This week we'll focus on planting one specific vegetable -potatoes.
Potatoes come in a variety of types each with its own unique characteristics. Some of the most common varieties found in the US are:
* Russet Potatoes
Potatoes come in a variety of types each with its own unique characteristics. Some of the most common varieties found in the US are:
* Russet Potatoes
These large potatoes have rough brown skin and pale flesh. Ideal for baking, roasting or mashing.
* Yellow Potatoes
These have thin gold skin and yellow flesh. Great for boiling. roasting, and making creamy mashed potatoes.
These have thin gold skin and yellow flesh. Great for boiling. roasting, and making creamy mashed potatoes.
* White Potatoes
They have thin beige or tan skin and pale flesh. Perfect for boiling, steaming, and using in salads.
They have thin beige or tan skin and pale flesh. Perfect for boiling, steaming, and using in salads.
* Red Potatoes
Red skin potatoes have a waxy texture and moist flesh. Best uses: Soups, salads, casseroles, and layed dishes like scalloped potatoes.
Red skin potatoes have a waxy texture and moist flesh. Best uses: Soups, salads, casseroles, and layed dishes like scalloped potatoes.
*Blue/Purple Potatoes
These vibrant potatoes have blue or purple skin and flesh. Try them roasted or mash for a colorful twist.
Steps in Planting Potatoes
* Pick the potatoes according to their growth period. Early seed potatoes mature in 60-110 days. Planted in early April, they are ready for lifting late June, early July.
* Obtain the Seed Potatoes of Your Choice. You can purchase these through the mail or your local garden shop or online. Try to use certified seed stock to control and reduce the risk of diseases and viruses.
* Prepare the Potatoes for Planting.
With a sharp non serrated knife slice the potatoes roughly into quarters, making sure each piece has more than three "eyes", which are the smaller bits or indents on the surface. Place it in the sun for a day or two until you begin to notice the eyes growing sprouts.
* Consider Using the Potato Fruit to Cultivate Seeds.
Some potato varieties will grow small, highly toxic green fruits above the ground that contain up to 300 "true" potato seed. Chop the fruit finely and put the pieces in a dish of water, after about a day the seeds will separate and sink to the bottom.
* Sprout your potato tubers in a greenhouse or windowsill. You can use empty egg boxes or empty egg trays to place them upright. Once the shoots start growing about half an inch, they are ready to plant.
*Prepare The Soil
You can plant your potatoes on a patch of land or you can place them in a planter on your patio. Prepare the ground with well rotted compost and add a potato fertilizer high in potash. Spade and loosen the soil well. Potatoes will grow in hard or compact soil.
Happy planting and reaping.
These vibrant potatoes have blue or purple skin and flesh. Try them roasted or mash for a colorful twist.
Steps in Planting Potatoes
* Pick the potatoes according to their growth period. Early seed potatoes mature in 60-110 days. Planted in early April, they are ready for lifting late June, early July.
* Obtain the Seed Potatoes of Your Choice. You can purchase these through the mail or your local garden shop or online. Try to use certified seed stock to control and reduce the risk of diseases and viruses.
* Prepare the Potatoes for Planting.
With a sharp non serrated knife slice the potatoes roughly into quarters, making sure each piece has more than three "eyes", which are the smaller bits or indents on the surface. Place it in the sun for a day or two until you begin to notice the eyes growing sprouts.
* Consider Using the Potato Fruit to Cultivate Seeds.
Some potato varieties will grow small, highly toxic green fruits above the ground that contain up to 300 "true" potato seed. Chop the fruit finely and put the pieces in a dish of water, after about a day the seeds will separate and sink to the bottom.
* Sprout your potato tubers in a greenhouse or windowsill. You can use empty egg boxes or empty egg trays to place them upright. Once the shoots start growing about half an inch, they are ready to plant.
*Prepare The Soil
You can plant your potatoes on a patch of land or you can place them in a planter on your patio. Prepare the ground with well rotted compost and add a potato fertilizer high in potash. Spade and loosen the soil well. Potatoes will grow in hard or compact soil.
Happy planting and reaping.