Laura Lawrence- Northern Michigan Homesteader
How to Plant- Dig a trench about 4 inches wide and 8 to 12 inches deep. Place a cut potato with 2 to 3 eyes and cover with 2 inches of dirt. The extra dirt on the sides of the trenches will be used later to keep cover the growing plant. Plant each potato 12 inches apart. As the plant grows you’ll need to cover up with several inches of soil around the stem (not the leaves, etc). All the potatoes need to be hidden from the sun and just the leaves do not offer enough protection. Make sure to cover plenty as the green can produce a toxic called Solanine. If you see green spots on your potatoes they suggest peeling all that away and cook as usual.
Watering – Water the potato plants with the rule of 1 to 2 inches of water about once a week. If your able to stop watering 2-4 weeks ahead of time. I’m typically unable to since it’s in my garden with all the other crops.
Pests- Potato bugs seem to find the potato plants after one season however you may see them right away. Keep an eye out for these once the plant starts to get leaves. You’ll want to keep these under control as they will eat the entire plant and that will stop the tubers from growing under the ground. You’ll see orange eggs on the underside of the leaves which you can smear to help. Also a good way to keep those bugs down is squishing them. Yes
gross, so send the kids. Use two stones to help squash them. They also have kids and teenagers which are brown blobs basically that should be squashed as well. Once these get to out of control apply an application of Monterrey Spray with Spinosad. Generally we only have to use this one time, however if they return with a vengeance several weeks later you may need to apply again.
Disease - rhizoctonia or "black scurf", notice the black spots on the potato. The potato is fine and still edible, just peel instead of eating the whole thing. If you see this, the next year try applying MST Myco Seed Treat – it does help minimize. I purchase from Maine Potato Lady and click on “Soil Inoculants”.
How to Harvest – The plants will die back and this is my indication it’s time to harvest. I typically harvest my potatoes in September and on dry days, so look at the weather and find days that are dry for several in a row. Or if you see lots of rain coming make sure to dig up prior. Use a potato fork and start on one side of the plant farther away than you think and dig, go to the other side and do the same. There are many hidden ones, but it’s such a great treasure to find!
How to Store – After digging up lightly brush off the dirty and store in crates with plenty of airflow, or hang in bags with lots of holes like onion bags, or crates. Place these in an area that is dark and about 35-40 degrees F with high humidity if possible. Mine doesn’t always have high humidity since it’s during the winter. You can get the potatoes to last at least 6 months in these conditions. Make sure to save the small tubers and keep in the darkness to be your “seed” potatoes next year. Your eyes will be much longer when you save your own, but it works out just fine. My “eyes” have been 3 feet long and I plant these in the ground like above but lay the eye out on top of the soil.
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