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New poster from the USA!

rubymargaterubymargate Posts: 7
in The potting shed
I didnt see an intro forum so I'll put it here. I'm an American but this forum seems great anyway :wink:

I'm a bit of a beginner, looking to learn more. Specifically about potatoes, which I hope to grow enough to maybe make some snacks next year.

Posts

  • B3B3 South East LondonPosts: 24,076
    Welcome to the forum Ruby.  I'm sure there are one or two spud specialists in the forum but not me.😊
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze I garden in South Notts on an improved clay soil Posts: 3,114
    @rubymargate If you want help and advice on potatoes best to post any questions you may have on the fruit and veg section. I am sure there will be plenty advice for you. I am sure responses will depend on which part of the US you live.
    The most serious gardening I do would seem very strange to an onlooker,for it involves hours of walking round in circles,apparently doing nothing. Helen Dillon.
  • rubymargaterubymargate Posts: 7
    GardenerSuze said:
    @rubymargate If you want help and advice on potatoes best to post any questions you may have on the fruit and veg section. I am sure there will be plenty advice for you. I am sure responses will depend on which part of the US you live.

    Thank you! I am in USDA zone 6b. I've tried to post a thread, but it looks like it has to get through a spam filter.
  • FairygirlFairygirl west central ScotlandPosts: 49,135
    Hi @rubymargate- hope you enjoy this forum, even though it might be tricky with the different countries and climate etc.
    I wonder why you're having a problem with a spam filter though. Could it be something to do with the browser you're using or similar? Have you tried just clicking on the pinky/purple option, top right to start? I know some options can also vary depending on the device you're using.
    I'm not  a techie, but there are folk here who will be able to help - I'm sure, if you're having problems, or we can contact the mods to see what's wrong.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....


  • ObelixxObelixx Vendée, Western FrancePosts: 28,574
    Welcome @rubymargate.   We don't use zones here so will have to look up 6b.   Something else that's always helpful to know is the kind of soil you have as that effects what plants will be happy as much as the temperature range and rainfall levels.

    As for potatoes, there are so many varieties available from salad types to those best for mashing, baking or frying and your varieties may differ from ours so lots of potential for exchanging ideas and advice.  
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
  • JennyJJennyJ DoncasterPosts: 7,706
    USDA climate zones for the UK here https://www.plantmaps.com/interactive-united-kingdom-plant-hardiness-zone-map-celsius.php , and there are links on the page for neighbouring countries including France and Ireland. Most of the UK is in 8a, 8b, 9a or 9b with a few bits of 10a/10b in the western coastal areas and a few small pockets of 7a/7b. Your 6b gets colder than anywhere in the UK (but maybe also warmer in the summer, depending on where you are).
    The RHS has a hardiness classification for plants but we need to know our own local climate and sometimes microclimate. It can vary over remarkably small distances.
  • NollieNollie Girona, Catalunya, Northen Spain.Posts: 6,548
    Hello Ruby, we do have a number of international contributors including some from the USA, all welcome! At least I hope so since I am one 😆 

    I am in USDA hardiness zone 8b and although our winters can be very cold as I live in the mountains, my main challenge with growing anything, potatoes included, is high summer temperatures. The latter may be more pertinent to you too?

    I only grow salad potatoes that I can harvest early because big maincrop potatoes hit my summer heat and I can’t get enough irrigation into them. Even with plenty of water they go dry and floury in the hot ground and don’t store well. Salad potatoes are much tastier in any case!
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,933
    Welcome to the forum!  The forum is full of lovely people willing to offer advice to us random Americans (and other foreigners).  There are no similar forums in the US, so this is your best location for gardening questions.  

    I am zone 5b in Utah, and the only issue I have with potatoes is making sure they get enough water.  Buy seed potatoes from a reputable supplier (either online or at your local garden center - stay away from the big box retailers for seed potatoes, I often see them in poor quality there).  Lots of information and tutorials for planting them online.  
    Utah, USA.
  • Logan4Logan4 West MidlandsPosts: 2,464
    Hello and welcome to the forum, all forums have people from all over the world.
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