I am a returning customer – why can’t I login with my previous username and password?

We have switched websites. Unfortunately, your private information did not transfer over with the switch. You will need to create a new account.

 

How do I create an account?

At the bottom of the page there is a link for “My Account“. This will ask you to register.

 

I just received an email stating my order is complete, but it’s not supposed to ship yet. Why did I get this email?

This email means that we have processed your order on our end. We are a small company with only a couple office employees handling all accounts. Organization is key, and we like to be ahead of schedule to ensure your order is handled correctly. You will receive another email once your order has actually shipped.

 

My ship date has come and gone – where is my order!?

We are a farm that is strictly dependent on the weather for harvesting and shipping orders. If it is too cold, wet or hot here, it hampers our abilities to safely harvest the product with out damage. If it is too cold, we cannot ship as your order may freeze. We also are nestled just east of the Cascade mountain range with I-90 being our main transportation hub. If Snoqualmie Pass is closed, we cannot ship your order. Our delays are made with your purchase in mind and we do not want to risk your order being damaged en route to you. We will hold your order until we think it is safe to ship, or any obstructions have cleared from the shipping routes.

 

My only shipping option is “Pickup at Irish Eyes Office”. How do I ship to my location?

Under the “Shipping” portion of checkout, you need to either uncheck the box to the right of “Ship to a different address?” or fill out all the information below. If this is left blank, it can default to pickup.

 

I live in the Southern United States, can I receive my potatoes early so I can plant in January?

Absolutely! We highly encourage you to receive your order in November before the cold weather reaches our farm. As potatoes are temperature sensitive, we must watch weather at our farm and en route to you to ensure that your potatoes do not freeze during shipment.

 

I see that you have sold out items on your website, when will these be available?

The perishable items will be sold out for the season. Please check back later for the next season’s harvest. Try looking up similar items – for example, if we are sold out of German Butterball, look for German Butterball Nuclear or Pre-Nuclear, or a different variety like Malou or Agata.

 

What is the difference between nuclear, pre-nuclear and standard potato seeds?

Pre-nuclear potatoes are the earliest generation of potatoes available. These will produce the highest yields and have the highest disease resistance than any other seed potatoes. These are about marble sized when planted and require special care prior to planting. Nuclear potatoes are second generation potatoes. They are planted for the first time in native soil as opposed to our greenhouse like the pre-nuclears. These will produce higher yields and have a higher disease resistance than standard seed potatoes. Anything after nuclear potatoes is considered generation one, two, etc.

 

I received my shipment early – How do I store my potatoes so I can plant them at a later date?

Potatoes need to be stored in a cool, dark place. Make sure there is not too much moisture where you are storing them. We recommend a burlap sack or potato bin in a cool corner of your house. Good areas to check are your garage, crawl space, cellar, basement or the back of a closet. Be sure to consistently check your potatoes to weed out any that may be going bad.

 

What are baby potatoes? Will they grow smaller potatoes?

Baby potatoes are small potato seeds that you do not need to cut prior to planting. These will yield the same as the larger bulk sizes you can purchase.

 

I keep seeing “OG” in front of many names. What does “OG” mean?

“OG” is our abbreviation for organic.

 

Do you have a potato guide? I’d like something to compare potatoes side-by-side.

This link will take you to our potato guide

 

How do I request a seed donation?

Fill out this seed donation form and submit to customerservice@irisheyesgardenseeds or mail to 5045 Robinson Canyon Road, Ellensburg, WA 98926

Please note that not all requests will be fulfilled.

 

How do I change my ship date?

The date defaults to the earliest ship date, you make click on the date to select a different ship date if you prefer. At certain times in the year, you may not pick a ship dates past a couple weeks time. This is because we are nearing the end of our season and will not yet be taking orders for the following harvest.

 

Shipping questions?

Please visit our shipping page for any questions you may have regarding ordering and shipping.

 

My order is delayed due to weather, but it’s plenty warm here!

We are nestled in Kittitas valley just east of the Cascade Mountains which can make shipping difficult at times. Due to mountain pass closures or cold weather en route to you, we will delay your order. If it gets below 32F at night, we will postpone shipping your order. We use a quick reference weather map to help us determine the weather along the route our freight companies use to deliver to you.

Unless otherwise specified, all orders ship UPS ground (average 3-7 business days). Storms and other natural forces may delay your order mid transit.

UPS routes are as follows:

• WA, OR, CA, AZ, NM will follow the I5 corridor south
• TX, OK, UT, CO will be sent to Utah and dispersed there
• All other states will follow I90 through North Dakota and be dispersed in Chicago. If it is freezing along that route, your order will be delayed.

If you would like your perishables shipped later, please call the office to have us split your order for you. *Additional shipping charges may occur.

 

I’ve received sprouted potatoes. Are they still ok to plant?

Definitely! If your tubers are sprouted they’re ready and waiting to be planted. If they are starting to dehydrate, even better! A dehydrated tuber means they’re ready and trying to grow. They just need soil and water. Approximately three days after you’ve planted your potato seeds you should start seeing the leafy greens.

 

When is the latest I can receive my potatoes?

This depends on storage and availability. We tend to taper off shipping potatoes after June as it can be too warm to safely ship to you.

 

Do you sell hardneck garlic in the spring?

No, hardneck garlic needs to be over wintered and does not grow well when it is warm.

 

What potato varieties grow best in a hot, humid climate like Hawaii?

In general, choose an early to mid-season variety. Higher elevations (above 2500 feet can grow year round). Lower elevations (October – March). These should do best for your area: Caribe, Dark Red Norland, Viking Purple, Red Pontiac, Yukon Gold, Yellow Finn, Red LaSoda (does better in higher elevations) or Kennebec (does better in lower elevations).

 

Are potatoes considered determinate and indeterminate?

By far the more common label is early season vs late season as most early season varieties just happen to have determinate growth patterns while most late season have more of an indeterminate growth pattern.

 

How do I break dormancy in my potatoes?

You will need to put the potatoes in a brown paper bag (glue from bag helps) from the grocery store add some apples and onions (they give off ethylene gas which breaks dormancy) Close the bag and put it in a very warm place, even in the sun. The dehydration also helps break dormancy. This is the only way without using very harsh chemical to break dormancy other than time. If all works well they should start peeping at the eyes. I wouldn’t plant until you see grow and or swelling around the eyes. This could take 30-40 days. The second issue is warmth and light. You need to keep them around 72 for best fastest grow. In the beginning you will need at least 14 hours of light for about 4 weeks, then reduce light by 1 hour each week until you balance out with natural light. During the first 4 weeks of growth you will need to feed them Nitrogen. When you start reducing the light stop the nitrogen and use something that has a 0-10-10 type ratio for tuber set and growth for the next 4 weeks. Reduction in light and N stimulates tubers to set.

 

I have a nice crop of this shallot growing. How and when do I harvest them? Is there a curing process? Do they store well? And…..can I replant the bulbs? 

You’ll want to harvest your shallots when 2/3 – 3/4 of the stems have yellowed and have fallen over. Dig them up with a shovel and brush the dirt away with your hands. Spread them out on a flat surface in a dry location and allow them to sit for a few weeks until the skins are dry and crackly. You can cut the dried stems at this point and then store the shallots in paper bags in a cool, dry location. Yes, you can replant the bulbs. Don’t plant any that are damp at all, choose your healthiest, largest and driest bulbs for replanting.

 

We didn’t get all of our softneck garlic that we ordered in the ground. There’s a chance we’ll get another couple of above freezing days in the next month to plant more, but if not, what is best way/place to store them? They are uncracked.

Save it and plant it if you get a break in weather or, eat it!. Until then, keep it in a dark place 33-38 degrees with 45-60% humidity. We use a fan to provide excellent air movement and make sure the bulbs are open and loose, not boxed up. We use old bulb bins. Keep it away from potatoes and fruit/squashes. Garlic and onions give off ethylene gas and cause other things to sprout. 

 

Why did some of my potatoes rot in the ground, were stunted or did not germinate at all?

On the cut seed pieces, even if they have 2 eyes, they could have been too small and you experienced seed piece decay before the plant had set down roots. Potatoes grow top growth for about 4 weeks before they start setting roots. If the seed piece isn’t big enough to sustain the plant and rots before the plant sets roots you get a very week stand.  Drying them in the sun isn’t ideal. Cut, dust, & hold in a warm area but shaded. If sun is hot enough, it can “bake” the seed potato and also cause early seed decay.

 

My onions are starting to fall over but they have not developed a bulb.

There are many reasons why an onion has not bulbed or has a very small bulb. Spacing is important, plant them 1” deep and 4” apart. If they are too close together they will not be able to develop properly. Onions need a phosphorus rich fertilizer (10-20-10). Did you choose the right type of onion for your area? Long day onions require 14-16 hours of daylight. Short day cultivars make bulbs much earlier in the season and only need 10-12 hours of daylight. There are some intermediate varieties available as well. Bulb size is in direct correlation to the number and size of leaves. Each leaf corresponds to a ring of the onion, the larger the leaf, the larger the ring. Pink Root (fungus, mostly in warm climates)            Tip Die Back (fungus).

 

What type of seed potato should I buy? Why is there different pricing?

Pre-nuclear are the first generation, they are about the size of marbles, and grown from plant tissue cultures in our greenhouses. Since they are not grown in native soil, and are tested for disease through the growing season, they are completely disease free. Nuclear are the generation after that, grown in native soil and the size of normal seed potatoes. The pre-nuclear and baby potatoes can be planted without cutting, reducing the risk of rotting and saving time when it comes to letting them cure. Since it is ideal to save limited generation potatoes for next year’s planting, early generations cost more. Yields are higher with earlier generation seed because the risk of yield reducing disease is not present. With the Baby and Pre-nuclear, the benefits are the planting convenience, highest yield potential, and the ability to save the harvest for seed.