Chances are you’ve got them lying around your house. You probably compliment at least one or more
meals a week with them. Bet you even
created your own special dish using potatoes.
You can mash them, you can fry them, you can bake them, and you can make
salad out of them. So why not grow your
own? All you need is patience, space and
one single potato to get started.
Potatoes’ are probably the easiest produce around to
seed. So easy as a matter of fact you
can keep them going year after year from one healthy crop to another. When you purchase potatoes you probably keep
them in a cool dry place with plenty of ventilation. They will keep fairly fresh that way for
several month. Eventually though little
white “eyes” start peeking out of the potato.
Long, spiny little fingers that are actually roots.
One potato can sprout several roots at one time. You will have the best luck if you plant in
early spring and/or early fall. Without
washing the potato divide each eye into a separate section by slicing at least
1 to 1 ½ inches from the sprout. If you
wind up with more than one root in a section don’t worry. You want to place the roots in the dirt as
quickly as possible so be sure the ground is ready for planting a few days in
advance.
To cultivate your plot make sure to loosen up the soil until
it is very easy to work with. If you do
not have a compost going toss some coffee grinds, along with a handful of raked
leaves in with the dirt. Blend it in
very well. Now you are ready to plant.
Place each potato with the root side down in a hole that is
1 to 2 inches deep. Place the seedlings
6 to 8 inches apart. Be sure to water
the plants and re check them every day. Do
not let the plants get to dry and keep any weeds or insects under control
without chemicals. You will find many chemical free suggestions for insect and
weed control on my plot at HomeLifeIdeas In no time you will find tiny healthy plants peeking from underneath
the soil.
Potato plants will shoot straight up and grow anywhere to 3
to 3 1/2 feet tall. When they are ready to harvest in about 45 to 60 day (dependig on your climate)
you will notice a very petite pretty white blossom on the tips. This is a sign that it’s time to check you
crops progress. With a shovel dig a
shallow hole starting 8 inches from the plant.
Carefully work in toward the roots so you will not “split” a potato in
two. If the crop is not quite as big as
you would prefer simply bury it again and wait another week and check for progress.
Next year you can keep the crop going and start
the process all over using your own potato.
Just think of the bundles you can save!
If you have ever had fresh, home grown potatoes you know they have a
much richer flavor than typical sore bought. They make mashed potatoes unbelievable
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