Squirrels and voles have never eaten my potatoes (in ground).
Iām glad that you mentioned this. As Iāve been working on improving yields, Iāve been reading everything that I can find about fertilizing potatoes, especially since reading Carol Deppeās The Resilient Gardener. She writes that āpotatoes donāt need or want soil that is as nitrogen rich as is needed for many garden crops,ā and suggests, in place of fertilizer, preceding them with a tilled in cover crop. Nonetheless, itās not uncommon to see potatoes listed as āheavy feedersā and recommendations to fertilize generously. Since I generally have a light hand when it comes to fertilizer application, Iād wondered if I was underfertilizing until I read Deppeās book. Itās good to see someone else with experience write something similar.
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Great read! 
Magic Molly coming up in a grow bag. First time growing potatoes this way, with thanks to @BobVance for the inspiration.
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I used root pouches last year and it worked good, using them again this year with French Fingerlings.
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My limited experience in using a lot of manure was just fine. Not necessarily optimal, but fine. I think what ever deficiency was caused by the use of manure was more than made up by the looseness added to the soil. I never tried again, as there was no difference in taste between homegrown and good quality potatoes from the store.
Using manure on potatoes (or even compost which is not well rotted) promotes scab. This may be less of an issue if your soil has a low pH, but out west with our alkaline soils, any manure on the potato bed within the last year and you get scabby potatoes.
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This was in Phoenix, Arizona.
Cc @MisterGuy and @Drew51
Thanks for this thread! Iāve tried growing potatoes at the previous (rental) we lived in and it was mostly in grow bags with very random results. I donāt think I was thinking very hard about it and putting in very good quality potting mix.
Based on this, Iāve taken some old soil from 2 containers I just emptied out and mixed it with a potting mix that has coir, DE and some bark (iirc) with no fertilizer or compost mixed in. Iāve put 5 potatoes in a 25 gal black Vivosun grow bag, with the mix above filled in about 1/3rd of the way, and the bag rolled down. On the top I sprinkled some alpaca wool pellets Iām trialing this year.
In this first bag, Iāve put in Prarie Blush potatoes, which have produced decently to well for me here in the past.
I plan to do at least 2 more bags.
And btw these are in a location that gets direct morning Sun for about 5-6hrs a day.
In my experience potatoes like water and like being fed early. Iām not sure if late season feeding is needed? I tend to think not! Tomatoes donāt really need late season food, they are closely related. You can graft a tomato on a potato plant rootstock. Plus potatoes are a root crop. Giving them nitrogen will just make more foliage not more root. I find it best to feed like a beast the first half of season. And nothing after that. Works great to produce large garlic heads another root crop. Bulbs were smaller for me when I fed them late season. Really itās the nitrogen anything else may be beneficial. Limit nitrogen last half of season. None is best.
I usually only would put three or four in a bag. Some potatoās donāt grow many on the stem. So this method would yield few. But those that do grow a lot really produce well this way. Add soil as plants grow. Leave at least a node above soil line. It wonāt take long to fill bag completely so be ready. They should grow well in the spring.
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Thank you! Will do.
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Trying to graft a tomato on a potato was the first graft I attempted as an adult before I had read almost anything or watched any videos 
ā¦ it did not work. Looking back, I think I did a lot wrong so Iām going to try it again this year if I remember.
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potatoes need ample nitrogen during the first phase of their life, foliage canopy is one of the major factor in determining the yields.
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Exactly what I said. Exact quote āfeed like a beastā
Oh auto correct messed that up in my first post! Glad you posted so I could fix it. Yes you need to feed them super heavy at first. But imho feeding last half of season you will limit size by giving nitrogen. I had to learn that the hard way. Seems you agree with me as I take first phase to mean early. This is true for any root crop. I found this works well for tomatoes too. I cut feeding down last half of season I still do give tomatoes some food but only about 1/3 amount. Some experts say none though. Like Don Shor who own Red Barn nursery in Davis CA. Also has a garden show for decades. Don has one of the highest IQās of anybody I know. Don can not only knows every plants scientific name he knows how to spell them all too.
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yup, contrary to what we can read on the internet. I have noticed tomatoes which grow a lot of foliage in the first month or two produces the most fruits even in cool season (October). I also donāt prune them, just let them grow to their full extent and confine them in a cage.
yeah makes sense, you had it right.
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I stopped pruning too. Itās like fighting that mystical beast the Hydra. Cut one head off two more grow. I usually prune a little at first but surrender soon and let it go. Iām no Sinbad!
Yeah but I worded it poorly. It was my fault for not proof reading. Thanks for chiming in.
Im trying to figure out when to stop fertilizing blueberries I seem to get late branches sprouting that die over winter. Wish I knew a way to stop that. It sets them back a little bit the next spring.
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Fertilize blueberries just before they break buds in spring. Donāt fertilize later. I use azalea fertilizer from a box store. Water if needed during summer but not within 3 weeks of fruit maturity.
Tomatoes benefit from removal of all leaves from ground level up about a foot. Rain splash spreads diseases such as septoria by splashing from soil onto leaves. If the leaves are high enough to avoid splash, disease levels will be reduced.
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Septoria is a problem here too. Last year was an exception. I didnāt see any. First time in a decade. I also noticed that blackberry plants seem to inhibit septoria. Tomatoes grown between blackberries always seem septoria free. Weird!
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Huge plus one on Don Shor. Simply amazing and voluminous capacity for remembering scientific names and key details about plants and where he saw what. Iāve thoroughly enjoyed that show for years and learned a massive amount from Donās comments there and his writing on his website.
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This issue regarding fertilizer application/residue towards the end of growing season has been confusing. I read plants down regulate growth based on shortening daylight and dropping temperatures. I am yet to find Some scientific studies, which pinpoints late season growth, mainly because of fertilizer.
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