It’s tradition to plant
potatoes on St. Patrick’s Day, but the key to when to plant is to assure the soil temperature is consistently above 45°
and the soil is dry enough to be worked. A simple test to see if your soil is
workable is to squeeze a handful. If it stays together like modeling clay it’s
too wet. If it crumbles like a cupcake, it’s ready to dig in and plant. This is
a good time to dig in organic material, such as Sheep, Peat and Compost.
Ideally,
you’ll be able to plant by the end of March. Begin by buying certified seed
potatoes. Potatoes purchased at the grocery store are often treated to keep
them from sprouting. Extend your season by choosing an early variety such as
Red Norland or Red Pontiac and a mid season such as Kennebec White.
For a late
season potato, think about All Blue. It’s a potato with blue skin and flesh
that’s great baked or mashed! Cut the potato so that each piece has at least 2
eyes.
Each piece should be about as big as a golf ball.
Dusting sulfur can be
applied to reduce disease and insects problems. Set the cut pieces aside
overnight, to allow it to cure. Traditionally, potatoes are grown in rows. Dig straight
trenches about 2 feet apart, add Some Gardener’s Special or Tomato and
Vegetable Food to the bottom of the trench and cover slightly.
This will allow
the potato roots to grow into the fertilizer. Plant your potatoes about 12
inches apart in the trench and cover with 3 inches of soil. As your potato
plant grows use a hoe or shovel to scoop the dirt from between the rows and
mound it against the plant, always keeping about half the stem buried. This is done
to protect the potato from the sun. The best way to water your potatoes is to
irrigate every 3 or 4 days, enough to keep the soil around your plants moist.
If you’re not sure, probe around the plants and see how moist it is just below
the surface. If it feels dry, water. You may feed your plants through the
growing season by laying additional fertilizer along the side of the side of
the row (called side dressing) and water in. You can begin to harvest your
potatoes about two weeks after it finishes flowering. At this time, you’ll find
“new” potatoes or baby potatoes, small but very good to eat. If you want late
potatoes, wait 2 or 3 weeks after the foliage dies back, then dig carefully
around each plant to harvest your potatoes. Store your potatoes in a dark, cool
location. Potatoes should keep well for 3 to 6 months.
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ReplyDeleteI have a garden in my home where I grow various vegetables but never grow potatoes because I think it is hard to grow.
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