I have been tempted to try planting them in the fall. Just a couple dozen.
Everyone thinks they would rot, possibly so.
But,if taters couldnt lay in the ground overwinter, and grow next year, then
how did they exist before people farmed them? Or have they had that ability
bred out of them in our attempts to enhance other traits?
I'm guessing it would work.
But, you wouldn't get a good percentage of plants coming up.
Potatoes are believed to have originated in Peru and Ecuador. They were probably marble sized 1000 years ago until breeders went to work on them. Maybe the originals were able to survive the winters better. I don't know.
Gentlemen,
before I retired I lived in E. WA, sorta close to where Field Grade is in ID. I had a relatively large garden and always had taters in it. Nice sandy loam. When I harvested I'd always leave some of the smaller ones in the ground and also some of the ones that got cut or stabbed by the fork. I usually covered the bed with about 4" of straw before leaving for the winter in mid November. I left one fall and talked to a buddy still there, he told me I was lucky I got out when I did as it dropped to -5F the next day. The taters survived and I had an early start on them the next season. Golds, purples, reds, and some finger taters along with a standard like Kennebeck or such.
Give it a try in your area. Leave them a bit deep and cover the bed with some straw. You might be surprised at the early volunteers.
Oh, the folks who had this place must have had some taters in the beds as I had volunteers the spring after we bought this place. Got down to -25.9F that winter and I didn't cover the beds as I had no idea what was in there. Them taters did come from the Andean countries, so I imagine they can stand a bit of cold.
Good luck,
Geno
