By Chris Winslow
For me the middle of February always brings with it a sense of celebration: it’s Irish potato season. Woo-hoo!
This is one of my all-time favorite crops to grow… and to consume.
Potatoes are a cool season crop. They do very well if you plant them in the late winter, around mid-February. You can then harvest them in mid-to-late May, before the heat of the summer arrives. The perfect soil temperature is 50 degrees.
Rather than seeds, potatoes come from seed potatoes. These contain buds or ‘eyes,’ which then sprout into new plants.
The seed potatoes are cut into pieces. They should be no smaller than an egg, and each must have an eye.
After cutting, allow the potato pieces to dry. This helps to stop them from rotting. To protect them even more, you can dust them with wettable powder sulfur – a fungicide.
You will encourage new sprouts if you place the pieces in a dark place.
The top three seed potato varieties that do consistently well in the Austin, Buda and Kyle area are: Kennebec (white), Red Lasoda, and Yukon Gold.
As with most vegetables, the garden location should be well-drained, and have lots of sunshine.
An important point: potatoes love loose soil. The looser the better. Make sure you mix in generous amounts of compost, sand, leaf mold and hay into the soil.
Plant your potato pieces 1 foot apart into a furrow 10 to 12 inches deep. Cover with 3 inches of soil.
When the new shoots reach the height of 6 to 8 inches, pull more soil around them. This will encourage more tubers. Also, as they begin to grow, add plenty of loose mulch to help conserve moisture and keep the growing tubers cooler.
In May, when the plants begin to wilt and fade, it’s time to harvest your treasures.
Unearth your new potatoes with great care, as damaged potatoes do not store well. If your soil is loose enough, you should be able to do this by hand.
This is where the fun begins! I guess it kind of reminds me of an Easter egg hunt. The great joy of sifting through the soil and discovering hidden potatoes… is what gardening is all about.
Happy gardening everyone!
If you have a horticultural question, send it to me via email: iathyme@yahoo.com. (Please put ‘Ask Chris Winslow’ in the subject line.) Or mail your letter or postcard to: Ask Chris Winslow. It’s About Thyme: 11726 Manchaca Road, Austin, TX 78748
