Part 2 of 2
Potatoes are a fun vegetable to grow because they are pretty hard to screw up to the point of no return. If you are a gardener that doesn’t mind all your weeds or even go into the vegetable garden every day, you should be able to grow potatoes without any problem.
In the Ozarks, potatoes are planted in the spring. You can “chit” small potatoes for planting by exposing them to sunlight for a few weeks prior to planting. The sunlight will induce sprouts.
If your seedling potatoes are not sprouted, you can just plant potatoes that have eyes. Whole seed potatoes or pieces of seed potato with at least one eye can be planted.
There are three common methods for planting potatoes – black plastic, straw and hilling. Black plastic and straw are the least common methods in the Ozarks. Black plastic is used in cooler regions. Seed potatoes are planted three to four inches deep in holes in black plastic.
At least six inches of straw can be used in waterlogged or clay soils to plant potatoes. The potato pieces can be laid on the ground under the straw to grow.
Hilling is the common method used in the Ozarks. Three-to four-inch deep furrows are prepared. Seed pieces are placed, eye up in the furrow at eight to 10 inch intervals. Furrows should be two to three-feet apart and covered with soil.
In the hilling method, when the potato plant has grown six inches above the soil, more dirt should be mounded loosely around the stems of the plant. This “hilling” method should be done every time six inches of plant stem shows.
No matter what type of method you use to grow your potatoes, give them a bed of compost or a source of phosphorous and potassium. Also, tubers need to be protected from sunlight; sunlight will cause the new potatoes to turn green. Regular moisture is also a great plus for your potatoes.
A great plus for growing potatoes is that you can begin harvesting them about eight weeks after they are planted. Small, immature potatoes that are harvested early are known as “new potatoes.” When harvesting new potatoes, don’t disturb the whole plant by removing a bunch of soil. Use a spade or fork to loosen the soil and remove the small potatoes by hand.
Potatoes are mature when the green tops die down. Remove the potatoes by hand and let dry outdoors for several hours. Brush off excess soil but don’t wash the potato until you are ready to eat it. Store your potatoes in a cold, dry area that doesn’t freeze. You may be lucky enough to eat homegrown potatoes all winter long.
Questions or comments related to gardening? Contact Joleen at missourigardener@hotmail.com.