| Potatoes, taters, spuds...call them what you | | | | a small handful of dry pine needles in the |
| will, potatoes are a staple in the diet of | | | | holes beneath your seed potatoes. Along with |
| many people all over the planet. Potatoes are | | | | moving your potatoes to a different section |
| a nutritious, versatile vegetable, and | | | | of the garden each year, this will help |
| they're incredibly easy to grow. But before | | | | prevent further scab infection. Potato scab |
| you run out to the garden with your shovel | | | | appears as rough patches on the skin of the |
| and hoe, there are a few things you should | | | | potatoes. |
| know about planting potatoes. | | | | |
| | | | Depending on the warmth of the soil, potato |
| You may have heard old timers say that | | | | plants will begin to emerge from the soil |
| potatoes should always be planted on Good | | | | anywhere from one to three weeks after |
| Friday. This old wives' tale is absolutely | | | | planting. When the plants are about a foot |
| absurd. Good Friday does not fall on the same | | | | tall, use your hoe to mound six to eight |
| calendar date each year and can fall anywhere | | | | inches of soil continuously along the entire |
| from early March to mid April. If folks in | | | | row of plants. This is called hilling. |
| New England or the upper Midwest tried to | | | | Hilling ensures that the potatoes will grow |
| plant potatoes on Good Friday, many years | | | | deeply under the soil, away from sunlight |
| they'd be digging through rock-hard soil that | | | | which would cause them to become green. |
| was still frozen solid. | | | | Potatoes that suffer from greening will be |
| | | | bitter and the inedible green parts must be |
| Do not plant potatoes too early, while the | | | | discarded. |
| ground is still icy. If the ground is too | | | | |
| cold and wet, the seed potatoes will delay | | | | Keep the potato plants evenly watered while |
| sprouting until the growing conditions are | | | | they are growing. A dry period followed by a |
| more favorable. This is usually in early | | | | rainy spell will cause some potato varieties |
| March to late April, depending on the | | | | to develop a hollow core. Yukon Gold potatoes |
| climate. Potatoes do tolerate cool soil and a | | | | seem to be especially prone to this problem. |
| light frost, but not much growth will take | | | | |
| place until the soil warms up a bit. | | | | Another potential problem with potatoes is |
| | | | the Colorado potato beetle. The larvae and |
| You won't find potato seedlings or packets of | | | | adult beetles will feed on the potato |
| potato seeds for sale at your local garden | | | | foliage, and a heavy infestation can damage |
| center. Instead, potatoes are grown from seed | | | | the foliage enough to reduce your harvest |
| potatoes. A seed potato is nothing more than | | | | considerably. Watch for the beetle's yellow |
| an ordinary potato, with at least one "eye". | | | | eggs on the undersides of leaves and crush |
| | | | the clusters whenever you see them. Larvae |
| Back in the day before supermarkets, when | | | | are a deep orange color with a row of black |
| gardens supplied most of the food put on the | | | | spots on both sides, while the adults are a |
| table, the last of the potatoes in the | | | | paler orange with black stripes on the body |
| storage bin come spring were used for seed | | | | and black spots on the head. The larvae and |
| potatoes. | | | | adults can be picked off the leaves and |
| | | | crushed if there are only a few. An |
| Wise gardeners set aside their blemish-free, | | | | infestation can also be controlled with |
| healthiest potatoes for seed. Seed potatoes | | | | Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt. Bt is an |
| can be planted whole, or they may be cut into | | | | organic control that is very safe to use. |
| pieces with at least one eye per piece. Seed | | | | Look for Bt that is specifically for potato |
| potatoes with more eyes will grow to produce | | | | beetles. It is sold in many garden catalogs |
| a larger quantity of potatoes but the | | | | and garden centers. |
| potatoes will generally be smaller. Seed | | | | |
| potatoes with fewer eyes will produce fewer | | | | Once your potato plants have bloomed, you can |
| potatoes, but those potatoes will tend to be | | | | begin to harvest small "new" potatoes. |
| larger. | | | | Depending on the variety of potatoes you're |
| | | | growing, this is about eight weeks after |
| If you choose to cut your seed potatoes into | | | | planting. In the fall, after the foliage has |
| smaller pieces, divide them a day prior to | | | | begun to dry and die back, the entire crop |
| planting. This allows the cuts to heal over | | | | can be dug. Before storing them in a cool, |
| slightly, which helps to prevent soil-borne | | | | dry and dark place, make sure the surface of |
| diseases from infecting your potato crop. | | | | your freshly dug spuds has dried a bit. |
| Always choose seed potatoes that are free | | | | Spread them out in a dry spot out of direct |
| from blemishes. | | | | sun, such as a garage or shed, for a day or |
| | | | two before putting them in storage. |
| Plant your whole or cut seed potatoes two to | | | | |
| three inches deep in good, rich soil. Rows | | | | Freshly dug, crisp potatoes taste better than |
| of potatoes should be about three feet apart | | | | any you'll buy at a grocery store. Grow some |
| and the potatoes within the row should be | | | | yourself and discover how easy and fun it is |
| planted twelve inches apart. If your potato | | | | to produce a staple crop of delicious |
| crop has suffered from scab in the past, toss | | | | potatoes for your family. |