Question:
How difficult is it to grow potatoes this year? Where and when should they be planted?Answer:
- Potatoes are among the easiest short-term crops for a home vegetable garden. They're also a fun activity for kids and grandkids. They can be planted in the ground, in raised beds, or in containers.
- Potatoes are tubers that grow underground, with lush leafy tops. Our clay soil isn't ideal for growing unless it has been heavily amended; otherwise, it makes harvesting tubers difficult and the soil stays too wet. Therefore, raised planters and containers work best.
- Some unusual planters include spare tires, straw beds, or bags of commercial potting soil or planting mix stacked on top of each other. Using a container lets you plant earlier than in the ground because it avoids the muddy conditions from a wet March and April. Containers also allow you to grow potatoes on a deck or patio.
- Certified Seed Potatoes are preferred over supermarket potatoes. Supermarket potatoes are treated with growth inhibitors to prevent new shoots from forming and are packaged in amber-colored bags to limit light exposure and delay sprouting. The main problem with supermarket potatoes is their unpredictable yield. In contrast, Certified Seed Potatoes offer a guaranteed yield.
- One pound of Certified Seed Potatoes produces about five pounds of edible potatoes.
- You should cut the potatoes in half or quarters, depending on their size. The freshly cut ends should be dipped in Soil Sulfur to prevent rotting and left to air-dry for 24 hours.
- The growing ‘Eyes’ should be planted facing upward toward the sky. Besides organic vegetable food, adding sulfate of potash for extra potassium is recommended.
- Your favorite garden center offers red, white, and large Russet, Yukon Gold, and other varieties of Certified Seed Potatoes.
- I prefer to grow potatoes on my deck in Gardman Potato Tubs. Gardman Potato Tubs are available online and at some garden centers. They are planted around President Day and harvested mid-summer.
Question:
I have a good amount of leaves that have fallen into the bark around my landscape plants. Do I need to remove all of the debris, including the mulch?Answer:
- I would clear all fallen leaves around the desired plants. If left unchecked, the leaves can compact at the base, leading to problems like root rot. This may not happen immediately; each winter, another layer accumulates, and eventually, serious issues arise.
- You only need to remove leaves that pose a problem. In the open spaces between plants, clear debris unless it's unsightly—this is a judgment call on your part. The extra organic matter will speed up the decomposition of the bark, which naturally breaks down over time.
- So, the new layer of debris helps restore the mulch layer. Also, weed seeds can blow in and sprout in this organic layer, but managing that is a task for later.