The Potato is wide cultivated in temperate regions , and its stem tubers , which develop underground , are a popular food . The plant comes from South America where it was highly valued by the Indians . Its botanic name is Solanum tuberosum ; it belong to the family Solanaceae .
Potatoes can be cultivated in many different variety of soil , but the finest crops are dug from well - run out loamy land . They may be planted on the same situation twelvemonth after class with in effect results if the ground is maintain in a fertile condition by lime , manure and so on . In a garden of temperate size , however , it is impertinent to include the Potatoes in any organisation of revolution of crops which may be practise so that they shall have a change of soil sporadically .
Preparing the Ground.
The ideal manner to prepare heavy , clayey estate forPotatocultivation is to turn or grasp it in fall ; it is left in a rough term throughout the wintertime months . When the ground dries in give the soil will ruin into small particles….in other word , it will be friable when harrow or fork over . Exposure to rain , frost and lead does Brobdingnagian trade good to land of this type .
If this plan can not be followed , it ’s the custom of some gardener who have to engraft Potatoes on clayey land to engraft as they dig . The tubers , set in a shallow trench , are covered by soil as the digging proceeds . This method acting is advantageous because once the site is found it is not pack together on again until late outflow or other summer , when the first weeding is done , and by that time the control surface will have dried .
Light or well - drain loamy soil should be dug in spring , manure or compost being bury in the oceanic abyss as the work return .
It is not necessary or suitable to manure land to a great extent for Potato polish in the garden . A temperate dressing of decayed manure or compost put on the land and mixed with it , and supplemented by several covering of a suitable complete plant food , will ensure acceptable results .
Sprouting.
The preparation of the sets or planting tubers , commonly called “ seed potatoes , ” is a subject of swell importance because it has a considerable essence on the yield . It has been found that if Potato tubers already possessing a few sprouts are plant , a heavier crop will result than if sleeping or unsprouted tubers are used . Tuber require for planting in leap should be choose cautiously ; those weighing about 2 oz . , or the size of a small hen ’s egg , are considered to be the most desirable . bombastic tubers may , however , be used ; they can be cut into pieces , each part to include a few sprouts , at planting time . To produce sprouts the tubers are define on end in shallow box , or especially made trays having short wooden legs which provide of their being station on top of each other to save space . This is done 2 - 4 weeks before planting metre .
What is scream the “ blush wine ” end of the genus Tuber , that which possesses the outstanding numeral of “ eyes ” or buds , is placed uppermost . The boxes or trays must be in a Christ Within , moderately fond position ; there the tubers start into ontogenesis and by planting time will own several short , sturdy sprouts . It is necessary that the tubers be fully unresolved to the light or the sprout will be weak and “ draw . ”
Sprouting before planting them is strongly to be recommended for all types , but it is particularly necessary in the cultivation of early varieties ; murphy treated in this way will pop out into growth preferably than dormant tuber .
Reducing the Number of Sprouts.
Before the tubers are planted the doubtfulness of the figure of sprouts to be left on each one must be make up one’s mind .
If only one sprout is left on each genus Tuber , the crop will lie in of a limited act of large Potatoes ; if two sprout are left there will be a large identification number of large murphy , and others of good sizing ; if three sprouts are left there will be a certain act of modest tubers , although most of them will be large or fair sized . If all the sprouts are left on , or if dormant tubers are planted , the number of small Potatoes will be still greater .
For general garden culture the best practice is to leave two or three sprout on each of the tubers . There is no doubt as to the advantages of sprouting the tubers before planting , and limiting the number of sprout . This ensures early development and a minimum of small Potatoes , and thus preclude waste of craw .
Potatoes as a Cleaning Crop.
Those who are present with the problem of making a new garden on acres which has not been cultivated previously or which has been out of cultivation for many years , and bring in the soil into honorable condition for sowing or planting , will see it an excellent plan to crop it with white potato for the first yr . There is no well cleaning crop for new land .
The situation should be plowed or dug in springtime to get rid of tree root and as many perennial weed as potential . The Potatoes are embed in fountain . During the summer months the practicesofweeding , hoeing and earthing - up will help very substantially to cultivate the terra firma , break down lumpy soil and get disembarrass of coarse gage . By the terminal of the summertime , or early autumn , the ground will be in first - charge per unit condition for sowing or planting after the crop of Potatoes has been lifted .
It is most important to have the site thoroughly prepared where it is intended to make a new lawn by sow Grass seeds , and Potato refinement is ideal formulation . other September is a worthy meter to sow the Grass seeds , and if a crop of early Potatoes is grown they will be off the ground by the final stage of August , thus allowing time for the concluding leveling and seedbed preparation . The Potato tops , or vine , should be burnt on the site , together with any other garden tripe which has to be destroy ; this practice helps to get disembarrass of grass seeds and seedling weed and thus saves labor later .
There are two main types or socio-economic class of Potato — the Early , and the Maincrop or Late ; numerous varieties of each type are available .
The First Plantings.
The former crops of Potatoes are raise from plantings of Early variety made as shortly in natural spring as soil and weather condition allow . This will unremarkably be 1 - 2 week before the average date of the last killing frost in the locality but in shelter locations ( such as on a Confederate States of America - face side protected from cold wind by a windbreak or hedging ) on arenaceous soils they may be planted 3 - 4 calendar week before the median particular date of the last killing frost . This latter date variegate considerably , of course , according to geographical locality . Gardeners not familiar with it , as it applies to their own gardens , may find information from the County Agricultural Agent of the county in which they exist or may be guided as to when to engraft by the drill of local experts .
On heavy ( clayey ) soil planting can not be done quite as early on as on light ( sandlike ) ones . Under no circumstance should planting be done until the soil is in a workable , friable condition ; planting in pie-eyed , sticky soil is sure to bring disappointing results .
As soon as youthful shoot from the Potatoes show through the surface of the ground and are 2 - 3 in . marvellous , grime should be pull out ( hill ) up to them with a hoe or plow so that all except the very tips of the shoots is covered ; this serve as a protection against cold .
tuber ( set ) of Early Potatoes are implant 4 in . bass and 12 - 15 in . aside in rows spaced 18 - 24 in . apart . It is a with child advantage to place a layer of compost or decay manure in the furrows before plant . The tubers root freely into either of these materials , and vigorous outgrowth is thus promoted .
former Potatoes may be dug as soon as the tubers of the new crop are large enough to use . This can be ascertained by lifting a industrial plant or two as a trial , and will usually be within 10 - 12 week from the time of planting .
plant need not be all lifted at once ; the better plan for the home nurseryman is to dig his Early Potatoes as he needs them for table role , and thus to offer the crop over a period of several weeks . It must be remembered that the Potato plant have not discharge their season ’s growth when the first ones are lift at the end of 10 or 12 weeks ; if the plants are left in the ground the tubers will increase in sizing and number ( and thus give a heavier crop ) for some fourth dimension after these Irish potato have been removed .
Early multifariousness of Potatoes will have completed their increment and matured by July or August , according to locality , by which time Maincrop varieties will be uncommitted for poke for immediate tabular array habit . former mixed bag should be all lift when maturity is contact , which is evidenced by the tiptop ’ buy the farm down naturally .
It can not be said that Solanum tuberosum need a great deal of attention during the summer month ; the two particular of chief grandness are weed and pitchfork . As before long as the spinning top show through the soil , the ground between the row should be forked over shallowly , the ground is broken down into small particle . after on , it should be hoed frequently to keep down weeds . The oeuvre of forking will then be a comparatively dim-witted matter for the grime will be friable and easily moved . Forking when the grime is toilsome and lumpy is a laborious task and it can not be carried out satisfactorily .
Fertilizers for Potatoes.
Before the soil is forked , fertilizer should be applied alongside the industrial plant . Specially intensify variety made for the purpose are sold by nursery and horticultural stores and will be found good . Or the following mixture will be found acceptable : superphosphate , five parts , and sulphate of ammonia , two part , the miscellany being utilize at the rate of 3 oz . per grounds run of row .
Earthing - up(forking ) is done by drawing up the soil on each side of the row so that it supports the Potato stem and leaves only a few inches of vine or growing exposed . It should not be completed on one occasion . The first earthing - up is done when the Potato tops are about 6 in . high-pitched and the second about four weeks later on . The purpose of earthing - up is to support the stems of the flora and to protect the genus Tuber and help their development .
A 2d planting of early Potatoes may be made 2 - 3 calendar week after the early kinds . The tubers are put 5 in . cryptic , and 15 in . apart , in rows 24 in . from each other . They should be care for in the way already explained so far as the detail of sprouting the tubers , planting , the use of fertilizers and earthing - up are concerned .
Late or Maincrop Potatoes.
These are institute in about 6 weeks after the first earlies ; they allow the chief supply during the wintertime and early bounce months and will be quick to be nobble in September . The Tuber are set up 5 in . deep and 18 in . aside in row , 2 - 2 1/2 ft . from each other . It is a mistake to crowd them , for that prevents the grunge from being properly cultivated between the rows . The other details of management — sprouting the Tuber , planting , the application of fertiliser and earthing - up — are carried out in the fashion already described . In the home garden it is normally right to concentrate on early crop ; tardy potatoes need a good deal of fear with spraying .
Lifting Potatoes.
There is no reward in result Irish potato in the ground after the leave have sour yellowish ; it is , in fact , unwise to do so , for there they are reveal to risk of damage by grime pestis of various sort . After they have been dug , the Potatoes should be left on the solid ground for two or three hours if the weather is fine , so that the skins may indurate before they are store . If the weather is soused it is a good plan to unfold them out under covering fire of a shed or other suitable home .
Storing Potatoes.
The Potatoes must not be exposed to the light for more than a few hour or they will begin to reverse greenish and will thus be rendered bad for usage in the kitchen . When ironical , they may be stack away in sacks or box , in any nerveless , dismal , frostproof place . Only sound Potatoes should be stored in mass ; if diseased ones are put aside with sound ones , the latter may also be spoiled . A winter storage temperature of 35 - 40 degrees is suitable for good solution . There are a large number of varieties of Potato . These will be found in our seed section on the left over bar .
