Fans of the Matt Damon movie “ The Martian ” know that potatoes ( Solanum tuberosum ) thrive in even the most inhospitable weather condition . Indeed , Irish potato were first cultivated in the Andes , at elevations where maize ca n’t grow .
Potatoes are Tuber , modified underground stems ( not roots ) that store push as starch . They’re also full of protein , fiber , and vitamin C.Moreover , white potato are well-nigh fat - devoid , so add a minuscule butter to mashed potatoes without guilt trip .
This clause will discuss how to develop potatoes onterrafirma , from plant to glean . It will also hide pesterer and diseases , and extend approximation on how to store and misrepresent your potatoes .
Potato kind
tater are normally categorized as starchy or waxy . buckram spud have thickheaded , eatable skins and are upright for baking , mashing , and frying . The flesh of starchy white potato contains little water supply and does n’t pose together when cooked , yielding the wry , flossy upcountry of the perfect baked Irish potato or French tike . Waxy white potato vine are grim - starch and are usually boiled or roast . Their flesh hold its shape upon cookery , making them ideal for salad and gratins . Some varieties , like Yukon Gold , have restrained starch level and are sometimes called “ all - purpose tater ” .
Varieties also differ in size , shape , and color . Fingerling potatoes , even at maturity , are small and elongate . In other Word of God , they ’re different from new white potato , which are harvested before maturity . raw potatoes have slender peel and small starch , and can be of any variety . Both peel and flesh may be white , reddish , yellowish , or dismal / purple . The color of the skin does n’t necessarily check the color of the flesh : some varieties have blue , red , or lily-livered cutis and white bod .
Note : Sweet potatoes are from an all unlike family of plants ; they ’re cover in this clause by Piedmont Master Gardener Cleve Campbell .
Seed potatoes
Virtually all potato plants are grown from cut - up potatoes , call “ seed potatoes . ” raw plants emerge from the “ eyes ” ( embryonic stanch ; see picture ) in the seed white potato . Garden stores and catalog or online marketer stock seed potatoes in early outpouring . It ’s essential that the seed potatoes are licence free of fungal and viral diseases .
Making source spud from uncertified genus Tuber is risky because it can spread disease . Moreover , most storage - bought potatoes are treated with a chemical substance that inhibits sprouting . Nevertheless , this document describes the process for cutting , curing , and stack away germ potatoes .
Soil grooming
tater need sluttish , well - drained soil to develop properly . If imbed in a bed for the first time , work four inches of compost into the top 12 inches of land . This is a lot of compost , and a band of work , but the improved territory texture will be deserving it . In future seasons , considerthe no - cashbox methods describe in this article by Piedmont Master Gardener Ralph Morini about Fern and Cleve Campbell ’s home base garden . At the very lower limit , relax the dirt with a broadfork or pitchfork before planting .
A grunge test is also a upright musical theme , to ensure optimum nutrition and pH.Potatoes uprise best at a somewhat acidulous pH , between 6.0 and 6.5 . The soil exam result will include instructions for amending the land .
Planting spud
Plant once the stain has warm up to 55 ℉ during daytime and stays above 45 ℉ at night . Potato plant are cold - tolerant , so it ’s okay to implant 2 - 4 weeks before the last hard frost is await . This papers shows last frost date and recommended planting dates for Virginia ( PDF contact ) .
Plant seed white potato in furrows 3 - 5 inch deep , trend side down ( see photograph ) . Space the seed according to the type of potato . For fingerling or new Irish potato , works 10 inch aside ; for really humble unexampled potatoes , as close as 8 in . For larger ( but few ) potatoes , plant 12 inch apart . Spacing greater than 12 inches will make the tubers rise too fast , resulting in a “ hollow heart , ” an candid space at the center of the Irish potato .
Finish by filling the furrow with lax ground . Rake to conk out apart clumps , if needed , and H2O well to ensure contact between seed and soil .
tame Irish potato flora
Solanum tuberosum take one inch of body of water ( 2.5 quarts per straight base ) per week . If irrigation is postulate , weewee deeply once or double per week . Mulch , such as forage clippings , will preserve soil moisture and keep weeds at bay .
As the potato plants grow , pile soil around their bases , up to an column inch from the miserable farewell . Start when the plants are six in high and repeat every 2 - 3 weeks . This process , term “ hilling , ” will keep develop white potato vine in the iniquity and prevent them from turning green , which causestoxic alkaloid compounds to form under their skin ( PDF link ) .
Weed with a hoe just under the surface of the soil , to understate damage to the tuber . As mentioned above , mulch can scale down the pauperism for weeding .
Alternate planting methods : straw and containers
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Growing tater in Virginia clay is difficult , even with well - tended soil . One workaround is to rise them in straw on top of the soil.(Here ’s another description of the method.)First , tease the land to allow good radical penetration . Next , put seed potatoes on top of the soil , cut side down and spaced as discussed above ( see moving picture ) . Finally , pile straw six inches deep on top of the seeds and weewee good ( see moving picture ) . As the plant acquire , add more straw to keep the developing tubers covered . By evenfall , the straw could be two feet high .
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Potatoes also grow well in container , like a 15 - congius bucketful with drain holes in the bottom . jump with four inch of pot soil in the bottom of the container . Put 3 or 4 ejaculate white potato – or fewer , for large baking white potato – on top of the soil , then cover with four inches of soil . As the plants grow , append soil as describe above . Depending on the grime mix , it might help to scatter a tablespoon or two of 10 - 10 - 10 fertilizer on top of the soil each sentence you add more .
Diseases and insect pest
foreclose diseases is essential : once diseases rig in , they ’re nearly impossible to cure . Certified disease - innocent seed potatoes are the honest way to forestall white potato disease . Another useful method is harvest rotation . Potatoes are in the Solanaceae ( nightshade ) family , along with tomatoes , peppers , tomatillos , and eggplant . All of these crop are susceptible to exchangeable disease and worm . To block infection , works tater where no Solanaceae have grown for two twelvemonth . Also , planting into loose , well - drained stain will prevent root putrefaction . eventually , recitation sanitation : clean up flora litter after the growing time of year . This will murder disease sources and refuse insects a place to over - winter.[symple_column size=”one - half ” position=”first ” fade_in=”false”]In a home garden , it ’s best to simply bump off diseased plants . vulgar disease affect potatoes are : earlyandlateblight ( black lesions on leaves and tubers),Verticillium wilt(early yellow and drooping ) , andviruses(mottled and/or curled leafage ) .
Insects can normally be controlled if they ’re detected early on . RemoveColorado potato beetlesand their orangish testicle ( see pictures ) by handwriting . Also look forcutworms(see pictorial matter ) , which sever stem at soil level . If one plant is attacked by cutworms , protect the others with aluminum foil “ collars ” around their bases . Finally , aphidssuck the blackjack from plants , cause leaves to curl . More gravely , aphids can spread viruses . Personally , I ’ve had success using neem petroleum to curb aphid plague . TheVCE Pest Management Guide ( PDF link)lists other treatment for serious insect problems .
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Harvest
Timing of harvesting reckon on the variety . Harvest novel Solanum tuberosum 50 - 60 twenty-four hours after planting , or when they get to the trust size of it . crop mature potatoes two week after the plants die back in the fall ( see picture ) . If the plants are still growing in early fall , bring down them back to six inches above dirt level ; this promote maturation of the tubers . Harvest after the first light rime , but before the first heavy frost .
reap carefully to annul damage the white potato vine . advertise a spade , pitchfork , or broadfork into the soil a pes from the stem , then mildly pull back to push the root organisation upward and endanger the tubers . Continue doing this around the plant , or down both sides of a row . shake off or brush most of the dirt off the Irish potato , but do n’t scrub , which can damage the skin of even matured potatoes .
Storage
New potatoes do n’t store well and should be eaten within a few day of harvest . Before storing ripe white potato , cure them at 50 - 60 ℉ at high ( 90 % ) humidness for 1 - 2 weeks , until the peel has thickened a bit . Long - term storehouse should be in the dark at high humidness , ideally at 45 - 55 ℉ . If a root cellar is n’t handy , keep white potato at cool way temperature , for example in a basement . The icebox is n’t the good position for lay in Solanum tuberosum : it ’s too insensate . irrespective , be dead sure to store potatoes in the night , to keep them from turn over green and generating toxic alkaloid .
Cooking with potato
belike my pet way to prepare Irish potato is to grill or boil novel potatoes or fingerlings , then toss with butter and fresh rosemary or herbes de Provence . Mashed spud , especially with plenty of sour cream desegregate in , are most as tasty . Consider steaming the potatoes , rather than boil them , before dally . A cheesy potato gratin is a fiddling more study , but well worth it . Bakers can use potato flour or mashed potatoes for gentle , moist bread and rolls . And last but not least , French fries are messy to cook but not insufferable for the motivated plate cook . They ’re large with ketchup , and even better with a garlicky garlic sauce – do n’t escape Cleve Campbell ’s article on growing garlic .
reference and further read
On Food and Cooking(1984 , Harold McGee )
The Oxford Companion to Food(1999 , Alan Davidson )
Aphids in dwelling yards and gardensUniversity of Minnesota Extension
Colorado spud beetle in home yard and gardensUniversity of Minnesota Extension
Cutworms in home gardensUniversity of Minnesota Extension
Early blight in potatoNorth Dakota State University
food indigenous to the Western hemisphere : PotatoesAmerican Indian Health and Diet Project
Grow your own potatoesOregon State University Extension
develop potatoes in the dwelling gardenUniversity of Minnesota Extension
home base grounds and brute pest direction guide ( PDF link)Virginia Cooperative extension phone
How to acquire potatoes in strawMissouri State University
deep blight in potatoNorth Dakota State University
Potato facts : Selecting , cutting , and handling seed potatoesUniversity of Maine Cooperative Extension
PotatoesCornell University
Potatoes are easy and fun to get in containersUniversity of California Agriculture and Natural Resources
Seed white potato vine handling , organ transplant , sanitization , and green goddess controlUtah State University Extension
Verticillium wilt disease ( potato other dying)Oregon State University
Virus and virusoid diseases of potatoCornell University
