文章
莹723
2020年09月27日
Slugs are a particular problem in spring, when plenty of young plants are growing.Tell-tale signs of slug damage include irregularly-shaped holes in leaves, stems, flowers, tubers and bulbs and potatoes, and silvery slime trails.
There are many options for controlling slugs, including going out at night with a torch and bucket to pick slugs off by hand. However, you should keep them under control in spring, combine a few methods.Protect all seedlings, new growth on most herbaceous plants, and all parts of susceptible plants, such as delphiniums and hostas.
Here are six ways to stop slugs for you.
1.Use organic slug pellets
Pellets made from ferric phosphate are approved for use by organic growers and are just as effective as non-organic ones but less harmful to birds and other wildlife. Scatter the pellets on the soil as soon as you can before tender growth appears.
2.Water in biological control
Microscopic nematodes can infect slugs with bacteria and then kill them, it’s an effective biological control by watered into the soil. Apply in the evenings when the soil is warm and moist, from spring onwards.
3.Use copper barriers
Copper barriers are effective slug deterrents – if a slug tries to cross one it receives an ‘electric shock’, forcing it back. Put copper rings around vulnerable plants, or stick copper tape around the rim of pots.
4.Use beer traps
They’re attracted to the smell, so make a slug trap with cheap beer. Do this by sinking a beer trap or container into the ground, with the rim just above soil level. Half fill with beer and the cover with a loose lid to stop other creatures falling in. Check and empty regularly.
5.Let them eat bran
Slugs love bran and will gorge on it. They then become bloated and dehydrated, and can’t hide, making them easy pickings for birds. Make sure the bran doesn’t get wet, though.
6.Slug-resistant plants to grow
Hellebores
Astilbes
Hardy geraniums
Eryngiums
Agastaches
Penstemons
Sidalcea
Astrantia
Ferns
Ornamental grasses
Verbena bonariensis
There are many options for controlling slugs, including going out at night with a torch and bucket to pick slugs off by hand. However, you should keep them under control in spring, combine a few methods.Protect all seedlings, new growth on most herbaceous plants, and all parts of susceptible plants, such as delphiniums and hostas.
Here are six ways to stop slugs for you.
1.Use organic slug pellets
Pellets made from ferric phosphate are approved for use by organic growers and are just as effective as non-organic ones but less harmful to birds and other wildlife. Scatter the pellets on the soil as soon as you can before tender growth appears.
2.Water in biological control
Microscopic nematodes can infect slugs with bacteria and then kill them, it’s an effective biological control by watered into the soil. Apply in the evenings when the soil is warm and moist, from spring onwards.
3.Use copper barriers
Copper barriers are effective slug deterrents – if a slug tries to cross one it receives an ‘electric shock’, forcing it back. Put copper rings around vulnerable plants, or stick copper tape around the rim of pots.
4.Use beer traps
They’re attracted to the smell, so make a slug trap with cheap beer. Do this by sinking a beer trap or container into the ground, with the rim just above soil level. Half fill with beer and the cover with a loose lid to stop other creatures falling in. Check and empty regularly.
5.Let them eat bran
Slugs love bran and will gorge on it. They then become bloated and dehydrated, and can’t hide, making them easy pickings for birds. Make sure the bran doesn’t get wet, though.
6.Slug-resistant plants to grow
Hellebores
Astilbes
Hardy geraniums
Eryngiums
Agastaches
Penstemons
Sidalcea
Astrantia
Ferns
Ornamental grasses
Verbena bonariensis
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文章
ritau
2020年01月08日
Potatoes are an indispensable food on our dining-table. We often buy potatoes in the markets, but do you ever think growing potatoes at home! Here are some ways for you:
1. Using Wood boxes
Build or buy a bottomless square box. After the box is designed you can add additional slats and soil as the plants grow. In theory, you can temporarily remove the bottom slat for harvesting, or just tip it over. This is another strategy for growing potatoes where the ground soil is of poor quality. It yielded a similar quantity to the raised bed.
2. Using Bags
Put a few inches of a soil-compost mixture in the bottom of a bag, then plant three or four seed potato pieces and cover with 3 inches of soil. Continue adding soil as the plants grow until the bag is full. To harvest, turn the bag on its side and dump out the contents.
3. Using Straw Mulch
Place seed potatoes on the surface of prepared soil following the spacing specified for hilled rows and cover them with 3 to 4 inches of loose, seed-free straw. Mound more straw around the stems as they grow, eventually creating a layer of one foot or more in depth.
1. Using Wood boxes
Build or buy a bottomless square box. After the box is designed you can add additional slats and soil as the plants grow. In theory, you can temporarily remove the bottom slat for harvesting, or just tip it over. This is another strategy for growing potatoes where the ground soil is of poor quality. It yielded a similar quantity to the raised bed.
2. Using Bags
Put a few inches of a soil-compost mixture in the bottom of a bag, then plant three or four seed potato pieces and cover with 3 inches of soil. Continue adding soil as the plants grow until the bag is full. To harvest, turn the bag on its side and dump out the contents.
3. Using Straw Mulch
Place seed potatoes on the surface of prepared soil following the spacing specified for hilled rows and cover them with 3 to 4 inches of loose, seed-free straw. Mound more straw around the stems as they grow, eventually creating a layer of one foot or more in depth.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年08月19日
The perennial Japanese lantern plant is related to tomatoes and potatoes. It is grown for the bright orange sheath, or calyx, that surrounds its fruit. Dried stems with the calyx still attached are a popular Christmas and Halloween decoration. This species can become invasive because of its spreading underground rhizomes; you can grow it in containers or in pots sunk into the garden to prevent it from getting out of control.
Step 1
Sow Japanese lantern seeds in 4- or 6-inch pots indoors in the early spring. Start about a month before the average date of the last spring freeze. Sprinkle the seed thinly on the surface of sterile potting compost and cover with 1/4 inch sieved compost. Keep the soil moist but not soaking and place in a warm spot.
Step 2
Transplant Japanese lantern seedlings into the garden six weeks after they germinate and are large enough to handle. Plant in a partially shady site with rich but well-drained soil. Allow between 1 and 3 feet between plants depending on the mature size of the cultivar you are growing.
Step 3
Fertilize your growing plants with a liquid fertilizer rich in nitrogen every three weeks or apply a slow release granular fertilizer every three months. Allow the soil to dry out slightly between waterings but never to the point where the leaves start to wilt.
Step 4
Harvest the stems in the fall as soon as the fruit calyxes develop their orange color. Remove all the leaves and hang the stems out to dry.
Step 1
Sow Japanese lantern seeds in 4- or 6-inch pots indoors in the early spring. Start about a month before the average date of the last spring freeze. Sprinkle the seed thinly on the surface of sterile potting compost and cover with 1/4 inch sieved compost. Keep the soil moist but not soaking and place in a warm spot.
Step 2
Transplant Japanese lantern seedlings into the garden six weeks after they germinate and are large enough to handle. Plant in a partially shady site with rich but well-drained soil. Allow between 1 and 3 feet between plants depending on the mature size of the cultivar you are growing.
Step 3
Fertilize your growing plants with a liquid fertilizer rich in nitrogen every three weeks or apply a slow release granular fertilizer every three months. Allow the soil to dry out slightly between waterings but never to the point where the leaves start to wilt.
Step 4
Harvest the stems in the fall as soon as the fruit calyxes develop their orange color. Remove all the leaves and hang the stems out to dry.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年07月23日
Historically, potatoes have only been grown on farms and in vegetable gardens with lots of space. However, even those people in the smallest of urban lots can grow healthy and tasty potatoes with the garbage bag method.
Step 1
Chit your potatoes, which means preparing them for planting. You can use potatoes from your pantry, even if they have already sprouted. Cut potatoes into at least two pieces, making sure that there is at least two eyes in each piece. A potato eye is an indentation or spot where a growing sprout will form. Leave potato pieces out to dry on a paper towel for at least 24 hours.
Step 2
Prepare your soil mixture. The soil mixture must be light and airy to allow potato roots and shoots to form and grow easily. Mix potting soil with peat moss, vermiculite or chopped dead leaves, or a mixture of all of them. Fill a garbage bag 4 inches full of the soil mixture. Roll the edges of the garbage bag down to within 2 inches of the top of the soil layer. Punch holes into the garbage bag below the soil level to allow drainage.
Step 3
Plant your potatoes. Plant five potato chits per garbage bag, one in the center and four in a circle near the outside edge of the garbage bag. Plant potato chits deep enough to just be barely covered with soil. Water thoroughly.
Step 4
Maintain your potatoes. First, the potato chits will grow roots. This is a time when there will be little visible activity. Then the chits will send up sprouts. When the sprouts get 4 inches high, add soil mixture to the garbage bag until the shoot is almost completely covered again. Roll out the edges of the garbage bag to keep up with the soil being added. Water thoroughly. Continue to add soil mixture as the shoot grows to encourage it to continue to grow upwards. Water the bags regularly so that the soil does not dry out. When the shoots have reached the top of the garbage bag, stop adding soil and allow them to bloom and mature.
Step 5
Harvest your potatoes. When the potato plant has withered and the leaves have turned brown, it's time to harvest the potatoes. Dump out or cut open the garbage bag and pull the potatoes off of the underground shoots. Brush off as much dirt as possible but do not wash. Allow skins to firm up in open air out of sunlight for at least two days. Wash potatoes only when ready to use to prolong the storage life.
Step 1
Chit your potatoes, which means preparing them for planting. You can use potatoes from your pantry, even if they have already sprouted. Cut potatoes into at least two pieces, making sure that there is at least two eyes in each piece. A potato eye is an indentation or spot where a growing sprout will form. Leave potato pieces out to dry on a paper towel for at least 24 hours.
Step 2
Prepare your soil mixture. The soil mixture must be light and airy to allow potato roots and shoots to form and grow easily. Mix potting soil with peat moss, vermiculite or chopped dead leaves, or a mixture of all of them. Fill a garbage bag 4 inches full of the soil mixture. Roll the edges of the garbage bag down to within 2 inches of the top of the soil layer. Punch holes into the garbage bag below the soil level to allow drainage.
Step 3
Plant your potatoes. Plant five potato chits per garbage bag, one in the center and four in a circle near the outside edge of the garbage bag. Plant potato chits deep enough to just be barely covered with soil. Water thoroughly.
Step 4
Maintain your potatoes. First, the potato chits will grow roots. This is a time when there will be little visible activity. Then the chits will send up sprouts. When the sprouts get 4 inches high, add soil mixture to the garbage bag until the shoot is almost completely covered again. Roll out the edges of the garbage bag to keep up with the soil being added. Water thoroughly. Continue to add soil mixture as the shoot grows to encourage it to continue to grow upwards. Water the bags regularly so that the soil does not dry out. When the shoots have reached the top of the garbage bag, stop adding soil and allow them to bloom and mature.
Step 5
Harvest your potatoes. When the potato plant has withered and the leaves have turned brown, it's time to harvest the potatoes. Dump out or cut open the garbage bag and pull the potatoes off of the underground shoots. Brush off as much dirt as possible but do not wash. Allow skins to firm up in open air out of sunlight for at least two days. Wash potatoes only when ready to use to prolong the storage life.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年07月21日
Fried potatoes are top choices for snacks and meals. A potato is usually fried by cooking potato pieces in hot oil. Potatoes are cut, chopped and fried as hash browns, french fries, steak fries, sliced potatoes and stir-fry cubes. Regional favorites are fried and seasoned with chili, cheese, garlic, rosemary or malt vinegar. The best potato for frying is usually a russet potato, but other potatoes have a place in the fry pan.
Types
Russet potatoes are the top potato for french fries due to their high starch content. They hold their shape and make a crispy fry. The oval shape of the russet is good for making long french or steak fries. The famous Idaho potato favored by fast-food restaurants is a Russet Burbank. Other potatoes suited for pan frying include red potatoes, new potatoes and sweet potatoes. Their shapes are too short for traditional long fries but suited to pan fries.
Geography
Potatoes are grown worldwide. They originated in the mountains of South America and grow best in a mountain plain. Potatoes do better with cool nights and warm days for the plants to develop starch in the tubers. High moisture content and a sandy loam soil allow the tuber to grow at a steady rate. Potatoes are easy to harvest and clean when the soil is light and does not stick to the mature vegetable. Idaho grows about a third of the potatoes in the United States.
Benefits
A basic potato is nutritious. It is high in fiber and potassium. A potato contains vitamin B6, iron and copper. The potato is low in calories and blends well with other foods and spices. The versatile potato is inexpensive and comes in a variety of sizes, colors and textures, and you can store it year-round.
Considerations
Sort potatoes and remove molding or sprouting potatoes. Store sorted potatoes in a cool, dark and well-ventilated area such as a potato bin or pantry. Refrigerator storage is not recommended as this can cause potato starch to turn into sugar. Remove or quickly use spongy or soft potatoes as they spoil quickly. Discard potatoes with green spots or greenish skin or remove these discolorations before cooking. The green areas may be mildly toxic.
Warning
Green spots or green tint on potato skin can indicate chlorophyll or higher amounts of glycoalkaloids. Glycoalkaloids are natural toxic compounds that protect the potato against disease and insects. Potatoes usually contain low amounts of glycoalkaloids such as solanine and chaconine. The levels of glycoalkaloids may increase when the potatoes age, are damaged or exposed to light. In people, high levels of glycoalkaloids can cause headaches, diarrhea and more serious problems. Trim off green areas or peel potatoes to minimize exposure to these potential hazards.
Types
Russet potatoes are the top potato for french fries due to their high starch content. They hold their shape and make a crispy fry. The oval shape of the russet is good for making long french or steak fries. The famous Idaho potato favored by fast-food restaurants is a Russet Burbank. Other potatoes suited for pan frying include red potatoes, new potatoes and sweet potatoes. Their shapes are too short for traditional long fries but suited to pan fries.
Geography
Potatoes are grown worldwide. They originated in the mountains of South America and grow best in a mountain plain. Potatoes do better with cool nights and warm days for the plants to develop starch in the tubers. High moisture content and a sandy loam soil allow the tuber to grow at a steady rate. Potatoes are easy to harvest and clean when the soil is light and does not stick to the mature vegetable. Idaho grows about a third of the potatoes in the United States.
Benefits
A basic potato is nutritious. It is high in fiber and potassium. A potato contains vitamin B6, iron and copper. The potato is low in calories and blends well with other foods and spices. The versatile potato is inexpensive and comes in a variety of sizes, colors and textures, and you can store it year-round.
Considerations
Sort potatoes and remove molding or sprouting potatoes. Store sorted potatoes in a cool, dark and well-ventilated area such as a potato bin or pantry. Refrigerator storage is not recommended as this can cause potato starch to turn into sugar. Remove or quickly use spongy or soft potatoes as they spoil quickly. Discard potatoes with green spots or greenish skin or remove these discolorations before cooking. The green areas may be mildly toxic.
Warning
Green spots or green tint on potato skin can indicate chlorophyll or higher amounts of glycoalkaloids. Glycoalkaloids are natural toxic compounds that protect the potato against disease and insects. Potatoes usually contain low amounts of glycoalkaloids such as solanine and chaconine. The levels of glycoalkaloids may increase when the potatoes age, are damaged or exposed to light. In people, high levels of glycoalkaloids can cause headaches, diarrhea and more serious problems. Trim off green areas or peel potatoes to minimize exposure to these potential hazards.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年07月20日
Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) do well as an annual food crop in Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 1 through 7. While they are commonly grown in-ground by home gardeners, they can be easily and successfully grown in containers. Container-grown potatoes can be grown year-round, since they can be moved indoors so long as light requirements are met. To successfully grow potatoes in a bucket, choose your potato variety carefully. You also need to meet the growing requirements for potatoes.
The most important requirement for your bucket is that it be made of material suitable for growing food. Food-safe plastic or garden-safe wood are the ideal materials for your bucket. Avoid metal as it can corrode over time and affect soil nutrition. Your bucket must also have good drainage, as sodden soil is extremely harmful to plants. Drill drainage holes in your bucket if it does not already have them. The size of your container is also important. Potatoes do well in large containers, so plan on 2 1/2 gallons of growing space per potato plant. Ensure that the container is at least 1 foot deep.
Preparing the Soil and Growing Conditions
Potatoes enjoy sandy, acidic soil that is nutrient-rich. Use a mix of compost and nutrient-rich potting or garden soil to fill your container. Place a layer of gravel or broken pieces of Styrofoam at the bottom of your bucket. This will help your container garden drain better. Fill your bucket almost to the top -- 1 inch below the rim -- with the compost and soil mix. Potato plants enjoy full sun and moist, but not sodden soil. Container gardens are more susceptible to dehydration during summer months. Keep your soil evenly moist, neither soaked nor dry to touch. Place a large dish under the bucket, keeping it filled with water. The plants and soil will absorb water as needed. This method also helps reduce the level of nutrients washed away during watering.
Planting Potatoes
To plant potatoes, you must start by chitting potatoes. This is especially important if you are planting potatoes in the late winter and early spring for a late spring harvest. Chit potatoes by laying your seed potatoes out in a cool, frost-free and sunny environment. Egg boxes or old seed trays work well. The eyes of the potatoes will produce shoots. Position these upward toward the sunlight for optimal results. When the shoots are 1 inch long, the seed potato can be planted. Prior to planting, evenly spread a small handful of a high-phosphorous fertilizer, such as bonemeal, 7 inches below the surface of the soil. Cover with 2 inches of soil and compost mixture. Then push a chitted seed potato below the surface of the dirt, with the shoots pointing upward. Push the chitted potato down no more than 5 inches deep, and cover with soil. The seed potato should not touch the fertilizer directly as it will burn the sensitive new shoots and roots of the plant.
Varieties and Spacing
Potatoes are categorized as earlies, second earlies and maincrop potatoes. Earlies are planted in the late winter and are harvested in early summer. Second earlies are planted in early spring and harvested midsummer. Maincrop potatoes are harvested in the fall, after an early spring planting. You can also plant potatoes in the late summer for a fall harvest. First and second early varieties work best for container potatoes. Salad potatoes, such as the "Charlotte" (Solanum tuberosum "Charlotte") and the "Lady Christi (Solanum tuberosum "Lady Christl), grow well in the restricted space of a container. But you can grow any size of white, red, yellow or russet potatoes successfully in containers, assuming there is enough space for the potato to mature. Unless you have a very large container, plant no more than three potato plants per container, spacing them evenly apart. The closer your plants are, the smaller your spuds will be.
The most important requirement for your bucket is that it be made of material suitable for growing food. Food-safe plastic or garden-safe wood are the ideal materials for your bucket. Avoid metal as it can corrode over time and affect soil nutrition. Your bucket must also have good drainage, as sodden soil is extremely harmful to plants. Drill drainage holes in your bucket if it does not already have them. The size of your container is also important. Potatoes do well in large containers, so plan on 2 1/2 gallons of growing space per potato plant. Ensure that the container is at least 1 foot deep.
Preparing the Soil and Growing Conditions
Potatoes enjoy sandy, acidic soil that is nutrient-rich. Use a mix of compost and nutrient-rich potting or garden soil to fill your container. Place a layer of gravel or broken pieces of Styrofoam at the bottom of your bucket. This will help your container garden drain better. Fill your bucket almost to the top -- 1 inch below the rim -- with the compost and soil mix. Potato plants enjoy full sun and moist, but not sodden soil. Container gardens are more susceptible to dehydration during summer months. Keep your soil evenly moist, neither soaked nor dry to touch. Place a large dish under the bucket, keeping it filled with water. The plants and soil will absorb water as needed. This method also helps reduce the level of nutrients washed away during watering.
Planting Potatoes
To plant potatoes, you must start by chitting potatoes. This is especially important if you are planting potatoes in the late winter and early spring for a late spring harvest. Chit potatoes by laying your seed potatoes out in a cool, frost-free and sunny environment. Egg boxes or old seed trays work well. The eyes of the potatoes will produce shoots. Position these upward toward the sunlight for optimal results. When the shoots are 1 inch long, the seed potato can be planted. Prior to planting, evenly spread a small handful of a high-phosphorous fertilizer, such as bonemeal, 7 inches below the surface of the soil. Cover with 2 inches of soil and compost mixture. Then push a chitted seed potato below the surface of the dirt, with the shoots pointing upward. Push the chitted potato down no more than 5 inches deep, and cover with soil. The seed potato should not touch the fertilizer directly as it will burn the sensitive new shoots and roots of the plant.
Varieties and Spacing
Potatoes are categorized as earlies, second earlies and maincrop potatoes. Earlies are planted in the late winter and are harvested in early summer. Second earlies are planted in early spring and harvested midsummer. Maincrop potatoes are harvested in the fall, after an early spring planting. You can also plant potatoes in the late summer for a fall harvest. First and second early varieties work best for container potatoes. Salad potatoes, such as the "Charlotte" (Solanum tuberosum "Charlotte") and the "Lady Christi (Solanum tuberosum "Lady Christl), grow well in the restricted space of a container. But you can grow any size of white, red, yellow or russet potatoes successfully in containers, assuming there is enough space for the potato to mature. Unless you have a very large container, plant no more than three potato plants per container, spacing them evenly apart. The closer your plants are, the smaller your spuds will be.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年07月20日
Baby red potatoes are a thin-skinned variety with a creamy texture and mild flesh. They are also called new potatoes and can be steamed, boiled or roasted. While small--about 1 to 3 inches long--they contain the same nutrients as a full-sized potato. All potatoes need loose (to a depth of 3 or 4 feet), well-drained soil with a pH of 5.2 to 6.8 for proper tuber development. Potatoes are plagued with a host of insect pests and bacterial diseases. Keeping your soil healthy by adding compost and rotating crops will minimize damage to your potato plants.
Step 1
Choose a spot with full sun in an area of the garden you have not used to grow potatoes, tomatoes, peppers or eggplants in three years. Do this the fall before planting potatoes.
Step 2
Cover the area you've chosen with compost, and work the compost into the soil to a depth of 6 inches. Baby red potatoes are planted in early spring as soon as the soil warms up to a daytime temperature of 51 degrees.
Step 3
In the spring, when you're ready to plant, cut the certified red seed potatoes into chunks, making sure each chunk has two to three "eyes".
Step 4
Plant your potato chunks in hills with two to three pieces per hill. Cluster your potato pieces together, and cover them with 3 to 4 inches of soil. The centers of the hills should be 1 foot apart. As an alternative, you can make a furrow 3 inches deep. Drop your eyes into the furrow 10 to 12 inches apart. Space the rows 24 inches apart.
Step 5
When the potato plant sprouts, begin "hilling" soil or compost around the plant. When the plant reaches 3 to 4 inches high, cover half of the plant with soil. When the plant grows another 3 to 4 inches, cover half of the new growth with soil. Continue to do that until the plant is growing out of a mound of soil 4 to 6 inches high. Hilling the soil prevents tubers from being exposed to the sun. Once tubers are exposed to the sun, they turn green and develop a toxin. Green tubers need to be disposed of.
Step 6
Mulch between rows and hills. The mulch reduces weed growth and retains moisture.
Step 7
When your red potatoes have developed their first set of true leaves, spray them with a foliar spray made of fish emulsion or seaweed. The foliar spray provides the nutrients your potato plants need to produce tubers and stay healthy through insect attacks and disease. Spray once a week until all the red potato plant flowers are in full bloom.
Step 8
When your red potato plants have sprouted, cover them with a floating row cover. The floating row cover allows sunlight and water to reach the potato plants but keeps insect pests from reaching the plants. You may remove the floating row covers when the plants begin to flower.
Step 9
Water your plants every other day. The soil should be moist, but you need to avoid leaving standing water.
Step 10
Start checking potato growth in late spring. Harvest new potatoes when they are between 1 and 2 inches long by digging gently around the potato plants and using a sharp knife to cut the potatoes cleanly away from the roots. Allow smaller potatoes to continue to grow before harvesting to extend the harvesting season.
Step 11
When you have harvested all the tubers on a potato plant, pull the plant up and add it to your compost pile.
Step 1
Choose a spot with full sun in an area of the garden you have not used to grow potatoes, tomatoes, peppers or eggplants in three years. Do this the fall before planting potatoes.
Step 2
Cover the area you've chosen with compost, and work the compost into the soil to a depth of 6 inches. Baby red potatoes are planted in early spring as soon as the soil warms up to a daytime temperature of 51 degrees.
Step 3
In the spring, when you're ready to plant, cut the certified red seed potatoes into chunks, making sure each chunk has two to three "eyes".
Step 4
Plant your potato chunks in hills with two to three pieces per hill. Cluster your potato pieces together, and cover them with 3 to 4 inches of soil. The centers of the hills should be 1 foot apart. As an alternative, you can make a furrow 3 inches deep. Drop your eyes into the furrow 10 to 12 inches apart. Space the rows 24 inches apart.
Step 5
When the potato plant sprouts, begin "hilling" soil or compost around the plant. When the plant reaches 3 to 4 inches high, cover half of the plant with soil. When the plant grows another 3 to 4 inches, cover half of the new growth with soil. Continue to do that until the plant is growing out of a mound of soil 4 to 6 inches high. Hilling the soil prevents tubers from being exposed to the sun. Once tubers are exposed to the sun, they turn green and develop a toxin. Green tubers need to be disposed of.
Step 6
Mulch between rows and hills. The mulch reduces weed growth and retains moisture.
Step 7
When your red potatoes have developed their first set of true leaves, spray them with a foliar spray made of fish emulsion or seaweed. The foliar spray provides the nutrients your potato plants need to produce tubers and stay healthy through insect attacks and disease. Spray once a week until all the red potato plant flowers are in full bloom.
Step 8
When your red potato plants have sprouted, cover them with a floating row cover. The floating row cover allows sunlight and water to reach the potato plants but keeps insect pests from reaching the plants. You may remove the floating row covers when the plants begin to flower.
Step 9
Water your plants every other day. The soil should be moist, but you need to avoid leaving standing water.
Step 10
Start checking potato growth in late spring. Harvest new potatoes when they are between 1 and 2 inches long by digging gently around the potato plants and using a sharp knife to cut the potatoes cleanly away from the roots. Allow smaller potatoes to continue to grow before harvesting to extend the harvesting season.
Step 11
When you have harvested all the tubers on a potato plant, pull the plant up and add it to your compost pile.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年07月17日
If you have begun your potatoes in a greenhouse or if you need to move your potatoes to another spot in the garden , your potato plants can be safely transplanted by following a few simple steps. Potato plants should be transplanted at least three weeks before harvest on a cooler day.
Step 1
Prepare the soil where the potatoes will be transplanted. The soil should be dug up, cleared of rocks and mixed with compost in the fall. Choose a location that is sunny and that is rotational--i.e., not the same place you grew potatoes last year. Rake in fertilizer two weeks before transplanting. The soil's pH level should not be higher than 6.
Step 2
Harden the soil of potatoes to be transplanted from a greenhouse by placing them outdoors. Start hardening a week before transplanting. Place them outdoors for about one hour the first day, then gradually set them out for longer each day after.
Step 3
Dig transplant holes in the ground. The holes should be approximately six inches wide and eight inches deep, varying depending on the maturity of the plants and the size of containers they were pre-grown in. The top of the soil of the plant being transplanted should sit at surface of the ground when planted. Make the holes far enough apart that the potatoes will not be overcrowded. Give room to transplants that still have growing to do. Moisten the soil evenly before transplanting.
Step 4
Dig out potato plants to be transplanted by slicing the soil around the plant with a garden trowel. Dig far enough away from the plant so as to not hit or cut the potato in the ground. Use your hand shovel or a hoe to carefully and gently pry up the plant. Keep it packed in as much soil as possible. Promptly move the plant to its transplant hole.
Step 5
Remove potatoes grown in a container by placing one hand on the soil and around the plant, turning it upside down and tapping on the bottom of the container. Promptly move them to the transplant holes.
Step 6
Fill in any gaps in the holes with soil and smooth down the surface of the ground. Do not pack in the soil too tightly. Water thoroughly. Place a layer of mulch around the stems.
Step 1
Prepare the soil where the potatoes will be transplanted. The soil should be dug up, cleared of rocks and mixed with compost in the fall. Choose a location that is sunny and that is rotational--i.e., not the same place you grew potatoes last year. Rake in fertilizer two weeks before transplanting. The soil's pH level should not be higher than 6.
Step 2
Harden the soil of potatoes to be transplanted from a greenhouse by placing them outdoors. Start hardening a week before transplanting. Place them outdoors for about one hour the first day, then gradually set them out for longer each day after.
Step 3
Dig transplant holes in the ground. The holes should be approximately six inches wide and eight inches deep, varying depending on the maturity of the plants and the size of containers they were pre-grown in. The top of the soil of the plant being transplanted should sit at surface of the ground when planted. Make the holes far enough apart that the potatoes will not be overcrowded. Give room to transplants that still have growing to do. Moisten the soil evenly before transplanting.
Step 4
Dig out potato plants to be transplanted by slicing the soil around the plant with a garden trowel. Dig far enough away from the plant so as to not hit or cut the potato in the ground. Use your hand shovel or a hoe to carefully and gently pry up the plant. Keep it packed in as much soil as possible. Promptly move the plant to its transplant hole.
Step 5
Remove potatoes grown in a container by placing one hand on the soil and around the plant, turning it upside down and tapping on the bottom of the container. Promptly move them to the transplant holes.
Step 6
Fill in any gaps in the holes with soil and smooth down the surface of the ground. Do not pack in the soil too tightly. Water thoroughly. Place a layer of mulch around the stems.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年07月16日
Potatoes are a staple of the American diet and are a common ingredient in many foods. While they are heavily cultivated commercially, potatoes are also fairly easy to grow at home. If you have grown potatoes in the past and are looking to get another crop started this year, you may have considered using seed potatoes. Proper storage and care of your seed potatoes can mean all the difference when it comes to a healthy, bountiful crop.
What Are Seed Potatoes?
You grow seed potatoes specifically for replanting to produce a potato crop. They are not a different kind of potato. Instead, it is their purpose that causes them to have a different classification.
Potatoes are tubers, which means that they grow as the food supply for the leafy green part of their plant. The tuber grows larger underground to store food for the plant. If provided proper nutrients, tubers like potatoes grow sprouts underground, which we call eyes. The eyes of a potato then develop into new plants.
You might think that you can start a potato crop using store-bought potatoes. However, most of the potatoes sold to grocery stores have chemical treatments so that they do not grow eyes while on the shelf. As a result, they are far less likely to be effective as seed potatoes. In addition, the chance of a diseased potato crop is much greater if you use store-bought potatoes as the basis for your planting.
How to Harvest Seed Potatoes
To harvest seed potatoes, dig up any potatoes you wish to store for next year's harvest. Brush the dirt off the potatoes, but do not wash them. You may also purchase certified disease-free potatoes from a garden supply or home improvement store. Many experts recommend starting fresh with certified seed potatoes each year to lessen the risk of an infected and ultimately damaged crop. Plants such as potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants and peppers (all members of the Solanaceae or Nightshade family) are particularly prone to plant-borne illnesses that can destroy entire crops.
If you choose to move forward with homegrown seed potatoes, be sure to practice crop rotation, planting your potatoes in a different place each year to prevent disease. Not only is this important for the yield of your harvest, it is essential for your seed potatoes. This is because diseases carried by these seed potatoes are likely to persist into another growing season.
Another way to maximize the return on your crop is to harvest seed potatoes of varying types, including heirloom varieties. If you do accidentally introduce a disease to your crop, you might have a higher yield if you have established a diverse population.
How to Store Seed Potatoes
Store your seed potatoes in a cool, dry place that hovers around 50 degrees Fahrenheit. While some humidity is essential for your seed potatoes, you should not expose them to too much moisture, or they may begin to rot.
In addition, it is critical that potatoes have time to rest, so you should not move or expose them to light or heat during the storage period. Locations like cool closets or cellars are excellent places for seed potatoes. If you are planning to store your potatoes in a basement location, take care to place them so that mice or other nuisance wildlife cannot get to them.
Keep the potatoes in a cardboard box or brown paper bag during their hibernation period. However, they require ventilation, so do not stack or pile the potatoes too high. Additionally, do not cover or close the container so that air cannot enter.
Three to four weeks before you wish to plant your crop, move your seed potatoes to a well-lit area with high humidity. A sunny window or under a grow light is an excellent choice. The purpose of this exercise is to encourage the sprouting of your potatoes. Covering seed potatoes with moist burlap bags can aid in the sprouting process.
How to Plant Seed Potatoes
If your seed potatoes are small, you do not need to cut them. However, if you have stored large potatoes, you should cut them into pieces with two to three eyes each. Each piece should weigh about two ounces. Following these guidelines will maximize your crop yield. You will need to either plant any cut potatoes immediately or let them dry for up to two days and then plant them.
Plant your seed potatoes in well-drained, rich and fertilized soil that is six inches deep. If you choose to hill your potatoes, mound the dirt covering them and add a layer of mulch on top. Keep hills about one foot apart. Water your seed potatoes regularly, providing each plant two inches of water per week.
What Are Seed Potatoes?
You grow seed potatoes specifically for replanting to produce a potato crop. They are not a different kind of potato. Instead, it is their purpose that causes them to have a different classification.
Potatoes are tubers, which means that they grow as the food supply for the leafy green part of their plant. The tuber grows larger underground to store food for the plant. If provided proper nutrients, tubers like potatoes grow sprouts underground, which we call eyes. The eyes of a potato then develop into new plants.
You might think that you can start a potato crop using store-bought potatoes. However, most of the potatoes sold to grocery stores have chemical treatments so that they do not grow eyes while on the shelf. As a result, they are far less likely to be effective as seed potatoes. In addition, the chance of a diseased potato crop is much greater if you use store-bought potatoes as the basis for your planting.
How to Harvest Seed Potatoes
To harvest seed potatoes, dig up any potatoes you wish to store for next year's harvest. Brush the dirt off the potatoes, but do not wash them. You may also purchase certified disease-free potatoes from a garden supply or home improvement store. Many experts recommend starting fresh with certified seed potatoes each year to lessen the risk of an infected and ultimately damaged crop. Plants such as potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants and peppers (all members of the Solanaceae or Nightshade family) are particularly prone to plant-borne illnesses that can destroy entire crops.
If you choose to move forward with homegrown seed potatoes, be sure to practice crop rotation, planting your potatoes in a different place each year to prevent disease. Not only is this important for the yield of your harvest, it is essential for your seed potatoes. This is because diseases carried by these seed potatoes are likely to persist into another growing season.
Another way to maximize the return on your crop is to harvest seed potatoes of varying types, including heirloom varieties. If you do accidentally introduce a disease to your crop, you might have a higher yield if you have established a diverse population.
How to Store Seed Potatoes
Store your seed potatoes in a cool, dry place that hovers around 50 degrees Fahrenheit. While some humidity is essential for your seed potatoes, you should not expose them to too much moisture, or they may begin to rot.
In addition, it is critical that potatoes have time to rest, so you should not move or expose them to light or heat during the storage period. Locations like cool closets or cellars are excellent places for seed potatoes. If you are planning to store your potatoes in a basement location, take care to place them so that mice or other nuisance wildlife cannot get to them.
Keep the potatoes in a cardboard box or brown paper bag during their hibernation period. However, they require ventilation, so do not stack or pile the potatoes too high. Additionally, do not cover or close the container so that air cannot enter.
Three to four weeks before you wish to plant your crop, move your seed potatoes to a well-lit area with high humidity. A sunny window or under a grow light is an excellent choice. The purpose of this exercise is to encourage the sprouting of your potatoes. Covering seed potatoes with moist burlap bags can aid in the sprouting process.
How to Plant Seed Potatoes
If your seed potatoes are small, you do not need to cut them. However, if you have stored large potatoes, you should cut them into pieces with two to three eyes each. Each piece should weigh about two ounces. Following these guidelines will maximize your crop yield. You will need to either plant any cut potatoes immediately or let them dry for up to two days and then plant them.
Plant your seed potatoes in well-drained, rich and fertilized soil that is six inches deep. If you choose to hill your potatoes, mound the dirt covering them and add a layer of mulch on top. Keep hills about one foot apart. Water your seed potatoes regularly, providing each plant two inches of water per week.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年07月12日
Potatoes are low-maintenance vegetables that you can grow in your home garden and that produce an abundant harvest. Grow potatoes from seed potatoes, which are small potatoes or pieces of larger ones. Pre-sprouting them before planting, also called chitting, ensures the seed potatoes are ready and able to produce plants. Plant these sprouted potatoes properly; otherwise, they rot in the ground instead of becoming healthy and productive plants.
Step 1
Prepare a full-sun garden bed for planting. Apply a 2-inch layer of compost over the entire bed, and one-half pound of 10-10-10 analysis fertilizer to each 10-foot row. Till the compost and fertilizer into the top 6 inches of the bed.
Step 2
Cut large, sprouted seed potatoes into 1- to 2-inch pieces, leaving at least one sprout - and up to three - on each seed piece. Set the seed pieces on a tray with the cut side up, and leave them overnight so the cut sides scab over, which helps prevent rot. Small seed pieces can be left whole.
Step 3
Sow the seed pieces to a 3-inch depth, and space each piece 8 to 12 inches apart in the row. Space the rows 2 to 3 feet apart. Plant each seed piece so the sprout is on top and the cut side, if applicable, on the bottom.
Step 4
Water the bed after planting until the soil is moist to a 6-inch depth. Water once weekly to maintain this moisture level, or twice weekly during extended dry periods.
Step 5
Cover the bed with a 2-inch layer of straw mulch once the potato plants are 5 inches tall. The mulch preserves moisture, inhibits weeds and also prevents sunburn on potato tubers growing near the soil surface.
Step 1
Prepare a full-sun garden bed for planting. Apply a 2-inch layer of compost over the entire bed, and one-half pound of 10-10-10 analysis fertilizer to each 10-foot row. Till the compost and fertilizer into the top 6 inches of the bed.
Step 2
Cut large, sprouted seed potatoes into 1- to 2-inch pieces, leaving at least one sprout - and up to three - on each seed piece. Set the seed pieces on a tray with the cut side up, and leave them overnight so the cut sides scab over, which helps prevent rot. Small seed pieces can be left whole.
Step 3
Sow the seed pieces to a 3-inch depth, and space each piece 8 to 12 inches apart in the row. Space the rows 2 to 3 feet apart. Plant each seed piece so the sprout is on top and the cut side, if applicable, on the bottom.
Step 4
Water the bed after planting until the soil is moist to a 6-inch depth. Water once weekly to maintain this moisture level, or twice weekly during extended dry periods.
Step 5
Cover the bed with a 2-inch layer of straw mulch once the potato plants are 5 inches tall. The mulch preserves moisture, inhibits weeds and also prevents sunburn on potato tubers growing near the soil surface.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年07月01日
If you're interested in growing potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) in your home garden, don't overlook a variety called Yukon Gold, which yields yellow-fleshed potatoes in the early to middle part of the season. Yukon Gold potatoes are high in vitamin A, which gives them their colorful flesh, and are good for eating unpeeled because they have extra-thin skins. They grow as annuals in all parts of the United States and are easy-to-grow plants, needing only basic care while growing and a bit of special attention at harvest time.
Starting Plants
Like most varieties, Yukon Gold potatoes can be started from seed potatoes, which are small tubers grown during the previous season. You can also start plants from pieces of larger potatoes, as long as each piece you plant has at least one bud, or "eye," at its surface. Before planting, allow cut pieces to dry, or heal, for seven to 10 days at 65 degrees Fahrenheit and dust cut surfaces with a powdered fungicide labeled for use on potato pieces; do this in a wind-protected spot and wear gloves to protect your hands.
Plant seed potatoes or pieces in early spring, but wait until the soil has warmed to 40 degrees Fahrenheit because Yukon Gold potatoes are a bit slow to sprout, and planting in soil that's too cool can promote growth of fungus.
Soil, Sun and Water
Yukon Gold potatoes grow best in well-drained soil that's loose and easily dug. If your soil is dense and heavy, and compacts easily, amend it with organic matter such as compost to loosen it while also improving fertility. Space potato pieces 10 to 15 inches apart, setting them in a trench at a depth of 6 inches; deep planting prevents tubers from jutting out of the soil as they grow. For best results, choose a sunny site where plants get at least six hours of sun each day. Plants need regular, consistent moisture during the period of greatest growth, early summer to midsummer; they do best when watered well every two or three days, to reach a total of 1 inch of water weekly, including rain; later in the season, when green tops begin to die back, avoid fungal problems by watering only when soil is dry to the touch.
Fertilizing and Hilling
Because potatoes form underground, you'll need to bury the plants' tops to ensure that tubers remain covered -- a process called hilling. When plants are about 8 inches tall, cover the lower half of the plants with soil or straw, and repeat this about three weeks later. Fertilizing Yukon Gold potatoes helps ensure a good harvest, starting when you plant seed potatoes or potato pieces. Scatter fertilizer into a small trench about 2 or 3 inches to the side of the planting row, preventing contact of fertilizer with the seed potatoes or pieces because it can burn tender roots. Use about 3 pounds of a granular, 8-16-16 formula for each 100 square feet of planted area. Once plants are about 6 inches tall, repeat fertilization by broadcasting about 2 pounds of the same formula per 100 square feet, applying it in a band about 10 inches away from the plants.
Problems and Harvest
Yukon Gold potatoes can attract Colorado potato beetles, yellow and brown striped, hard-shelled insects; control these pests by hand-picking. Aphids -- small, soft-bodied greenish-yellow pests -- might also be a problem; wash plants with a strong water stream early on sunny days to remove and destroy them. Fungal problems such as blight, which might cause limp, blackened leaves and stems, can be prevented by purchasing seed potatoes certified free of the disease. Planting in an area with good air circulation and removing debris regularly from under the plants also keeps down fungus.
Yukon Gold potatoes are ready to harvest about 50 days after planting, once vines begin dying back and foliage yellows. Use a fork to lift potatoes gently, then shake off loose dirt, cover tubers with paper or towels and let them dry in a cool, dark place for a few days; store them in a cool spot at 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
Starting Plants
Like most varieties, Yukon Gold potatoes can be started from seed potatoes, which are small tubers grown during the previous season. You can also start plants from pieces of larger potatoes, as long as each piece you plant has at least one bud, or "eye," at its surface. Before planting, allow cut pieces to dry, or heal, for seven to 10 days at 65 degrees Fahrenheit and dust cut surfaces with a powdered fungicide labeled for use on potato pieces; do this in a wind-protected spot and wear gloves to protect your hands.
Plant seed potatoes or pieces in early spring, but wait until the soil has warmed to 40 degrees Fahrenheit because Yukon Gold potatoes are a bit slow to sprout, and planting in soil that's too cool can promote growth of fungus.
Soil, Sun and Water
Yukon Gold potatoes grow best in well-drained soil that's loose and easily dug. If your soil is dense and heavy, and compacts easily, amend it with organic matter such as compost to loosen it while also improving fertility. Space potato pieces 10 to 15 inches apart, setting them in a trench at a depth of 6 inches; deep planting prevents tubers from jutting out of the soil as they grow. For best results, choose a sunny site where plants get at least six hours of sun each day. Plants need regular, consistent moisture during the period of greatest growth, early summer to midsummer; they do best when watered well every two or three days, to reach a total of 1 inch of water weekly, including rain; later in the season, when green tops begin to die back, avoid fungal problems by watering only when soil is dry to the touch.
Fertilizing and Hilling
Because potatoes form underground, you'll need to bury the plants' tops to ensure that tubers remain covered -- a process called hilling. When plants are about 8 inches tall, cover the lower half of the plants with soil or straw, and repeat this about three weeks later. Fertilizing Yukon Gold potatoes helps ensure a good harvest, starting when you plant seed potatoes or potato pieces. Scatter fertilizer into a small trench about 2 or 3 inches to the side of the planting row, preventing contact of fertilizer with the seed potatoes or pieces because it can burn tender roots. Use about 3 pounds of a granular, 8-16-16 formula for each 100 square feet of planted area. Once plants are about 6 inches tall, repeat fertilization by broadcasting about 2 pounds of the same formula per 100 square feet, applying it in a band about 10 inches away from the plants.
Problems and Harvest
Yukon Gold potatoes can attract Colorado potato beetles, yellow and brown striped, hard-shelled insects; control these pests by hand-picking. Aphids -- small, soft-bodied greenish-yellow pests -- might also be a problem; wash plants with a strong water stream early on sunny days to remove and destroy them. Fungal problems such as blight, which might cause limp, blackened leaves and stems, can be prevented by purchasing seed potatoes certified free of the disease. Planting in an area with good air circulation and removing debris regularly from under the plants also keeps down fungus.
Yukon Gold potatoes are ready to harvest about 50 days after planting, once vines begin dying back and foliage yellows. Use a fork to lift potatoes gently, then shake off loose dirt, cover tubers with paper or towels and let them dry in a cool, dark place for a few days; store them in a cool spot at 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年06月19日
Ohio has a mild climate, with U.S. hardiness zones of 5a to 6a. Certain micro-climates exist around the state, so growing seasons vary slightly. Plant seed potatoes in Ohio that mature in the time frame for your climate.
Varieties
Early season varieties good for Ohio include superior and norland, which mature in 90 to 100 days and 80 to 90 days respectively. Planting four weeks before your expected frost date allows early harvesting of these potatoes.
Hardiness Zones
The southern part of Ohio warms up a few weeks earlier than the northern areas. You can plant seed potatoes in Ohio as soon as the soil is dry in your area. Select a time when no rainfall is expected. This generally happens in mid-March for southern Ohio and late April for northern Ohio.
Diseases
Potatoes are not without problems and late blight has affected Ohio when spring weather is extremely wet. Control late blight disease by selecting certified seed potatoes, properly drying the potatoes before planting and waiting until the soil is dry. Northern areas of Ohio still yield an abundant harvest even when delaying planting until mid-June.
Varieties
Early season varieties good for Ohio include superior and norland, which mature in 90 to 100 days and 80 to 90 days respectively. Planting four weeks before your expected frost date allows early harvesting of these potatoes.
Hardiness Zones
The southern part of Ohio warms up a few weeks earlier than the northern areas. You can plant seed potatoes in Ohio as soon as the soil is dry in your area. Select a time when no rainfall is expected. This generally happens in mid-March for southern Ohio and late April for northern Ohio.
Diseases
Potatoes are not without problems and late blight has affected Ohio when spring weather is extremely wet. Control late blight disease by selecting certified seed potatoes, properly drying the potatoes before planting and waiting until the soil is dry. Northern areas of Ohio still yield an abundant harvest even when delaying planting until mid-June.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年06月19日
The average American adult eats more than his weight in potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) every year. This annual crop -- a staple in diets the world over -- can be harvested for immediate eating or stored for later use. Be sure to get them all safely stored before they are subjected to a hard frost, or you may lose your crop. Potatoes come in many different varieties, but all are harvested in the same manner.
Watch the Vines
One of the best indicators for deciding when to harvest your potatoes is the condition of the vines. Let your potatoes grow until the vines die, drying out and turning brown. This very visual clue tells you it is time to harvest. This is not the same as what happens when the vines freeze; frozen vines will turn black and begin to rot. Before you dig up all of your potatoes, check them for readiness to make sure that they are mature enough to harvest and will store well. Cured potatoes can be stored at a temperature of around 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Check for Readiness
After the potato vines have died, leave the potatoes in the ground another two or three weeks. Next, you'll need to check your potatoes for maturity. Carefully dig up one or two hills of potatoes and pick up some of the tubers. Rub the skin with your thumb or fingers. If the skin slides or rubs off easily, your potatoes are not ready for harvest and won't store well if you dig them now. Leave the rest of your crop in the ground a few more days and then check again. Eat immature potatoes soon after digging, since you won't be able to store them.
Watch the Calendar
Seed potatoes used for planting indicate how long it will be from the time you plant them until they are mature, usually from 80 to about 115 days. Consider the times a guideline, since variables in soil conditions, climate and rainfall can all affect how long it takes your potatoes to be ready. Mark the planting date on your calendar and then mark the potential maturity date. Start checking your potatoes near the maturity date and harvest them when they are large enough and the skins don't slip.
Early Potato Harvest
You don't have to wait for potatoes to mature before harvesting some of them. Small, immature potatoes, generally called new potatoes, can be harvested any time after the tubers have begun to form and are an inch or more in diameter. Loosen the soil near a potato vine and carefully dig into the hill or ridge where the potatoes are growing. Remove just enough for immediate use because immature potatoes can't be stored. Replace the dirt to let the rest of the potatoes continue growing.
Watch the Vines
One of the best indicators for deciding when to harvest your potatoes is the condition of the vines. Let your potatoes grow until the vines die, drying out and turning brown. This very visual clue tells you it is time to harvest. This is not the same as what happens when the vines freeze; frozen vines will turn black and begin to rot. Before you dig up all of your potatoes, check them for readiness to make sure that they are mature enough to harvest and will store well. Cured potatoes can be stored at a temperature of around 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Check for Readiness
After the potato vines have died, leave the potatoes in the ground another two or three weeks. Next, you'll need to check your potatoes for maturity. Carefully dig up one or two hills of potatoes and pick up some of the tubers. Rub the skin with your thumb or fingers. If the skin slides or rubs off easily, your potatoes are not ready for harvest and won't store well if you dig them now. Leave the rest of your crop in the ground a few more days and then check again. Eat immature potatoes soon after digging, since you won't be able to store them.
Watch the Calendar
Seed potatoes used for planting indicate how long it will be from the time you plant them until they are mature, usually from 80 to about 115 days. Consider the times a guideline, since variables in soil conditions, climate and rainfall can all affect how long it takes your potatoes to be ready. Mark the planting date on your calendar and then mark the potential maturity date. Start checking your potatoes near the maturity date and harvest them when they are large enough and the skins don't slip.
Early Potato Harvest
You don't have to wait for potatoes to mature before harvesting some of them. Small, immature potatoes, generally called new potatoes, can be harvested any time after the tubers have begun to form and are an inch or more in diameter. Loosen the soil near a potato vine and carefully dig into the hill or ridge where the potatoes are growing. Remove just enough for immediate use because immature potatoes can't be stored. Replace the dirt to let the rest of the potatoes continue growing.
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文章
Miss Chen
2018年05月15日
Across the month of March, gardeners in Tennessee prepare their soil beds in anticipation of planting potatoes. Rather than growing these vegetables from seeds, gardeners purchase small, healthy tubers called seed potatoes, which are certified disease-free. Since seed potatoes are planted in the ground and initially protected from frost, planting take place roughly two to four weeks before the average last spring frost date across the Volunteer State. The ideal garden site for potatoes is one with fertile, organic-rich soil that is moist and drains well. Full sun exposure ensures the best growth and production of tubers for harvest.
Step 1
Cultivate the soil with a shovel or rototiller in early spring as soon as the ground is workable. Dig the soil 6 to 10 inches deep. That means there is no frost in the soil, and it's not overly wet. Depending on the location in Tennessee, prepare the vegetable garden area for potatoes between late February and late March.
Step 2
Scatter 1 to 3 inches of organic matter on top of the soil and mix with the shovel or rototiller. Use compost, leaf mold or well-rotted animal manure to improve the texture and fertility of the soil. The potatoes will benefit from your bed preparation.
Step 3
Rake the tilled area smooth with a garden rake and allow it to naturally settle for three to seven days. While raking, remove any debris and pulverize any soil clumps so the area is even and fine-textured.
Step 4
Purchase seed potatoes at the garden center. Ask staff members for insight into the different varieties. Confirm that the seed potatoes are certified disease-free. They also should look plump and feel dry and firm to the touch.
Step 5
Cut the seed potatoes with a knife into segments about 2 oz. in size. Each cut segment needs to contain at least one dormant bud called an eye. From this eye the potato stem and roots sprout. This is optional since some seed potatoes are rather small and don't need cutting so one to three eyes exist on each. If you cannot plant the cut seed potatoes within four hours, allow them to air dry for one or two days. This curing of the wounds seals the tuber and helps prevent any infestation by disease spores.
Step 6
Create a 4- to 5-inch-deep furrow in the vegetable garden with the hoe. Space rows of potatoes 36 inches apart.
Step 7
Place a seed potato into the furrow with the cut side down or eyes oriented upward or to the side. Space potatoes 10 to 12 inches apart in the furrow. Cover them with soil and gently tamp the surface with the back of the hoe blade. This removes air pockets and brings the seed potatoes in direct contact with soil particles.
Step 1
Cultivate the soil with a shovel or rototiller in early spring as soon as the ground is workable. Dig the soil 6 to 10 inches deep. That means there is no frost in the soil, and it's not overly wet. Depending on the location in Tennessee, prepare the vegetable garden area for potatoes between late February and late March.
Step 2
Scatter 1 to 3 inches of organic matter on top of the soil and mix with the shovel or rototiller. Use compost, leaf mold or well-rotted animal manure to improve the texture and fertility of the soil. The potatoes will benefit from your bed preparation.
Step 3
Rake the tilled area smooth with a garden rake and allow it to naturally settle for three to seven days. While raking, remove any debris and pulverize any soil clumps so the area is even and fine-textured.
Step 4
Purchase seed potatoes at the garden center. Ask staff members for insight into the different varieties. Confirm that the seed potatoes are certified disease-free. They also should look plump and feel dry and firm to the touch.
Step 5
Cut the seed potatoes with a knife into segments about 2 oz. in size. Each cut segment needs to contain at least one dormant bud called an eye. From this eye the potato stem and roots sprout. This is optional since some seed potatoes are rather small and don't need cutting so one to three eyes exist on each. If you cannot plant the cut seed potatoes within four hours, allow them to air dry for one or two days. This curing of the wounds seals the tuber and helps prevent any infestation by disease spores.
Step 6
Create a 4- to 5-inch-deep furrow in the vegetable garden with the hoe. Space rows of potatoes 36 inches apart.
Step 7
Place a seed potato into the furrow with the cut side down or eyes oriented upward or to the side. Space potatoes 10 to 12 inches apart in the furrow. Cover them with soil and gently tamp the surface with the back of the hoe blade. This removes air pockets and brings the seed potatoes in direct contact with soil particles.
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