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Potato

Potato

A delicious starchy tuber. Growing potatoes isn’t difficult, but it’s important to grow them in acidic soil, to give them lots of sun and water, and to grow them in winter in warmer climates, because they do best in cool climates.
Introduction
Mr. John Doe

Head Director

Description

Optimal Time/Temperature for Germination:
Potatoes can be planted in fall and grown over the winter in warm climates where the ground doesn’t freeze. In cooler climates where the ground does freeze in winter, potatoes should be planted two weeks after the last frost. Use small but healthy potatoes for seed potatoes. Potatoes won’t start growing until the soil temperature reaches 45°F (7°C), so don’t plant the seed potatoes before the last frost. Potatoes will grow fastest when they’re grown from a seed potato, which is a potato that has been allowed to sprout. Two weeks before your set planting date, lay out your seed potatoes somewhere that gets plenty of light, and that’s between 60 and 70°F (15.5 and 21°C). Leave the potatoes there in the light to sprout until it’s time to plant. If your seed potato is larger than a chicken egg, you can cut it in half or thirds. There should be at least 2 eyes or sprouts per piece. You can grow any variety of potato you like, but make sure you’re using spray-free potatoes that haven’t been treated with a sprout- inhibitor.
Optimal Soil Conditions:
Potatoes love full sun, and will do best in an area that gets several hours of light each day. You can also plant potatoes anywhere you like, including directly in the ground or in garden beds. The best kind of soil for growing potatoes is loose soil that’s slightly acidic. The ideal pH is between 5.0 and 7.0, and you can increase the acidity by tilling aged manure, mature compost, or high-potash fertilizer into the soil. Tilling the soil will also break everything up and ensure the soil is nice and loose for the potatoes. Potatoes grown in rows in the ground will produce good yields, as long as the soil is of good quality.
Seed Planting Depth, Spacing and Procedure:
When the potatoes are sprouted and it’s time to plant, use a shovel or spade to dig 4-inch (10.2 cm) deep trenches in the garden bed. The rows should be just deep enough to hold the potatoes. Space the rows so they’re 3 feet (91 cm) apart. Place the seed potatoes directly into the trenches with the sprouts facing upward toward the sky. Space the potatoes 1 foot (30.5 cm) apart. When you’ve filled the rows with seed potatoes, cover the potatoes with 4 inches (10.2 cm) of soil.
Best Companion Plants and Plants that Hinder:
Potatoes are a good companion crop for beans, because they repel Mexican bean beetles. Potatoes return the favor to cabbage and peas by helping with growth but are an antagonist to asparagus. Beneficial: Beans, corn, eggplant (aubergine), cabbage, peas, horseradish, marigolds and parsnips all make excellent companion plants for potatoes. Potatoes are hindered by turnips, pumpkins, cucumbers, rutabagas, sunflowers, tomatoes, squash and raspberry.

Growing Instructions

Crop Maintenance

When the potato plants reach a height of 6 inches (15.2 cm), add more soil around the base of each plant. This is called hilling, and it will protect the potatoes from sunburn and support the plants as they grow. Hill the potatoes again every time the plants grow another 6 inches (15.2 cm). Potatoes that are exposed to sunlight produce a toxic chemical called solanine, which appears as a green layer on the outside of the tuber.
Moisture Requirements & Solutions:
Potatoes like plenty of water, so it’s important to keep the soil moist, but not soaking wet, while they grow. Make sure the plants get about 2 inches (5 cm) of water each week, especially when they’re flowering. Only stop watering the plants when the foliage starts to turn yellow and die back, as this means the potatoes will be ready to harvest soon.
Weeding Needs & Solutions:
Potato plants will do better when they don’t have to compete with weeds. As weeds grow up in the garden bed, pull or dig them out by hand to ensure the potatoes get all the nutrients they need.
Feeding Needs/Optimal Natural Fertilizers:
The best results are given by decomposed manure, which contains almost all the necessary macro- and micro elements for the plant.
Pests, Diseases & Solutions:
Lower the soil pH to get rid of scab which is a common disease evidenced by legions on the potatoes. Your potatoes may develop scab if the pH of the soil is too high so add sulfur to the soil to lower its pH. Potato beetles should be picked off by hand. Aphids can be sprayed off with a sharp stream of water. Alternatively, you can remove these pests with a natural insecticide, like neem oil, which can be found at your local garden shop. Be sure to wait 3 years before planting potatoes in a previous location to avoid potato blight. Overcrowding can also be an issue for potatoes, so be sure to give them plenty of space.
When to Harvest/Number of days to maturity:
Depending on the type of potatoes you planted, your potatoes will be ready for harvest anywhere between 60 to 100 days from the planting date. When your plants are about 10 weeks old, they’ll start to flower. When flowering stops, wait another 2 weeks, and then harvest your new potatoes by digging them out of the ground. New potatoes are ones that have been picked before they were allowed to fully develop. New potatoes are smaller and have a more tender skin than mature ones. People will often harvest some new potatoes to create more room for the rest to mature. As the potato plants mature, the foliage will begin to yellow and die as the plants approach the end of their life cycle. When this happens, remove brown foliage with garden shears or scissors.
How to Harvest:
Once all the foliage has died and you’ve given the potatoes two weeks to mature, you can dig out the potatoes. Use a small shovel to gently dig down into the soil to unearth the potatoes. This will ensure you don’t puncture or bruise any with the spade.
Optimal Storage temperature and conditions:
After you dig up the potatoes, transfer them to a garage, covered porch, or somewhere else that’s cool, dry, shaded, and well-ventilated. Leave the potatoes there for at least 3 days and up to 2 weeks to cure. This will give the skins time to mature, and help the potatoes keep for longer. The ideal temperature for curing potatoes is between 45 and 60°F (7 and 15.5°C). Do not cure new potatoes, as they should be eaten within a few days of harvesting. When the potatoes have had time to cure, use a cloth or vegetable brush to remove excess dirt from the skins. Do not wash the potatoes with water, as this can cause them to spoil faster so never wash it until ready to eat it. Transfer the potatoes to burlap or paper bags for storage. Move the potatoes to a root cellar or other place where they’ll be protected from light, heat, and moisture. The ideal temperature for potato storage is between 35 and 40°F (1.6 and 4.4°C). The potatoes should last for several months under these conditions.
Optimal Preserving Procedures:
Seed Saving:
You can grow potatoes from potato seeds. However, because most potatoes on the market are hybrids, you’re better off buying heirloom seeds from a garden center. Plant the seeds inside in the wintertime to give the plant plenty of time to grow, since potatoes grown from seed take longer than those grown from seed potatoes.

Harvest and Storage

Notes

You should not eat potato leaves.

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