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Potatoes- America's Favorite Vegetable

Potatoes are as easy to grow in the home garden as their cousins, the tomatoes and peppers, but not as many people grow them. That's a shame, because home gardeners can taste some of the wonderful varieties of potatoes that are not found in the supermarket. Even if you can't grow your entire years supply of potatoes in the garden, you can grow enough to have some delicious baby new potatoes with several meals. Potatoes can even be grown in containers.

Choosing Varieties There are hundreds of varieties of potato, each has it's own unique flavor. Most people are familiar with brown skinned or red skinned potatoes with white flesh, but there are many skin and flesh colors of potatoes as well as sizes and shapes. Some varieties to try are - Russian Banana, French Fingerling, [small, finger sized tubers, unique nutty taste] Yukon Gold, German Butterball, [yellow skin and flesh, buttery taste], Red Gold, Desiree, [ red skin, yellow flesh], Kerr's Pink, Adirondack Red [red skin, pink flesh], Red Pontiac, Red Norland, [red skin, white flesh] Adirondack Blue, Michigan Purple, [blue, purple skin, blue flesh]. Potatoes with brown skin and white flesh include, Green Mountain, Anoka, Superior, Kennebec and Butte.

Growing Potatoes Potatoes grow well in cooler areas, Zone 7 and lower. In warmer zones they can be grown as a fall or winter crop. They will grow fairly well in any soil, but prefer sandy soil with a PH of 6.5 or lower. If your soil is alkaline, [ PH above 7], you can still grow potatoes, although they may be more susceptible to disease. Potatoes require lots of water so may not be a good choice where it's dry. They will not grow well where the soil doesn't drain well either. Potatoes need full sun.

Potatoes are started from seed potatoes or "sets". Small seed potatoes are planted whole, while larger ones are cut into pieces. Each piece needs one or more "eyes" or sprouts. The pieces should be allowed to sit for a few days for the cut surface to dry and harden. You can buy several types of potatoes in garden stores, but for the unusual varieties you will have to order from a catalog. You can cut up sprouting potatoes from the grocery store, but it is better to buy certified seed potatoes. It will take about 1 lb. of potato pieces to plant a10 foot row.

Potatoes can be planted outside as soon as the ground is ready to be worked. They will withstand light frosts with no damage. In warm areas, potatoes should be planted in the fall

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