Steps to Growing Red Potato Gardening

Ways to Plant Red potatoes

Any type of potato needs mounding and red potato gardening is no exception but the place you choose to mound makes growing potatoes a lot of fun.

Scandinavian farmers grew potatoes in straw for centuries. They simply planted the eyes in a pile of straw and continued to mound the straw on top as the vies developed. This method allowed them to harvest new potatoes easily.

A similar method uses a container of any type of container including plastic bags. If you grow them in wire bottomless containers with leaves or mulch, you simply need to lift the wire to harvest. In these cases, you continue to add mulch as the vines appear.

Field grown potatoes are just like their counterparts and the most conventional way to grow them. You plant the eyes of the potatoes in either mounds or mounded rows. As the new shoots appear, you continue to mound the soil as the plants continue to grow. You need to protect the potatoes from sunlight, the cause of the toxic green that occurs.

When to Plant

Traditionally in the northern areas, the farmers plant potatoes on St. Patrick�s Day. In the southern areas, the date for planting should vary. It might be as early as mid February for those in areas as far South as Texas.

Soil and Fertilizer

The soil needs to be well drained and loose. A loamy sand soil that has a lot of organic content is best for the red potatoes. Since the potatoes need good drainage, if the soil is a heavy clay, add extra compost to it. Beware of adding too much manure to potato soil since it increases the potential of potato scab.

If you plant the potatoes in the ground, make certain that you till down at least deeply. The potatoes like a lose soil. Potatoes like a lot of phosphorus. The addition of extra nitrogen simply gives you beautiful foliage but it doesn�t help the tubers to grow, which is what you want. The phosphorus needs to be mixed with the soil before planting since its immobile in the soil. Once the potatoes are planted use a 10-20-10 fertilizer. Fertilize frequently because potatoes are heavy eaters. Sweet soils encourage the formation of scab disease so keep the acidic levels at a 5.0 to a 5.5.

Watering and Sun

Keep the ground well watered but make certain that you water in the morning so the leaves have time to dry before evening. Potatoes require a full sun also, to produce the best crop.

Pests and Diseases

Several pests affect the potato but the most common is the Colorado potato beetle. Wireworms and white grubs cause damage to the seed. Aphids and potato leafhoppers in addition to the Colorado potato beetle munch on the leaves.

Diseases of the red potato gardening include potato scab, ring rot, dry rot and soft rot, which damage the tubers. Early blight and late blight that damage the leaf and late blight also affects the tuber when washed off into the soil.

Harvesting Red Potato Gardening

You harvest the potatoes when the leaves die back in the fall. For those that want new potatoes, a June harvest is often the best time to start in northern areas.

Storing red potatoes

Red potato gardening requires storing your potatoes in an area thats cool, well ventilated and dark. Storage in a warmer area leads to sprouting. If you bag the potatoes, use a clot bag with big weave or paper sacks. If you use any plastic, it absolutely has to have ventilation holes or condensation forms. Donot store the potatoes with onions or they produce a gas that causes both to spoil. Never store the potatoes in the refrigerator.

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