kilroyscarnival
My name was mentioned a few times, therefore, I will chime in.
Growing potatoes in Orlando, Florida?
My knowledge of potatoes in Florida is about forty years out of date. I know varieties like Atlantic would do well there but where are you going to find tubers of that one? It is a potato chip variety and I doubt if you would find those around.
I don't know exactly the the best time to plant potatoes in Orlando, but I would hazard a guess...Jan/Feb planting and April harvest.
Potato varieties that would do best would be mid season to early so that the potatoes would die down naturally as the weather turns hot. So yes, Yukon Gold and Azul Toro would work just fine.
As far as varieties I have to trial in your area....I have quite a few...but you must let me know how big of an area you have to grow potatoes..containers only or do you have a large garden?
Are you in for yield, flavor, color etc?
Most of my on site buying of potatoes was when I was a potato buyer for Frito-Lay was in the Hastings area on the ground there and living in Fort Augustine during the harvest season. Homestead potatoes were bought over the phone.
Most of by breeding work for Florida were with Eastern Seaboard adapted varieties and I could fill pages with information on hundreds of varieties and experimental lines that have done well there over the past fifty years. My vast TPS collections undoubtedly would provide some great options but I don't think the interest is for these.
As I said...I have historical data on your area for variety selection but I think it best to start off simple first.
Reminds me of a poem I wrote...reminisced from poetry you may know of...... Schwartz......
"TIME BURNS-LEARNING ENDURES"
The fire of the candle of time burns but a lifetime
Leaving not a trace of its light, warmth, or shadow.
Did not Lincoln read by the fire before his prime?
That burning fire sparked kindled prose that would later show.
But for the lifelong learner who shares that learned time
Will extend past his lifetime a beaming enlightened glow
Of knowledge, casting an everlasting shadow off a stood still time.
Tom Wagner
Key words...Time learn fire burn etc.
Quote:
"Time is the school in which we learn. Time is the fire in which we all burn"
Delmore Schwartz
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