Potato Growing and Harvest Information
| Temperature | |
| Germination | 65-70F |
| For Growth | 60-65 F |
| Soil and Water | |
| Fertilizer - Light feeder, apply compost when planting | |
| Side-dressing - Apply 2-3 weeks after first hilling | |
| pH | 5.0-6.0 |
| Water | Heavy when potatoes are forming |
| Measurements | |
| Planting depth | 3-4" |
| Root depth | 18-24" |
| Height | 23-30" |
| Width | 24" |
| Space between plants | |
| In beds | 9-12" |
| In rows | 10-12" |
| Space between rows | 24" |
| Average plants per person | 10-30 |
| Harvest | |
| For small "new" potatoes, harvest during blossoming; for varieties that don't blossom, harvest about 10 weeks after planting. Harvest regular potatoes when the vines have died back halfway, about 17 weeks after planting. Gently pull or dig out tubers with a garden fork. If not large enough, pack the soil back and try again at 2-3 week intervals. If you have many plants, remove the entire plant when harvesting to make room for another crop. For storage potatoes, dig near the first frost when plant tops have died back. To minimize tuber injury, always dig when the soil is dry. | |
| First Seed Starting Date: 2-4 weeks before last frost date | |
| Last Seed Starting Date: 90-120 Days before first frost date | |
| Companions | |
| Companions: All brassicas, corn, marigold, pigweed | |
| Incompatibles: cucumber, pea, pumpkin, raspberry, spinach, squash, sunflower, tomato | |
Where
to Grow Potatoes
In regions where there is a temperate climate with cool growing weather, ample rainfall, and deep fertile soil. Potatoes are a warm-season crop in the North, tender to frost and light freezes, and a cool-season crop in the South and West.
Varieties
"Seed" potatoes that have been certified disease free are essential.
Supermarket potatoes are usually treated to prevent sprouting, and
will not grow well if planted.
Early - Irish Cobbler; Chippewa; Norland (scab resistant);
Pontaic (red-skinned)
Main - Green Mountain; Katahdin; Kennebec (blight resistant)
Baking - Russet Burbank
Soil for Growing Potatoes
A deeply fertile sandy loam with a high acid content, pH 5-5.5, is best, since overly limed soils activate the scab fungus. Use high phosphorous fertilizers, such as 5-10-5, or 4-8-4, or ground-rock phosphate to prepare the soil.
Planting Potatoes
When - As soon as the frost is out of the ground and the soil
can be worked thoroughly.
How - Start potatoes with seed potatoes, each containing one to three
"eyes" or small indentations that sprout foliage. To prepare
seed potatoes for planting: (1) Cut the potato into 2" square 2 days
before planting, and cure indoors at about 70F in high humidity to
help retain moisture and reduce rot; or (2) plant small whole
potatoes, which are less apt to rot, have more eyes, and don't need
curing prior to planting. If desired pre-sprout seed potatoes
by refrigerating at 40-50F for 2 weeks before planting to break
dormancy. Place in trenches 6 inches wide, spaced 10-12"
apart, and cover with 3-4 inches of soil. One week after the
shoots emerge, mound the soil around the base, leaving a few inches
exposed. This "hilling" prevents greening. Side dress
and "hill" again 2-3 weeks later.
How Potatoes grow
The plants, which are about 3' high, send up long, pinnate leaves similar to tomato foliage. The tubers will develop in late summer, at the ends of underground stems. They are fairly close to the top 4-5 inches of soil.
Cultivating Potatoes
Keep weeds out of the potato patch with a very light cultivation, or use straw or leaf compost mulch. Gradually hoe soil toward the base of the potato plants, to prevent the roots from becoming sunburned. A second application of fertilizer is usually made 1 month after planting by side dressing in the row. Potatoes are almost 3/4 water; soil moisture is very important. Cover plants if a hard frost is expected.
| Storage Requirements | ||
| Spring or summer harvested potatoes aren't usually stored, but keep for 4-5 months if cured first at 60-70F for at least 4 days and stored at 40F. Dry fall-harvested potatoes for 1-2 days on the ground, then cure at 50-60F and a relatively high humidity for 10-14 days. Don't cure potatoes in the sun; they turn green. Once cured, store in total darkness in a single layer. Never layer or pile potatoes more than 6-8" deep. | ||
| Fresh | ||
| Temperature | Humidity | Storage Life |
| 55-60F | 90-95% | 5-10 months |
| Preserved | ||
| Method | Taste | Shelf Life |
| Canned | fair | 12+ months |
| Frozen | good | 8 months |
| Dried | good | 12+ months |
Harvesting Potatoes
2 1/2 - 4 months. The first young potatoes can be lifted out
carefully, a few at a time, by merely pulling soil away and
replacing it for the remainder to develop. When the plants
begin to dry and die down, the tubers will be ready. They can
be left in the ground for a time, but should be dug before a heavy
frost. Dig on a bright, sunny day so the soil dries off the
potatoes easily.
Laboratory experiments have shown that several aromatic herbs and their
essential oils can suppress sprouting of potatoes in storage and have antimicrobial
activity against potato pathogens. English lavender, pennyroyal, spearmint, rosemary, and sage suppressed
growth of potato sprouts, but two oreganos did not. English lavender was the most effective sprout inhibitor
Potato Pests
-Colorado potato beetle - A small yellow beetle with black lines
down its back that produces one or two generations of havoc with
potato crops. Control by handpicking and/or diazinon dust.
-Leafhopper - Leaf-sucking insects. Diazinon dust.
Potato Diseases
Blights and scabs - Grow resistant varieties and maintain proper pH (5-5.5).
