Planting Potatoes

We had the soil prepped, but we still need to prepare the seed potatoes for planting. Seed potatoes differ from the normal potatoes you would buy in the store because seed potatoes are certified to come from disease free stock.

This year we are planting varieties: Red Norland, Yukon Gold, Purple Majesty and Mountain Rose. We usually buy our seed potatoes locally; however, one of the local stores did not carry a blue/purple potato that we love. So, after some searching and asking questions, we were able to order some online and had them shipped. The Purple Majesty and Mountain Rose came from Ronniger's Potato Farm in Colorado. Remember this Dirty Jobs episode? These people are the ones who own Ronniger's... it used to be called Milk Ranch.

These purples are so vibrant.

 

The girls are looking forward to pink mashed potatoes from this variety.

Most people cut the seed potatoes a few days before planting, to give them adequate time to "cure" before planting. Last year, out of necessity more than planning, Jay cut the potatoes and direct seeded them into the ground. The potatoes grew as good as any year, so that little experiment showed us that direct seeding was feasible. This year, because of his health and my crazy schedule and Kansas' even crazier weather, we don't know 2-3 days ahead of time what we are going to be able to plant when. So, we are doing a little "flying by the seat of your pants", we are mostly direct seeding again.

Our oldest daughters, K and M, love potato planting...well, most of the time. M is 6 and some days she would much rather be inside playing or outside playing or doing anything but work. But, of all the garden chores, potato planting is their favorite. I think it's because it is somewhat fool-proof, they can't mess up, and they get to race each other to the end of the rows. They also get to decide what variety goes in which rows.

Now that all the prep work is done, it's just a matter of placing a potato, eye up. As Jay tells the girls, "So they can see where they are growing!" Measure over about 6 inches, and place another potato. We found some scrap wood that is just the right length, so the girls know how far to space the seed potatoes.

M using her magic measure to plant potatoes

K explains it best:


Then we run a rake, prongs up, down the row of heaped up soil from when we made our trenches. The heap falls into the trench, covering the potatoes quickly, easily, and adequately, Water in the seeds, and you are good to go.

Only thing left to do is hope and pray for growing weather and minimal pests.

Planting Potatoes