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Seed potatoes are not seeded player but small murphy tubers . When you plant come murphy , you are planting a potato produced by the flora the previous year . Any diseases or insects that the mother plant may have had are carried over in the seed white potato . source certified seed potatoes ensures that you are starting with disease loose potato .
Potatoes are a staple crop in my garden…
Potatoes are wanton to arise , store well through the winter , and provide a nutritious addition to most of our meals . There is nothing like the flavour of freshly dug Irish potato and the knowledge that they were arise in a pesticide free environment in our own backyard garden . According to theUnited States Potato Board , one medium - sizing spud is only 110 calories and supply a healthy source of potassium , iron , vitamin C , and vitamin B6 . Consuming potatoes with the skins on bring 2 grams of fiber .
Last year ’s harvest was less than starring and I consecrate that I would purchase some fresh seed potatoes the following year . The last few twelvemonth , I reserved part of the harvest to use as seed the following year . This is very well as long as you do n’t have any trouble with disease and you have an ideal area to store them through the wintertime . I mark that each class , the lineament of the plants diminished and size of it of the genus Tuber diminish . My goal in the garden is to product the greatest yield that I can , so it was meter to use refreshful muckle of seed potatoes this yr .
How much potato seed do you need?
count on the assortment , and if originate in well - balanced soil and optimal growing circumstance , one lb of seed Solanum tuberosum will produce about 10 punt of potatoes . One pound of seed tater will plant about a 6 - 8 animal foot row . One pound of fingerling white potato will plant about 12 - 16 foot wrangle .
Maine sources for seed potatoes:
Here in Maine we have a lot of mail order sources to turn to for our germ white potato : Fedco ’s Moose Tubers , Johnny ’s Selected Seeds , Maine Potato Lady , Wood Prairie Farm , andPinetree Garden Seedsto name a few . unremarkably , you have to order too soon and there are risk of certain varieties sell out quickly . It was only a couple years ago that I frequent a piffling smart . I determine that if I could be patient , my local farm and feed computer storage sold Maine Certified Seed Potatoes later in the spring . shit at a local store allows me to not only salve on the shipping toll but I can select my own potatoes .
Check your local garden centers , plant nursery , and farm storesfor certified seed potatoes once spring come .
Certified Seed Potatoes:
Each nation has their own physical process for certifying seed white potato . I wish to start up with certified seed potatoes because this ensures that the germ is disease and louse gratuitous , a true variety , and conform to our local growing conditions .
There is athree - step processto condition as “ Maine Certified . ” Even though there are other challenge to originate potatoes , beginning with certified seed potato is my first step of growing a successful crop . If the harvest grows well with no disease , I seek to save some of the smaller genus Tuber to use for the following growing season .
This yr , I turned to my localParis Farmer ’s Unionin Portland , Maine for my seminal fluid potatoes . It was an exercise in forbearance because of our colder than normal fountain , the consignment was delayed because of the peril of the genus Tuber immobilise in the truck overnight . eventually , the potatoes arrive . Even though I had not purchase any for several years , the price remained the same , 69¢/pound . I selected the smallest tubers and weighed five pounds each of Red Norland , an former change and Kennebec , a late variety .
Once I arrived home , theseed potatoeswere go around out in a fond area to promote sprout . This is also known as chitting or greensprouting and can give your murphy a head start before they get into the soil . SeeChitting Potatoes Gives Them a Head Start .
6 way to Grow Potatoes in the Backyard Garden
8 Great Tips for Growing Potatoes
Want to Learn How to Grow Potatoes?
You will find everything you require to begin growing potatoes in my PDF eBook , originate a Good Life Guide to Growing Potatoes . Whether you are striving for a few gourmet fingerling potatoes or a big harvest for wintertime intellectual nourishment storage , this guide will show how you could uprise your own , constitutional , homegrown potatoes .
