Grow Spectacular Spuds
(Page 3 of 4)
January/February 2009
Janet Wallace
Potatoes are flexible in terms of soil quality and fertility. They are often used as the first crop after breaking sod because they can tolerate acidic, rough soil. The pH can range from 5.5 to 7.0.
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Potatoes grow best when the days are 64-68 degrees, and nights are below 60 degrees. Tuber growth is impaired when the temperature is either below 50 degrees or above 86 degrees.
Tubers are not really roots
Even though a potato is called a root crop, the tubers come from the stem. Sprouts emerge from the eyes and develop leaves once they encounter light. Below the surface of the soil (or mulch), root-like structures emerge from the stem and potatoes develop from these. Gardeners aim to expand the area between the seed potato and the leaves.
Many gardeners plant potatoes in raised rows (about 1 foot high and 1 foot wide) with a trench (4 to 6 inches deep) down the middle. Place seed potatoes 12 to 18 inches apart in the trenches and cover with a few inches of soil.
Hill the plants once they are 8 inches high. Using a hoe or hiller attachment on a rototiller or tractor, push soil around the sides of the plant, covering all but the top few inches of growth. Repeat every week or two until flowering.
Mulch can be used instead of, or in addition to, hilling. A thick layer of straw, hay or leaves provides weed control, reduces moisture loss and inhibits the Colorado potato beetle.
Playing with potato planting
Potatoes can be grown in many different ways. In Newfoundland, where soil is scarce, many gardeners lay seed potatoes on the rocks and pile seaweed on top.
Potatoes can be planted in barrels half full of compost and soil. Once the plants are 8 to 10 inches tall, add more compost. As with hilling, continue adding compost until flowering. To harvest, push the barrel over and gather the tubers. Cages made of chicken wire or fencing can be used instead of a barrel.
In addition to planting potatoes in my garden, I use them when converting sod to garden. I lay cardboard on the grass, put seed potatoes in holes in the cardboard, and cover the whole area with a couple of inches of composted manure and straw. In the fall, I have soil ready for planting and a crop of potatoes as a bonus.
Weeds usually aren’t much of a problem in potatoes. Hilling controls the early weeds, and later weeds are suppressed by the dense canopy (assuming the plants haven’t been defoliated by Colorado potato beetles). Mulch provides additional weed control.
Potatoes need ample moisture after the plants start flowering, a good soaking every few weeks. Too much water will lead to ‘hollow heart,’ and too little will lead to tiny tubers.
Dealing with disease