Potatoes
To local gardeners it may seem humble, but the potato is big business in our region. Potatoes are the fourth most important food crop staple after wheat, corn and rice. Last year the Atlantic provinces produced more than 2 million tons of potatoes—that’s a lot of spuds! Local gardeners are anxious to get their potatoes in the ground. Here at the Market we’re well stocked with 13 different varieties of seed potatoes. They include:
Shepody and Yukon Gold --- yellow flesh
Kennebec – good storage potato
Norland – red skin, scab resistant
Russet Burbank – commonly known as netted gems
Eramosa – good early producer
Irish Cobbler – early and dry
Jemseg, Red pontiac, Chieftan – nice red potato, resists cracking when boiled
Superior – nice all round potato, quite early
Goldrush
Green Mountain
Tips on planting your seed potatoes:
- Seed potatoes prefer a slightly acid soil and should not be planted in soil that has been recently limed.
- Potatoes should not be planted in the same location in the garden year after year. Crop rotation is an important preventative measure for scab problems on potatoes.
- Sprouting potatoes before planting can reduce the “wait time” for potatoes in August. This step speeds up the maturity date. A few days before planting set your seed potatoes somewhere where they will be exposed to some warmth (between 60-70 degrees F) and lots of light.
- Potatoes should be planted in rows and placed in the soil 2-4 inches deep. Once they start to sprout more soil should be hilled up over top of the tiny plants. Compost, seaweed or a combination of soil, compost, etc. can be hilled over the plants. By increasing the depth of soil over the plants you can prevent the seed being exposed to sunlight. Potatoes that are exposed turn green as the toxic substance solanine develops in the tubers.
- Potatoes in the grocery store are treated with a chemical to prevent sprouting , so it’s important to purchase certified seed.
- Potatoes require full sun to grow and they will produce the best crop when planted in a light, loose, well-drained but moisture retentive loam.
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