Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: boddy on March 25, 2014, 17:31
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I've been reading everything I can on planting my seed potatoes (which are chitting away nicely). I've read that I can cut potatoes into pieces (probably in half) if they have at least 3 eyes on each piece. It's suggested that they should then be left for 24hrs for the cut to harden. On a couple of sites it's suggested that cover the cuts in 'sulphur' to prevent them rotting. With this in mind I went to our local agricultural store and all I could find is 'yellow sulphur', however this seem to be for treating bulbs prior to storage. Is this the right stuff? I asked a man in the shop and he said their 'potato man' was not in until tomorrow and that he might know. It did occur tome that the sites I'd seen sulphur mentioned might have been American ones, and therefore their climate might need this when we don't.
So my questions are, do I need sulphur on potato seed pieces in this climate?.....and....
is 'yellow sulphur' the right stuff? (and if not what is?).
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i've heard of people using ash from a fire on the fresh cut and left to dry.
personally i tend to try and buy the smaller seeds and put the whole thing in. the whole ones must be more reliable. after all if you cut your seed in half you get twice the amount of seeds, but if half of the pieces rot and don't crop then your back to the same but with a lot of wasted space.
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As you already know the idea is to try to stop the cut surface rotting - just leaving it to dry will discourage moulds to some extent, ashes would probably also help keep the surface dry, but sulphur would be my choice as it is potentially a much more potent fungicide (elemental sulphur is yellow - garden centres usually sell it as pellets to help acidify soil for ericaceous plants, but if you can buy the powdered form it's obviously a much better bet when trying to get it to stick to the surface of a wet spud!)
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No need for sulphur. When you have cut them bring them into the central heating for a couple of days and the cut surfaces will soon dry. The edges may look a little wrinkled but they will be OK. Once dried over they can return to your cool/light conditions. Best to wait a day or two before planting to ensure the cut surfaces are healed over properly.
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I have used ash with no problem
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If you cut the seed in half have you got the space to grow twice as many potatoes as you originally intended?
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We use the yellow sulphur powder, and yes, it is the right stuff. As said, it helps prevent rotting but the cut side (after dusting with sulphur) must still have some drying off time before planting.
If you can get it, it's just extra insurance. I find wireworms and other ground critters don't like the sulphur and stay away.
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I use wood ash and cut them about a month ago and they're still chitting fine, never had a problem with this method.
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If you can get it, it's just extra insurance. I find wireworms and other ground critters don't like the sulphur and stay away.
this sounds like a good idea whether you use whole or cut seed potatoes ;)
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If you can get it, it's just extra insurance. I find wireworms and other ground critters don't like the sulphur and stay away.
this sounds like a good idea whether you use whole or cut seed potatoes ;)
same here. i had terrible trouble with wireworm last year.
any more details trillium ( how to apply, how much, etc ?)
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If you've cut the potato, just press the potato into some powder on a piece of paper. You want it lightly coating the damp surface, not caking, then let it dry. Once dry you can dampen the uncut side and sprinkle on powder. There's no specific quantity, just however much you feel is needed yet avoiding excess.
Any whole ones, just dip the spud in water, shake off excess and drop into a bag with some sulphur powder and shake (like you do chicken pieces ;) ) then place spud in planting hole. If you have bad troubles with wireworm, sprinkle a bit more powder in the planting hole as well. It's not a complete remedy but it'll help a lot for a while. Through the season you can top dress occasionally with more powder and scratch it in. Especially effective when done before a rain.
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Sulpher powder is also good for dusting split dahlias and begonias.
Bish
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Thanks for all your advice. :D Have found some of the 'yellow sulphur' in my shed left by the previous allotment holder - lovely chap left me loads of handy stuff.
As for whether I will have enough room for the spuds, not sure really, I have three different types 1 early and two others (one of which is Maris Piper),but they have been split between me and my mother so I probably have between 8 -10 of each - once cut 16-20!
I think I'll plant earlies (halving first with the sulphur) and see how much room it leaves me. My allotment is huge, but I only have one out of the three main areas to use as the other two appear to have spuds grown on last year.
Thanks again, you advice is priceless - agricultural store rang and said you couldn't get the sulphur I wanted any more and that the yellow sulphur wasn't the right thing! :dry:
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That is odd because my sulphur powder is yellow. Wonder if they just wanted to sell you other stuff.
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No, they didn't have an alternative. They just didn't know I think which is why I'm grateful for the advice on here. ;)
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Sulphur powder is alternatively known as "Flowers of sulphur" - plenty of suppliers if you Gurgle that. ;)
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That's what I figured, Jay. It's very common but not to every gardener's 'taste'. :D
My sister buys hers by the 50 lb bag and dusts it over surface pests as well, particularly roses. It washes off after every rain but her roses are now in great shape so I'll have to start dusting mine as well because I get masses of those horrid green caterpillars that strip the leaves.