Potatoes

[MJACTIVIST]

So I'm doing 3 different varieties this year-
Nicola
Red Pontiac
Red Dale
I will have them in the ground around by Feb 25. I plan to use 10-100 gallon camopots to see how they compare to Smart Pots. I plan on planting most of these as a whole but there’s a few that are big enough to cut in half or more. I also mixed up a special batch of soil just for these.

This is my soil mixture-
8 large bags of a high-quality organic potting soil with coco fiber
25 to 50 lbs of organic worm castings
5 lbs steamed bone meal
5 lbs Bloom bat guano
5 lbs blood meal
3 lbs rock phosphate
¾ cup Epson salts
½ cup dolomite lime
½ cup azomite
2 tbsp powdered humic acid

I'll keep updating pics over the season.
L8
MJ

[GunnarSK]

The potato (clones) are probably OK, but did you consider trying TPS, which you can buy from Tom Wagner now?
Your soil mixture sounds mighty good, but most (like myself) grow potatoes in plain ground, if they have that option.

[Tom Wagner]

Gunnar,

I believe MJ ordered some TPS from me already. Or at least I know I sent TPS to California in several places...don't know MJ's identity on the packing slip.

I mix a somewhat similar mix as MJ mentions.

However, I start with a Sunshine Natural & Organic Aggregate 3.8cf (82 lbs) and add my secret blend of ingredients...some like MJ's listed items, but certainly I would add alfalfa meal, kelp meal etc.

This year I am testing some organic foliar ingredients from a company that wants to promote my use of it perhaps will use my name and picture in the curricular ads.

I can produce tomato plants ready for transplating (TPS seedlings too) that are the envy of professional organic plant growers. Even in the same greenhouse. All from the soil mix.

Of course, I have had lots of experience in soil mixes. I sold my Tom's Mix wholesale back in the 70's and 80's. I had special formulas for house plants, potted roses, and for ...ahem....illegal plants. Never got to see the results of those illegal plants...only reorders for the organic-pH neutral blend of soil. Never knew many of my customer's names or nothing.


http://www.horticulturesource.com/po...7189555d6d3658


I am showing the Camopots above and the 38" by 20" is the 98 gallon size pot. I should interest some of my cooperators who get truckloads of compost each year to work with those. I could custom mix the compost with other ingredients and grow TPS seedlings in those. I could put one hundred seedling TPS family lines per Camopot. Hmmm....

[MJACTIVIST]

Gunnar,
I did order some TPS from Tom. But I had ordered these last year like i have done in the past.
I'll post up pic of the backyard garden in the next 2 weeks or so.
L8
MJ

[MJACTIVIST]

Heres a quick update. I had a few days of very cold weather so 2/25/11 went out the window. But, I'm planting these this week. Today its raining and I dont feel like getting wet.LOL. So not today, but very soon.
L8
MJ