Planting Potatoes

One of the most versatile veggies is potatoes.
They can be prepared in so many ways,
from baking to boiling to frying to roasting.
There's really no bad way to fix a spud.

It starts with seed potatoes.
These can be purchased online or at your local hardware store.
We bought the Yukon Gold variety,
as we had good production with them last year.

The first step in growing your own potatoes
is to cut them into pieces and let them air dry
for a few days.

They may not look too attractive,
but this step is helpful in preventing rot and disease.
Once they are sufficiently dry,
they are ready to take out to the garden.

 This year, I'm reusing the chickenwire towers I made last season.
They were fashioned by simply cutting a length of chickenwire
and joining the two ends to make a hoop.
Support was created by using stakes, rebar, or dowels
woven through the top and bottom of the wire
and stuck into the ground.

 The potatoes were laid (skin side up) onto soil
amended with compost.
Three towers gave us ample space to plant.

Usually, dirt is added to the top of the potatoes as they grow,
to keep them from exposure to the sun,
which can cause them to create solanine,
a toxic chemical that renders the tubers inedible.
In my case, straw will be used instead of soil.
As with most veg,
at least 6 hours of daily sunshine and
an inch of water per week encourages growth.

After a few weeks, we should notice green stalks
escaping from the straw.
In about 10 weeks, the potatoes can be harvested.
They will need to cure before eating,
and can be stored for months unrefrigerated.

As easy as spuds are to grow,
why not add this veg to your garden crop list?