In this post, I hope to guide you in selecting potato varieties that thrive in your growing space and meet the expectations of your dinner table. These blog posts evolve over time as I receive questions and feedback from our customers. Please reach out if you need clarification or additional information.
Consider Your Growing Space
You can grow potatoes in the ground, raised beds, or in grow bags and pots. Generally, planting in the ground or a raised bed is the easiest option. Potatoes dislike temperature fluctuations. If they experience drought, they won't yield as much. If your garden space is limited, pots and grow bags can still produce a nice crop with a bit more care. Once your potato plants show leaves, water frequently. Ensure the soil does not dry out.
For grow bags or pots, consider smaller, early-harvest varieties like Dark Red Norland, Yukon Gold, and Yukon Gem. These varieties don’t benefit from hilling like larger, sprawling types and are generally ready to harvest about 60 days after the leaves emerge. Plant one potato (or half if large) per square foot of pot space. Ensure your soil is at least one foot deep and well-draining. You may need to add drainage holes to your pot. One plant per pot seems to yield as well as trying to fit two or three in a pot.
Potato towers, or any expandable pots where you can add soil around the plant, mimic the hilling process. They allow you to grow indeterminate potato varieties, such as any of our mid or late-season potatoes.
If you have the space to plant directly in the ground or a raised bed, any of our varieties will thrive in that environment. In a 4' wide raised bed, I would plant two rows, each about 12 inches away from the sides. If your bed is narrower, consider planting only one row. When planting directly in the ground, allow each row 2-3 feet on each side for the potatoes to sprawl. Don’t forget to hill sprawling varieties as they grow for increased production.
Consider Your Experience Level
Some potato varieties are fussy and prone to disease. Others may crack or develop hollow hearts. If you're new to growing potatoes, I recommend starting with my favorites for ease of growth: Yukon Gem, Peter Wilcox, Red Maria, and German Butterball.
These varieties prove reliable year after year in my gardens in Northeast Washington and Northern Idaho. They are scab-resistant, disease-tolerant, drought-tolerant, and withstand weed pressure. Even we experience years when the weeds take over parts of the garden!
Consider How & When You’ll Eat Your Potatoes
When I'm selecting what to plant in my family garden, I think in two ways. First, what do we eat the most that I don’t want to buy at the store? Second, what specialty items do I desire that I can’t find elsewhere? For instance, I can find Red, Yukon, and Russet potatoes at the grocery store. When my garden was smaller, I planted German Butterball and something fun, like a fingerling or a purple potato. As my garden expanded, I shifted my focus to produce all of our potatoes.
I began planting Dark Red Norlands and Yukon Gold for eating in July and August. We dig them as needed, a bucket at a time. I also grow Elbas and Gold Rush Russets for storing through the winter and spring.
Do you enjoy mashed potatoes? Russets and Butterballs are my favorites. If you want to roast them, Butterballs, Yukons, and Reds are delicious choices. For stews, waxy Carolas hold their shape well. Yukons and Butterballs are also classic selections.
For colorful platters of roasted vegetables, fingerlings are essential. If potato salad is on the menu, I recommend Peter Wilcox or any Yukon type. If you have kids or grandkids, purple or pink mashed potatoes from Blackberry or Adirondack are always a hit! Add something acidic, like sour cream or yogurt, to make the color pop.
Conclusion
I hope this helps guide your seed potato choices. Growing potatoes can be a rewarding experience, and the right variety can make all the difference in your garden. As always, we're here to support you in your growing adventures. Please reach out through email if you have any other questions at orders@mountainvalleyorganics.com.
To learn more about growing potatoes, visit our website:
To see all of our seed potato offerings, visit our Seed Potato Page.
Commentaires