Russett and Red Potatoes

Question

We had no heat for about a month at Christmas. Our AC would come on because we had a dual heater/AC unit and the heater had died. We used a small heater in the LR and I moved the plants from the kitchen to the LR. Our potatoes were in their bags sitting on the slate tiles which are on a cement slab.

I looked one day, and they were covered in buds. So I cut them with two buds each, set them on a cooking rack for 1 day as the directions stated, planted them in a pot in Miracle Grow Moisture Control Garden Soil and have added more soil when they are about 6″ tall. There are about 10 plants growing very quickly.

1) Is it possible to separate them and replant them in a large farm container and keep them in the shed at night, or cover them? We have been having a very cold winter in Auburn, AL this year. It was 28 degrees a few nights ago. The shed has windows along the top of the outside wall so they could stay in there until the nights warm up.

2) What is a good night time temp. to plant them outside?

3) When do I stop adding soil to the new growth? They look terrific.

Thank you, Cecyle [e-mail]

Answer 1

1) You can separate them if you like, though it may cause some root damage. But they should recover from that. You can store them in the shed as long as temps do not fall below 40F in there.

2) You want night time temps to be in the 40s. While potatoes can take temps into the mid 30s, they start to suffer some damage if temps fall below 40F.

3) This is really up to you. Some people continue to add soil or straw until the stems start to die back and the plant is done producing tubers. Continuing to add a growing medium does result in more potatoes.