All about Growing Potatoes

(Page 3 of 3)

December 2008/January 2009
By Barbara Pleasant 
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share

Fertilize in halves, with half of the fertilizer mixed into the soil before planting, and the rest used if needed as a side dressing when the plants are 12 inches tall, just before piling on mulch or hilling up soil around stems (to prevent sunburned spuds). See “How to Plant," above.

RELATED CONTENT

Use old blankets to protect newly emerged potatoes if late frosts are forecast. Once the blankets are removed, the stems will pop back up within a day. (If nipped back by frost, potatoes will re-grow from secondary buds.)

Mulch plants heavily with weathered leaves or straw to keep the soil moist and protect tubers from sunlight. In slug-prone seasons, hill up loose soil over the bases of the plants instead of mulching.

After harvesting the potatoes in the early stages of summer, plant the vacated space with beans or squash, or with a cover crop of buckwheat.

For a list of disease and pest descriptions and prevention methods, see our Potato Pest and Disease Prevention chart. 

In the Kitchen

Garden-fresh potatoes are a rare delicacy that can be pan-fried for breakfast, steamed for a lunchtime salad, or served roasted or mashed as a supreme comfort food. An excellent source of vitamin C and iron, potatoes also deliver a range of B vitamins and minerals. Everything goes with potatoes: They pair particularly well with rosemary, onions and garlic, or with any type of roasted meat.

Page: << Previous 1 | 2 | 3 |
Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print

Comments

  • sheila 3/14/2009 12:14:12 PM

    a good bug repellent for potato beetles is to sprinkle the leaves with wood ash. Just be sure to re-apply after rain or a good watering. It doesn't kill them, they just don't like it and move on.

  • Ken 3/13/2009 8:26:35 PM

    Just be careful what you plant with or near your potatoes. I like to plant taller plants to shade out the texas sun. I planted sunflower seeds to help shade my plants. I later found out this doesn't work. I had great sunflowers but no potatoes. I'm told the bed will not be good for planting as sunflowers release a toxin into the soil that takes a couple years to break down. Hopefully my melons will do we this year there.

    Ken

  • Claire 3/1/2009 7:13:28 PM

    doccat, "there's no mention of growing these yummy tuber ON the ground."

    Can you be specific about this, I'm not familiar with the process or the article you refer to. thanks.

  • doccat5 12/11/2008 9:54:39 AM

    Excellent article, but there's no mention of growing these yummy tuber ON the ground. Same guidelines, just much easier on one's back. And that idea came from Mother's over 20 years ago. We've been doing it that way for years with good production.

Add Your Comment

Please note that there is currently a problem with the comments function and your comment may or may not post successfully. We are working to correct the problem and thank you for your patience. 

You can use this comment form to enter your personal experiences or additional information and resources that you'd like to share with Mother Earth News readers. Your helpful advice will be posted on this page.  E-mail addresses are never displayed on comments, but they are required to confirm your comments.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New to Mother Earth News?
Sign up to share comments.
Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.
Name*
Your name appears next to your comment.

E-mail Address*
This will be your login ID.

City State Zip Code

Password*


Confirm Password*

Comments
1500 character limit (Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)
Please Note: Your sign-up must be verified via e-mail before your comment is published.
FEATURED ARTICLES
MOST POPULAR


Subscribe Today - Pay Now & Save 66% Off the Cover Price

First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here

Lighten the Strain on the Earth and Your Budget

Mother Earth News is the guide to living — as one reader stated — “with little money and abundant happiness.” Every issue is an invaluable guide to leading a more sustainable life, covering ideas from fighting rising energy costs and protecting the environment to avoiding unnecessary spending on processed food. You’ll find tips for slashing heating bills; growing fresh, natural produce at home; and more. Mother Earth News helps you cut costs without sacrificing modern luxuries.

At Mother Earth News, we are dedicated to conserving our planet’s natural resources while helping you conserve your financial resources. That’s why we want you to save money and trees by subscribing through our Earth-Friendly automatic renewal savings plan. By paying with a credit card, you save an additional $4.95 and get 6 issues of Mother Earth News for only $10.00 (USA only).

You may also use the Bill Me option and pay $14.95 for 6 issues.