files/Myths/Gypsum.pdf
Your potatoes will be two to four weeks late, providing your soil temperature is where it should be for planting. If that soil is still too cold for planting the seed potatoes will simply rot.
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Post by brownrexx on Apr 1, 2015 12:23:52 GMT -5
I used gypsum about 2 years ago to increase the calcium level in my soil because I had determined that it was low based on my soil test. The following year's soil test showed a higher level of calcium so it did work for that.
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Post by lisaann on Apr 1, 2015 14:32:23 GMT -5
Thomis,
What did you ever use your half whiskey barrel for? I ask you on the other site, but never heard back from you.
Hahahahhaa I have been curious ever since you brought up the subject. I see a whiskey barrel and say, "Wonder what Thomis ever did with his!"
The potatoes will get harvested, probably still on schedule.
I was wondering why they wanted you to hold on to them for 2 weeks before plant out. So they would sprout before going in the ground? Did they sprout?
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Post by Mumsey on Apr 1, 2015 15:50:37 GMT -5
Your taters will be fine. Root crops help to break up clay soil, so they will actually be improving conditions.
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Post by mrsk on Apr 2, 2015 9:21:04 GMT -5
One year, I planted late, and had much less CPBeetle. I think they can go in early, but they don't HAVE to go in early.
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Post by mrsk on Apr 2, 2015 9:21:36 GMT -5
OH, and I am glad you made it too!
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Post by thomis on Apr 2, 2015 14:36:37 GMT -5
Thanks everyone for the advice and comments. I got my spuds in the ground and I'm very excited to see how I do with them. The Carola potatoes are the absolute best I've ever had so I had to plant some of them, yum. I also got in about 20' of Chieftan, touted to be quite good as well. Lisa, I'm so sorry I didn't see your question regarding the whiskey barrel! I don't get on the gardening forums as much, my real passion is fruit trees so I spend a lot of time on that forum. I just put in 19 more fruit trees and my new thing is blueberry bushes so in went 15 of those I went back through the pics on my computer and I did take a pic of the whiskey barrel. This pic is shortly after planting so you can imagine the plants got pretty big and filled it out nicely. The thyme and oregano overwintered and is coming back. This was a pleasant surprise. I guess well I'm at it, I'll post a couple more pics of happy things, it is nice getting to know peeps on here, may as well show some pics, too, eh? Happy Easter weekend ya'll!
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Post by lisaann on Apr 2, 2015 14:51:04 GMT -5
Thomis!
Your whiskey barrel planting turned out very lovely! Thanks for the pics!
And I can see why you love your fruit trees............My goodness! What a nice orchard! I love the babies smelling the blossoms! So cute.
I am heading out to plant blades of grass..............well, my onions I started inside. hahaha It's like planting blades of grass. When did your onions get planted?
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Post by mrsk on Apr 2, 2015 15:30:45 GMT -5
I think your best crop, is on the ground looking up and smelling the flowers!
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Post by ecsoehng on Apr 2, 2015 16:30:42 GMT -5
Potatoes will not grow in hot soil. They like it in the 60s and 70s. So they will just be smaller for you if you plant them late. That is why they need to be planted early in the south. To take advantage of cooler spring temperatures.
I LOVE those pictures, they are adorable children!
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Post by ncgarden on Apr 2, 2015 17:30:35 GMT -5
I don't put my potatoes in the ground until mid to end of April. I mulch them heavily, like six inches of straw and they normally do extremely well - heavy Carolina clay and rocks, with a little bit of soil amended with a few years of manure.
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