Some dedicated gardeners probably have already gotten their seed
potatoes and have the rows ready. Potatoes are one of the first
vegetables Georgia gardeners can plant each year.

Some south Georgia gardeners aim for planting on or before March
first, while north Georgians will plant potatoes around April
Fool’s Day. Because Georgia’s weather can be so unpredictable,
it’s hard to offer precise advice on a planting time.

Potatoes are considered a cool-season crop and can be planted
just as soon as the ground has dried enough to safely work the
soil.

Let Soil Dry First

It’s critical to let the soil dry adequately. If worked while
it’s still too wet, soil becomes hard and compacted, leading to
long-term frustrations for the eager gardener.

The potato plant can adapt to most types of soil. But it has to
have good drainage to prevent the tubers from rotting before they
can be harvested.

Choose a sunny spot and work in the recommended amount of a
balanced, low-analysis fertilizer (5-10-15 or 10-10-10) to
promote vigorous plant growth.

The part of the potato plant that we eat is called a tuber, a
technical name that refers to an enlarged, modified stem that
grows underground. Potato tubers that are used to create a new
planting are called seed potatoes.

Use Quality Seed Potatoes

You’ll want to start with the best quality seed potatoes, so look
for those that are labeled as “certified disease-free” at garden
shops and in mail-order catalogs. Don’t buy potatoes from the
grocery store for planting. They’ve usually been treated to
prevent sprouting.

To start a new planting, cut the seed potato into pieces so each
piece has at least one healthy-looking bud (often called an
“eye”). Many gardeners say the piece should be about the size of
a small egg.

That bud will become the shoot of the new plant, and as the stem
develops, it will also produce new roots. The piece of tuber
attached to the bud provides a source of carbohydrates to sustain
the young plant until those new roots and shoots develop.

Plant the pieces 2 to 3 inches deep. Space them about 12 inches
apart within the row, and leave 24 to 36 inches between rows.

Tubers Start in Spring

New tubers that will become this year’s harvest begin to form
sometime in late spring. They’ll continue to grow until early
summer, as long as they get adequate moisture, air and
nutrients.

The tubers can be harvested as “new” potatoes in midspring,
before they reach full size and before the skins start to
toughen. New potatoes are tender and tasty, but they don’t keep
very long. The plant is pulled up to harvest the tubers, and
yields are generally small.

If you want bigger yields of full-size tubers, it’s best to leave
the plants until they begin to die back on their own, usually by
early summer.

Dig Potatoes Carefully

As the plants begin to turn brown, gently lift the tubers with a
digging fork and remove them from the plants. If you’re going to
use the potatoes immediately, no further treatment is needed.

However, to be able to store the potatoes for later use, you’ll
want to allow the tubers to “cure,” or air-dry, for a week or two
to allow the skins to thicken and dry.

The biggest challenge for gardeners who intend to keep their
potatoes is finding dark storage conditions at 40 to 45 degrees
Fahrenheit. Both light and warmth promote sprouting of the
buds.

For best results, store only the best-quality tubers that are
free of cuts, bruises and diseases. Potatoes can be stored from
two to nine months, depending on the cultivar and storage
conditions.

For more information on potatoes, check the Web publication at
www.ces.uga.edu/
pubcd/C849.htm.