![]() If you haven’t had a chance to chit your potatoes and it’s already time to plant, don’t worry – get them in the ground.Ī great way to get more seed potatoes for free is to cut them in half. It’s not essential, but chitting helps speed things along a bit so that by the time they’re planted, they’ll be primed and itching to send out roots.Īs the video below shows, after a month of chitting, the potatoes produced stout, stocky, green sprouts, which is exactly what we’re after we don’t want the long, pale sprouts you get when potatoes are left in the dark. ![]() When you get them, break them free, lay them out in a tray (such as an old egg carton), and pop them somewhere bright and frost-free to sprout – such as an indoor windowsill. (Do not confuse seed potatoes with potato seeds or grocery produce. Use certified (disease-resistant) seed potatoes from which eyes (buds) protrude. Potatoes for planting are called ‘seed potatoes’ and are usually sold in bags or netting. See our Planting Guide for the best dates to plant by zip code or postal code. In warmer regions, planting times range from September to February in central Florida, gardeners plant potatoes in January in Georgia, they plant in February. ![]() In cooler regions, the early-maturing potatoes are usually planted early to mid-April. Let it dry out a bit first. If you have a late and wet spring, you can plant later-through April (depending on location) or even June, especially in containers. But pay more attention to the soil than the calendar to determine planting time. The soil should not be so wet that it sticks together and is hard to work. The soil temperature should be at least 55☏ during the day and 45☏ at night. Garden potatoes can be planted 2 to 4 weeks before the average last frost date. Learn more about compost, soil amendments, and preparing the soil for planting.) When to Plant Potatoes In the fall, mix compost or organic matter into the soil. Ideally, the soil is slightly acidic (pH 5.8 to 6.5), and the soil temperature is at least 45º to 55✯ (7° to 13☌). You’ll need a location with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight and fertile, loose, well-drained soil hard or compacted soil leads to misshapen tubers. The planting season for seed potatoes starts in the spring, two to four weeks before the last frost. You can learn all about potato varieties in the section below. There are over 100 types of potatoes, varying in skin color, flesh color, and size from large to fingerling! Floury types are perfect for roasting or mashing, while a firm, waxy potato is superb boiled or as salad potatoes. The nutrient-rich skin provides 45% of your daily vitamin C and 18% of potassium, plus many more nutrients.ĭespite the limited options in the grocery store, gardeners know there’s much more to potatoes than the traditional Idaho white potato. The tuber develops from underground stems called stolons once the plants are 6 to 8 inches tall or around 5 to 7 weeks after planting. The edible part of the potato is the underground “tuber, ” an enlarged underground storage portion of the potato plant. According to the Maine Potato Board, this vegetable arrived in the American Colonies in 1621 when the Governor of Bermuda sent potatoes to the Governor of Virginia at Jamestown. however, they can be grown as a winter crop in warmer climates. Potatoes are related to peppers, tomatoes, and eggplants but are adapted to higher elevations and harsher growing conditions the Incas in Peru first documented them. The potato ( Solanum tuberosum) is a cool-weather vegetable that typically yields bigger crops in the northern portion of the U.S. That said, you can do a few things to elevate your crop. They do well in most soils and almost always produce plenty to hunt for at harvest time. Potatoes aren’t fussy vegetables, which makes them a fabulous choice for first-time growers. Our Potato Growing Guide covers planting, growing, harvesting, and storing potatoes. ![]() Thinking about growing potatoes next season? To us, potatoes epitomize the joy of gardening-satisfying to plant, quick to grow, and fun to dig up.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |