Growing Potatoes

comments (0) February 3rd, 2010

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Ruth Dobsevage, Web producer

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As a child, I was intrigued by potatoes. Mid-spring, my mom would cut them into chunks, each with a sprouting "eye," and bury them in the garden. Nothing happened for a while. Plants would grow, and after several months, die back. Then the real fun began: quietly, unseen, each chunk had spawned several potatoes, and the challenge was to find these "apples of the earth" (pommes de terre in French). It was a treasure hunt, and the real payoff was having our very own potatoes for supper. I think it was what got me hooked on gardening.

Back then, we grew "ordinary" mid-sized brown potatoes. Nowadays, you can find seed potatoes in brown, blue, red, purple, and yellow, ranging in size from "fingerling" (small and elongated) to large (check the major seed catalogs for offerings). One company, Irish Eyes Garden Seeds, specializes in potatoes. You can grow your potatoes in the garden, but if you're short on space, you can also grow potatoes in containers.

Click on the links below for potato-related articles, videos, and recipes. Learn how to grow potatoes and use them in soups, side dishes, salads, and more.

	How to grow potatoes • This Spud's For You • Video: How to Plant Potatoes in a Raised Bed • Home-Grown Potatoes!
	Potatoes in containers • The Benefits of Growing Potatoes in Containers • Video: How to Grow Potatoes in Containers • Growing Potatoes in a Laundry Basket
	Controlling potato pests • Control Colorado Potato Beetle with a Mix of Strategies
	Potato recipes • Roasty Potatoes with Sage • Mashed Potatoes, Irish Style • Leek and Potato Soup • Rosemary Roasted Potatoes • Potato Salad with Shallot and Mustard Dressing *more potato recipes...*