Mr. Tom Wagner wrote
"That is quite a challenge to try to uphold! If I can personally learn more by attempting to answer your questions, then I am a life-long student of learning. If you have learned anything from my self-professed odd style
of the English language, it would make me by default; the teacher. "
LOL...not at all a challenge for you, there in this particular Field...i know good an well you dun Forgot more about potatos than i'll ever even come close to learnin...))) Bocephus sang a Live version of "Country Boy Can Survive"...in which..as he was wrappin it up, he ad-libbed..." We are TOURISTS.....We are GUIDES". yeah,...we all are one or the other, sometimes...an sometimes we are both things at once...))) Learned a lot from your answer...TY. Got a few follow-up questions.
I'm gonna apply your advice and monitor soil temps at 4" depth and shoot for a planting to occur when minimum fluctuation temp is 50`F across 2-3 days and expected to be fairly stable...which means propably 1-2nd week of April, maybe the 3rd. Is 4" the depth at which you advise planting the seed potato ? Seems like i usually go about 6-7 inches deep...maybe i need to shallow that up, some.
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The tuber bulking stage has to get past the time when daytime temperatures usually start to climb. In Georgia, when the night-times stay above comfort levels, the tuber doesn't set the higher gravities associated with high tuber quality
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Is there any stage after the tuber-bulking stage..other than Harvest ? I take it the tuber-bulking stage is the period when formed tubers swell and grow out to maturity..is that correct ? Additionally...what would be ideal soil temp Comfort range at night , and at what upper fluctuation soil temp in Day... cause limited tuber-bulking? To some degree , mulch selection/application will depend upon insights gained thru these questions/answers.
I do employ the sprouting or "chitting' practice, but i have never allowed any cut-curing, prior to planting sprouted cut seed. Would that be advisable/helpful ?
Regarding ideal storage conditions for holding over seed potatoes...how bout in a plastic bag in the lower lettuce drawers of a refrigerator ? I have a second refrigerator just for garden and game use. Any ideas to store them well, there, are sho appreciated.
As for the Colorado Potato beetle, and the Mexican bean beetle on my beans...2 years ago i first noticed new bugs i had never seen in the garden...and was able to identify them as Predatory Stink Bugs. I have seen one eating a CPB larvae...and for sure...my CPB outbreaks have been quite easy to manage in the past 2-3 years...all it takes is noticing them upon first arrival and promptly killin them. It wasnt always that way tho..an i guess any Season could have a strong outbreak..over time. I've had one or 2 Real bad years ...across about 12. A Real problem that sho rowls me up is the Fire-ants that love to build a mound right on top of a Potato plant and suck the tubers and vines dry. I use my own custom-made Spinosad baits , as well as spot ground saturation, to keep them in check, but it's a never-endin battle. It'd be great if you found a way to breed a fire-ant resistant potato...)))
I sure Thank Ya for the educating, informative replies...Tom Wagner...and again...others w/opinions and related experiences...feel free to chime in...)))