Potatoes are well-known vegetables used to prepare many dishes. Their versatility makes them one of the most consumed vegetables in America. In 2017, research carried out showed that each American ate at least 50 pounds of potatoes every year.
Potatoes are also filled with vitamins, fibers, and antioxidants that nourish and repair the body system.
How do you know if the potatoes are ripe?
The system used in growing potatoes for personal use is the same used when growing for commercial purposes. Rub the skin of the potato to determine its ripeness. If they are ready to be harvested, the potato’s skin will peel off when rubbed.
How long do potatoes take to grow?
Potatoes are an annual crop, and they grow quickly. They also grow best at moderate temperatures. The harvest cycle of a potato depends on its variety, but it normally takes 90–120 days for a potato to mature.
For early harvest potatoes, harvesting can begin ten weeks after they have been planted. At this point, the foliage should be bright green. For late-stage potatoes—also known as main crop potatoes, it’s best to harvest at the end of the planting season. The foliage should be yellow.
When should potatoes be harvested with the moon?
Harvesting your crops according to the phases of the moon is a practice that has been around for years. Till today, some farmers believe the moon has a huge effect on the quality of crops harvested.
To apply this ancient practice, harvest your potatoes during the waning period of the moon cycle i.e. when the Moon’s illumination begins to reduce. Check the calendar to confirm the best dates available.
Why are my potatoes small?
The size of your potatoes is influenced by many factors. It can be the variety of potato farmed, the presence of pests, or the season the vegetable was planted.
Potatoes also don’t grow in size if they are not watered properly as the tuber of the plant and its foliage will compete with each other for water. Excess Nitrogen fertilizer can also stunt the growth of your potato.
How to harvest potatoes well?
Potato toughening is a process of allowing the skin of the potato to get stronger before harvesting. Toughened potatoes also last longer when stored.
To “toughen” your potatoes before harvesting, remove the leaves and stems of the vegetable while it’s still in the soil, and do not water the plants for two weeks.
Harvesting potatoes is easy and does not require any special knowledge, only a shovel or a spade is needed.
Remove the potato gently from the soil by using the space or shovel to dig at the outside edges of the plant. Be careful when removing the potato, as bruising on the skin causes the vegetable to rot quickly in storage.
How to store potatoes well?
Storing your potatoes properly will prevent them from going bad before they are used.
When storing for personal use, they should be kept in a dark room, and not in an air-tight container. A good storage option is a refrigerator set to a high temperature, a spare room with little light, or a cabinet in the kitchen.
For long-term storage, potatoes should be preserved in rooms with no light, cool temperatures, and high ventilation. It’s very important to make sure the room temperature remains low at all times.
