February is almost here and that means you should begin thinking about planting your potatoes!
Rule of thumb for this area is to have the potatoes planted by Valentine's Day.
Now, how exactly do you go about doing this? If you're an expert tater planter, good for you! But if not, read on!
Potato stats:
They prefer FULL SUN.
They love LIGHT, LOOSE soil.
Keep them weed free for best results.
Keep them rotated each year!
PREPPING:
A week or two before planting let them stay in a dry, cool place to begin sprouting the "eyes".
Before planting you're going to cut the potatoes. Cut so that each eye has part of the potato still attached. (see photos below for guidance) *You can doo this the day before but I usually do the day of.*
If you have any smaller potatoes you can plant them whole or cut them in half if there are eyes on each side.
PLANTING:
Dig a trench that is around 6-8 inches deep. Place the potatoes with cut side down, eyes facing up every foot. Cover them with around 4 inches of dirt and as they grow pull more and more dirt up around the plant.
Keep them watered throughout the Summertime. (Especially when flowering and just after flowering) 1-2 inches a week is ideal. THIS IS SO IMPORTANT!
HARVESTING:
When the foliage begins to die back, your potatoes are ready. Carefully dig the potatoes up and if the weather is dry, leave them to lay in the field for 2-3 days. This will cure them and allow the skin to mature, which makes them better for storing. If it's rainy, you can do this step on your porch.
Good Luck! Remember to water them each week during the flowering phase! I have looked over this step in the past and regretted it as I carried my lonely TWO potatoes back to the house!
-Lady of the Farm
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