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  Potato field   Flowers of a potato plant | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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What should you know about potatoes? The Potato Plant and Tubers Potato Plant Growth Growth Stages Tuber Initiation and Growth Tuber Quality Storing Potatoes Potato Recipes Potato Nutrition Information Table | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The part of the potato plant we eat is called the tuber, which is actually an enlarged underground stem. Each plant will produce multiple tubers. Potato tubers come in a variety of colors, but most common are red and white. Their shape can be round, oblong, flattened, or elongated. An identifying feature of potato tubers is their "eyes," which are small nodes with buds. If placed in a warm location the buds will sprout. If tubers are exposed to light, the buds will turn green as well as the tuber itself. Potato plants are bushy with dark green, compound leaves that resemble those of its relative, the tomato. The plant can grow up to 3 feet tall. Potato plants have dark green, broad, compound leaves with oval leaflets. A good way to tell potato and tomatoes apart is by the scent of their leaves. Tomato leaves give off a strong, pungent scent while potato leaves lack a distict smell. Also, potato leaflets are slightly wider at the base of the leaflet and darker green in color compared to tomato leaflets. Potato plants tend to flower more in regions with long cool, moist growing seasons. The flowers are typically white with a yellow enlongated center. What is the best variety of potato? All of them! If you are looking for a specific outcome like solid slices for Scalloped Potatoes, a waxy potato (red or white skinned) is recommended. If you like smooth mashed potatoes we suggest starting with a floury (baking) potato. How does a potato grow? A potato plant is a vine that grows above ground with tubers that grow from the roots under ground. What is the green coloring on the potato skin? The green on the skin of a potato is the build-up of a chemical called Solanine. It is a natural reaction to the potato being exposed to too much light. Solanine produces a bitter taste and if eaten in large quantity can cause illness, this is unlikely, however, because of the bitter taste. If there is slight greening, cut away the green portions of the potato skin before cooking and eating. Why do potatoes grow sprouts? Sprouts are a sign that the potato is trying to grow. Cut the sprouts away before cooking or eating the potato. To reduce sprouting, store potatoes in a cool, dry, dark location that is well ventilated. Why do potatoes turn black or gray when cooked? When potatoes are stored at too cold of a temperature they can turn black or gray when cooked. To keep this from happening, store potatoes at a temperature between 45ºF and 55ºF. We do not recommend storing your potatoes in the refrigerator, but if you do, letting the potato warm gradually to room temperature before cooking can reduce the discoloration. In what month should you prepare the soil? March Plant direct in field/garden where they are to grow. April Plant tuber. Best planted at soil temperatures between 50°F and 86°F. Space plants: 12 - 16 inches apart Harvest in 15-20 weeks. Dig carefully, avoid damaging the potatoes. Potatoes do best in soil with a pH ranging from 5.2-6.8. Alkaline soil will tend to make many varieties get scabby. Potatoes also respond to calcium, but newly-applied agricultural lime can induce scab so if lime is needed, far better if it was added the previous year. On soils already above 6.0 we recommend using a little gypsum to supply calcium while leaving the pH just about unchanged. Gypsum applied at 1 ton/acre (that's 5 pounds per 100 square feet) provides all needed calcium. As far as NPK goes, potatoes need well-balanced nutrition. Properly made compost at 5-10 tons per acre (25-50 pounds per 100 square feet) mainly dug into the rows below the seed is generally sufficient to produce a fine crop, while also supplying all the organic matter most soils need. If the compost is not "strong," we recommend supplementing it with fertilizer, but not too much. Potatoes given too much nitrogen grow lots of leafy vines but make few tubers. Too much potassium and your tubers may contain less protein. Why do some potatoes have a purple center and veins? What is this, and is the potato still okay to eat? This discoloration in the potato flesh is due to the potato being held at too cold of a temperature. This can happen before, during and after harvest. The potato is perfectly fine to eat. You may notice that the potato has a sweeter flavor as the cold turns starches to sugars. What causes some potatoes to have a hollow center and black crust? What is this? This is called "Hollow Heart," which is caused by a sudden change in the growth rate of the potato. This can happen if the potato plant suffers from lack of water during the growing season then receives too much water all at once. Irrigation and the constant diligence of farmers limit this from happening. WHAT ARE POTATOES? Potatoes are tubers. A tuber is a fleshy, food-storing swelling at the tip of an underground stem, also called a stolon. Potatoes have white, brown, purple or red skin and white or golden flesh. HOW ARE POTATOES PRODUCED? Choose a sunny position with as little shade as possible and is free from frost pockets. Potatoes can be grown in virtually all soil types. Dig in plenty of well rotted compost or manure in the autumn if none has been added for a previous crop. This will lighten heavy soils and give body to lighter ones helping to prevent the leaching of nutrients. Rake in a general fertilizer 2 weeks before planting potatoes. Do not add lime - growing potatoes like a soil pH of just under 6... slightly acidic. Potatoes grow from eyes which are pieces cut from seed potatoes. As potatoes grow they must be hilled when the plants are 20 to 30cm high. Hilling is done by covering the base of the plant with soil to prevent the potatoes from exposure to light which causes them to turn green. Before harvesting, potato vines are killed to allow the skin to set. A mechanical harvester is used to pick the potatoes. Potatoes need to be harvested at certain temperatures to maximize the length of time they can be stored. If the temperature is too warm, the pulp deteriorates before cooling can occur. If temperature is too cool, the potatoes are bruised during harvest. Ah!! The versatile and lovable Potato. Spuds, or tubers, as they are affectionately nicknamed, are a regular at the dinner table, as well as breakfast. Plain by itself, it does not have a strong, overpowering flavor. But the numerous ways we cook and serve it, and the wide variety of spices, herbs and sauces added to or put on it, makes for a tremendous number of delicious tastes. Despite it's mealtime appeal, it is surprising that more home gardeners do not grow potatoes. Two or three hills do not take up an overly large amount of space. And, it does not require a lot of maintenance. While you can buy, seed potatoes, the home gardener can use any potato that has been lying around the kitchen long enough to develop "eyes". Types: * Idaho- Famous for their quality as "Bakers" * White Potatoes- This is the basic and most popular potato. It is used for everything from mashed to french fries. * Red Potatoes- A less common variety with great taste! * Salt Potatoes- Don't forget these. They are small white potatoes which are popular at fall cookouts and clambakes. Figure 1.1-1 - Diagram of a potato plant. For simplicity, one main stem is shown. Productive plants may have two or more main stems.  Figure 1.1-2 - Cross-section of a potato tuber  Figure 1.3-1 - Growth stages of the potato. 
Growth Stages Growth Stage I: Sprout Development Growth Stage II: Vegetative Growth Growth Stage III: Tuber Set/Initiation Growth Stage IV: Tuber Bulking Growth Stage V: Maturation Growing Potatoes: Potatoes grow best in soft "muck" soil. Wherever mucklands can be found, you will find onion or potato farming. Potatoes will grow in many other soils. But, potato root development is enhanced by adding lots of compost and loose material into the soil. When preparing your soil, add compost, straw and other amendments down three to six inches into your soil. The "Seed" is a potato that has developed an "eye". Potato eyes can be obtained in garden stores or seed catalogs, or in your kitchen cupboard. If there isn't any in your kitchen, ask around to friends and family. Potatoes can be planted as early as two weeks before the last frost in your area. They are susceptible to frost, but take a couple weeks to root and emerge from the soil. The most common form of planting is in "hills". Prepare and loosen the soil where you will make the hill. Place two or three potato eyes on the ground. Cover or "hill" three to four inches of soil on top of the seed. Water thoroughly. Space center of hills a foot apart. A second and less common method is to use furrows. Dig a trench six to eight inches deep. Fill 1/2 the depth of the trench with a mixture of compost, mulch, straw and garden soil. Sow the eyes in the trench every four to six inches. Cover three to four inches with loose garden soil and mulch. Fertilize every two to four weeks. Fertilizers high in nitrogen will result in a leafy, green plant at the expense of root development. A good fertilizer for potatoes contain low levels of Nitrogen, and high levels of phosphorus. 6-24-24, or 8-24-24, are good fertilizers for potatoes. As the plants grow, mound additional soil around the plants every week or two. Do not let the tubers or potatoes be exposed to sunlight. You can cover the soil around the plants with compost, mulch or even black plastic. Important: Potatoes exposed to sunlight will turn green. They also produce a toxin that is poisonous to you. Discard any potato that is green. Harvest: Several weeks after the plant has developed, very carefully, dig down among the roots to see if the potatoes have developed large enough tubers to harvest. Be careful not to sever the main root from the plant to the new potato. Replace soil or mulch around the plant. Once they have become large enough for consumption, you can harvest as much as you need for your individual meals. After the plants have died off, dig out and around the entire plant. Be careful to dig our far enough that you do not slice into any potatoes while harvesting. You need not hasten to dig out your potatoes after the plant has died. They will remain perfectly safe and healthy under your garden soil for weeks. Insects and pests however, will continue to be a problem. You will have no respite from insects, moles or mice munching upon the harvest. Again, discard any potatoes that are green in color. Days to Maturity: Early varieties 70 to 90 days, mid season varieties 90 to 120 days, late varieties 120 to 140 days. Important Note: Potatoes that have been exposed to sunlight will develop a green skin which contains toxins that will make you sick. Discard any potatoes that are green. Insects: Potatoes are susceptible to a number of pests. Among the most common are potato maggots. A homemade recipe: Rhubarb juice seems to work well for potato bugs, just boil the rhubarb and let it cool. Then, pour it and around the plants. Diseases of Potatoes: Potatoes suffer from some of the same blight and mildew problems as tomatoes. Fungicides will help with fungus diseases. If the plant becomes too bushy, air circulation will be impaired and increase the chances of disease. Do not hesitate to thin a bushy plant to increase air circulation. Hardiness: Potatoes are quite susceptible to frost. While you can plant them in the ground prior to the last frost, make sure your timing is such that they do not sprout prior to the last frost date. Late season varieties are also susceptible to fall frost, even a mild one. While the plant will die back, the potato underneath the soil is safe from harm of frost or even freezes. How to start growing potatoes? When can I dig up my potatoes? Depending on your type of potato, harvest should occur anywhere between 3-5 months and the longer you leave them the greater chance the spuds will be larger and mature. Which is the best season to grow potatoes? How should I store my harvested potatoes? Like most tubers, potatoes detest moisture so after washing them you will need to dry them completely and then store them in a dry, airy place until required. Regardless of popular opinion, keeping some potatoes aside for next season's seed is a good idea. While most producers of seed potato would have us shake in fear over such a suggestion for the most part potatoes can grow quite well without being certified. Obviously this will require some trialling unless you can source some quality heirloom varieties but they should still grow well in years to come. Your next step is to determine the recommended planting time for your climate. Since it takes potatoes two to three weeks to emerge from the ground, the earliest you should plant seed potatoes is two weeks before your last anticipated freeze date of 28 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. (If you don't know your local last freeze date, you can find it here.) About a week before your planting-out date, bring the seed out of the fridge and place it in a bright warm window for about a week. This will help break the spuds' dormancy and assure they will grow quickly when you put them into the still-cool spring soil. Does planting potatoes in a deep mulch on uncultivated ground still give reasonably good yields? A: This deep mulch potato planting technique is called the Stout method, named after the old-time popular organic gardener Ruth Stout. Over the years Ruth had created beautiful soil and that fertile soil was a big factor in her success. Perform the Stout method on great soil and expect great yields of delicious potatoes. But try the technique on old worn out and unimproved ground and get ready to learn some patience and gain some humility. Potatoes are heavy feeders and they will respond dramatically to good fertility and tilth. Your yield will suffer to the extent that the soil you plant in lacks proper fertility and water. How late in the year can you plant potatoes? You can plant potatoes until about July in most places. Are seed potatoes treated with chemicals when you buy them? Our seed potatoes are not treated with any chemicals. However, potatoes that you buy at the supermarket are treated with chemicals to keep them from sprouting. Do fingerling potatoes grow well in cages? Yes, fingerling potatoes do very well in cages. We've always grown potatoes from seed potatoes, but the original plant had to come from somewhere! Can potato plants be grown from seed? Yes, potatoes can be grown from seeds. However, potatoes grown from seed do not stay true to their type. Each seeds will produce a different type of potato, so you end up with an unpredictable crop. These days, new potato types are propogated from tissue cultures taken as universities or private labs. Can shallots be grown in containers or raised beds? Yes, as long as teh container is 10-12 inches deep. How do I place an order and specify it for direct local pickup at your Thorp location? When completing your order, simply specify that you want local pickup in the "special instructions" text box. We will not charge shipping, and have your order ready for you to pick up. Can I plant sweet potatoes from "eyes" of a regular sweet potatoes or must I use slips? We only use slips to plant sweet potatoes. How deep should you plant a starter potato? Shallow plant the starter potato and hill as the potato grows. What is a single drop potato? A whole potato that doesn't need to be cut. About how many potato seedlings does it take to grow 100 lbs of potatoes? Approximately 10 to 15 lbs. What should the yield be per pound of seed potato? Five to eight times as much as you planted. Can I grow potatoes in a raised bed? If so, how deep will the bed have to be? Yes. The bed will need to be 12" to 14" deep. Can potatoes be grown in a container? If so, which varieties would be the best? Growing potatoes in a container is really only mildly successful. We recommend trying Yellow Finn. Are the eyes of a potato dangerous if you eat them? Yes, the leaves and eyes on the potato plant are poisonous. How do you prevent scab on potatoes? Water your potatoes evenly. Test the pH level of your soil; make sure it has a pH level of less than 7. How far apart do you have to plant potatoes? Normally 10" to 12" apart. What causes white or yellow potatoes to turn green? Are they Ok to eat then? Over exposure to sun light often causes white and yellow potatoes to turn color. The green skin can be peeled off. It is fine to eat but some people may get an upset stomach. In browsing the potato varieties, I see that many of my favorites are "currently unavailable." Will they be available later in the year for planting next spring? Some will, some won’t. Some varieties are sold out before we can even open them on the Internet. We recommend pre-ordering your potato varieties, especially if they historically sell out quickly. We do not charge a customers order until we have product in stock to fill the order. In the event that we are completely sold out of a pre-ordered variety customers may substitute the variety with another, remove the variety from the order or cancel the order. Is light necessary for the sprouting of a potato? Light, heat and time are all necessary for potato sprouts. Is it safe to eat Potatoes once they have sprouted 3 or 4 inches? Yes, just make sure you remove the sprouts. I planted sweet potatoes. We are overdue for a frost. Can I leave them in till the frost (I am zone 4 so the move time I can give them the better) or should I pull them before? They should be fine if you leave them until the first frost as long as they are harvested quickly. Which potato varities are most resistant to Blight? Blight has about the same effect on all varieties. How do you know when your potatoes are ready to be harvested? Carefully start checking your potatoes two weeks after they bloom. When they have grown to the size of your liking start harvesting them. A handful of our potatoes appear to have cracked and then healed over. What caused this? Uneven or inconsistent watering of your potatoes will cause water growth cracks. To prevent water growth cracks, water evenly and fertilize less. Is the sweet potato considered a vegetable or a starch? Sweet potatoes are considered to be a starch. Do potatoes have to go through a storage period before they can be used as seed potatoes? Yes What is wrong if your potato plants are not making potatoes? It can vary but most likely there is too much nitrogen in your soil. When planting my pre-sprouted potatoes, do you plant the seed end or the sprouts up or down? You want to plant them with the sprouts faces up. What does it mean when you call a potato a creamer or steamer? Creamers and steamers are small immature potatoes that are no larger than a quarter. How do you define early season, mid season, and late season potatoes? Whether a potato is an early, mid, or late is determined by the time it takes for the potato to reach maturity. Here is a breakdown: Early Season Potatoes: 65+ days Mid Season Potatoes: 80+ days Late Season Potatoes: 90+ days You want to plant your potatoes when the soil is 50+ degrees for best results. I have been mounding the soil up around the potato plants as they grow. How high should I continue to mound the soil? 9” to 12” mounds are sufficient. I am intrested in growing fingerling potatoes. Could you tell me if i buy 10 lbs. how many lbs will be produced. Generally with fingerlings you get about 8 times the amount back of what you plant. Depending on the conditions and length of growing season. Results can vary. SOIL PREPARATION The ideal potato soil is deep, light and loose, a well-drained but moisture retentive loam. Most potato varieties are very aggressive rooting plants, and are able to take full advantage of such soil. In ideal soil potatoes can make incredible yields. Fortunately, the potato is also very adaptable and will usually produce quite respectably where soil conditions are less than perfect. Because of this, many people who grow their own food on marginal agricultural ground depend on the potato for their very survival. All soils, be they ideal of too heavy or too light, should be deeply fitted before planting by sub-soiling or double digging and by incorporating organic matter. Humus is important. It lightens and aerates heavy ground while it increases the moisture holding capacity of sandy earth. And humus adds the organic component of fertility that potatoes need to be truly healthy. Potatoes especially thrive one newly plowed pasture land, a circumstance a bit difficult for most vegetables because of the large number of weed seeds. The frequent hoeing used to hill the crop up keeps weeds under control while the high levels of organic matter from the rotting sod keeps the soil light and loose. Potatoes do best in soil with a pH ranging from 5.2-6.8. Alkaline soil will tend to make many varieties get scabby. Potatoes also respond to calcium, but newly-applied agricultural lime can induce scab so if lime is needed, far better if it was added the previous year. On soils already above 6.0 we recommend using a little gypsum to supply calcium while leaving the pH just about unchanged. Gypsum applied at 1 ton/acre (that's 5 pounds per 100 square feet) provides all needed calcium. As far as NPK goes, potatoes need well-balanced nutrition. Properly made compost at 5-10 tons per acre (25-50 pounds per 100 square feet) mainly dug into the rows below the seed is generally sufficient to produce a fine crop, while also supplying all the organic matter most soils need. If the compost is not "strong," we recommend supplementing it with fertilizer, but not too much. Potatoes given too much nitrogen grow lots of leafy vines but make few tubers. Too much potassium and your tubers may contain less protein. Organic gardeners may use any kind of seedmeal cottonseed, soy, linseed, canola, etc.), dug in with compost at a rate of about 1-2 gallons per 100 row feet. Alfalfa meal or chicken manure compost also works fine used at twice that rate. CHITTING OR PRE-SPROUTING The practice of greening and pre-sprouting seed potatoes before planting them out encourages early growth and hastens the development of marketable tubers. The method is simple: spread the seed tubers in open-top crates, boxes or flats, one layer deep with the "seed end" uppermost. (If you'll closely observe a seed potato, you'll notice that one end was attached to the plant, the other end has a larger number of eyes from which the sprouts emerge. This end with the eye cluster is called the seed end.) The flats are kept in a warm place (70 degrees F.) where light levels are medium in intensity (bright shade). The warmth stimulates the development of strong sprouts from the bud eye clusters, which in the presence of light, remain stubby and so are not easily broken off. Usually seed potatoes are greened up starting a week or tow before planting. Do not cut the seed before greening it up. It will dry out. Cut it just before planting. PLANTING Seed potatoes can rot without sprouting in cold, waterlogged soil, so planting extremely early can be risky. Optimum soil temperature for good growth ranges from 55 deg. F. to 70 deg. F. A small planting of the earliest early potatoes may be attempted by planting 6-8 weeks before the last frost date. If a late frost burns the vines back to ground level the tubers will make more sprouts, but each time this setback happens the final yield gets later and smaller. Your main crop should be sown so that there is virtually no risk of frost blackening the emerging vines. The width between rows and overall plant spacing is determined by the size of your garden, your method of cultivation and the amount of irrigation you have available (or wish to use). Farmers and market gardeners need 36-42 inches between rows to permit efficient cultivation and hilling. Gardeners can get by with as little as 2 feet between rows. Where water is short or irrigation will not be used and soil is open and loose so plants can take advantage of this much rooting space, row spacing can be increased to as much as 5 feet and the individual seed pieces separated as much as 18 inches apart, giving the plants a large area in which to forage for moisture. Of course, with wide spacing like this combined with the effects of moisture stress, yields will be lower. Whatever your row spacing, dig a shallow trench about 6-8 inches deep. Plant the seed pieces 10-14 inches apart in this trench. Using a rake, cover the seed with 3-4 inches of soil-do not fill the trench completely. HILLING Hilling is crucial to creating a place for potatoes to develop a large size and abundantly. Sprouts will emerge in about two weeks, depending on the soil temperature. When the stems are about 8 inches high, gently hill the vines up with soil scraped from both sides of the row with a hoe. Doing this simultaneously weeds the row. Leave about half of the vine exposed. Hilling puts the root system deeper where the soil is cooler while the just scraped-up soil creates a light fluffy medium for the tubers to develop into. All tubers will form between the seed piece and the surface of the soil. Another hilling will be needed in another 2-3 weeks and yet another as well, 2 weeks after the second. On subsequent hilling, add only an inch or two of soil to the hill, but make sure there is enough soil atop the forming potatoes that they don't push out of the hill and get exposed to light (or they'll turn green). But if you hill up too much soil, you'll cover too many leaves and reduce your final yield. HARVESTING Normally, seven or eight weeks after planting, the earliest varieties are blossoming. This signifies that early potatoes may be ready, so gently poke into a potato hill by hand to see what you can find while making as little disturbance as possible. You may either "rob" a few plants of a potato, or simply harvest an entire plant from the end of the row. "Rob" gently to avoid injuring growing roots and stressing the plant. The main crop. Later varieties are usually grown for winter storage. The ideal time to harvest is when the vines are dead. It is best to wait until heavy frosts kill the tops off or, if your tubers are fully-sized up but no frost is in sight, you can mow the tops or cut them off by hand with a sickle. But if you can wait for the tops to die back naturally, your harvest will be a little bigger and your potatoes just a tad richer. Dryish soil is definitely an advantage when harvesting; the tubers come up a lot cleaner and with much less effort. After the tops are dead, rest the tubers in the ground, undisturbed for two weeks to "cure," while the skins toughen up, protecting the tubers from scuffing and bruising during harvest and storage. Minor injuries in the skin may heal if allowed to dry. It is better to harvest in the cool morning hours. You want to chill your tubers down as fast as reasonably possible and if they start out cool it will be much easier. If hand digging, place your fork outside the hill at first and lift the hill from outside so as to avoid stabbing a potato. If the soil is wet, let them air-dry on the surface for a few hours before gathering them. If the weather is unsettled and you still must harvest, spread the potatoes out under cover and let them air-dry before storing. Then "field-grade" your harvest. Separate out and discard (or set aside to eat immediately) any blemished, scabby, misshapen, or injured tubers. Do not put cut or damaged tubers (those injured during harvest) into a sack of good ones; they will rot and rot other potatoes with them. WATERING In most parts of the United States, potatoes can be grown without irrigation if the soil is deep and open, where there is no hardpan that restricts root penetration, and the soil is not composed entirely of coarse sand or too gravelly. In fact, there are some definite nutritional and quality advantages to accepting the significantly lowered yield that happens when potatoes don't receive all the water they could use. Simply stated, un-irrigated potatoes are less watery and taste better. The skins are also tougher so the tubers store better. There is some evidence that potatoes grown this way have a higher protein content as well. However, if irrigation water is scarce or not available the potatoes must be given more "elbow room," so they can forage for their water without having to compete with other potato plants-and very importantly, the weeds must all be eliminated so they also don't compete for soil moisture. FERTILIZING After emergence and until blooming ends, we highly recommend foliar spraying every two weeks with fish emulsion and/or a good liquid seaweed extract like Maxi-crop. You can't beat foliar sprays for ease of application, and the plants really respond with a burst of vine growth that will result in a higher yield at the end. Spray in the morning while it's still cool and the dew lingers on the leaves. This way all the fertilizer is absorbed. The best time to make the first application is the day before you hill up the vines for the first time. Once the vines are in full bloom, they stop making much new vegetative growth and begin to form tubers. Additional fertilization at this stage is virtually pointless and may harm the flavor of the potato. POTATO TROUBLES AVOIDING PEST AND DISEASES An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! Here are some tips to help you avoid the worst potato diseases and pests. Soil is everything! Build and maintain a healthy, well-balanced soil and your plants will naturally resist disease and damage from predatory insects. If you're uncertain as to how to do this, we sell a couple of fine books on the subject. Scab. Avoid un-composted animal manures, alkaline soil, and water-logging on potato ground to avoid scab. Where scab has been a problem, try acidifying your soil pH by incorporating small amounts of elemental sulfur into the rows several weeks before planting. Disease. Don't grow potatoes in the same ground more than once in three years. Many diseases, like early or late blight and verticulum wilt are soil borne. Insect pest populations can also accumulate in a spot. Other members of the nightshade family (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant) should not precede nor follow potatoes. INSECTS The most basic rule: to avoid insect problems have vigorously growing, healthy vines. Plants putting on lots of leaf rapidly can generally withstand some predation without a significant loss of yield. We avoid planting too early when cold weather check growth. Leaf-eating insects can become a much more serous problem once vine growth has stopped and tubers are forming. The tubers store the food made by the leaves; if too many leaves are lost the tubers can't develop properly. The Colorado Potato Beetle is the most widespread and destructive potato pest. Both adults and larvae feed on leaves and stems, sometimes defoliating entire plants. Handpicking the beetles off the plants is fine control in a small garden, if you catch the problem early. Drop the beetles into a container and then smash them all at once. Check also for small yellow eggs, in clusters, on the undersides of leaves and crush these immediately. Beetle eggs over-winter in the soil, especially at the edges of the garden. Rotation of the farm potato crop is essential, but rotation in a backyard won't do much good for this mobile pest; you have to move the potato patch more than just a few feet. Bacillis thuringienses (Bt.) var. San Diego, is an effective botanical control, but unfortunately, only for the larvae. The adults are not harmed at all. Hours after the "worm" eats a bit of treated leaf, it becomes so sick it can't eat again and dies within a day or two. Then the bacteria multiply within the larvae's decomposing body and are later released into the environmental background to kill still other beetle larvae. Even growers with small gardens should consider Bt. because this bacteria, once established, persists in the area for years and continues to significantly reduce the number of those insects who succumb to it. And if Bt. is sprayed frequently it can virtually eliminate the problem. Start with spraying as soon as there is anything in the garden for the beetles to eat and spray every 10 days to two weeks. That way no larvae get a chance to become adults and your problem may "peter out" before the potato vines are significantly damaged. Bt. is a bacteria not significantly different than the ones that make yogurt. Bt. is entirely nontoxic to humans and other animals and harmless to most insects as well; you can immediately eat food sprayed with it. If adult beetles are causing too much trouble, Bt. will not help until the next cycle has come around. For adults, the organic gardener can use 5% Rotenone dust or a Pyrethrin spray. Flea beetles can also make so many pinholes in leaves that the overall yield suffers greatly. The health of the vines has a great deal to do with how much interest flea beetles have in a plant. So the best prevention is total soil fertility. Sometimes spraying fertilizer like fish emulsion and/or liquid seaweed can lessen the interest flea beetles may have in a potato patch. Rotenone and/or Pyrethrin controls flea beetles, too. If you are having flea beetle problems, you should consider improving your soil's fertility next year. ALTERNATIVE PLANTING METHODS MULCHING If your soil is shallow, rocky or contains so much clay that the forming tubers can't push it aside as they try to swell up, or, if you grow potatoes where the summer's heat is intense, or if you have problems with potato scab in your soil, growing in mulch may be your solution. Prepare your seed bed as deeply as possible and make it fertile, just as you would for growing the potatoes in soil. But instead of making a trench for the seed pieces, plant them on the surface of just below it. Loosely shake mulch over the bed, 6-10 inches deep. The very best mulch to use is loose, seed-free grain straw, Seed-free hay that has been fluffed up, leaves and/or well-dried grass clippings can also be used. As the plants grow, continue to add more loose mulch as though you were hilling up the plants. Be sure to keep the tubers well-covered at all times. The result is excellent weed control, a continuous supply of moisture and reduced stress from heat. At harvest time, pull back the mulch. Your nest of potatoes should be clean, uniform and easy to gather. THE CAGE METHOD Grow a few potato plants, each or in their own woode1:18 PM 11/13/00n box, crib, barrel or wire cage. The container should be about 18x18 inches at the base, about 24-30 inches tall, and able to be gradually filled with soft soil or mulch as the vines grow. Set each container atop a well-prepared fertile soil. Plant one strong seed piece and cover lightly with 4 inches of soil. As the vines grow, gradually fill the container with mellow compost, mulch or soil, but always make sure you don't cover more than one-third of the vine's new growth. With some varieties, the underground stolons which produce potato tubers keep on forming new ones for some time. In containers the yield may be increased 200-3000 percent compared with open-field culture. This is a great way to grow a lot of potatoes in a very limited space. We recommend doing this with Yellow Finn, Indian Pit, Red Pontiac, or the fingerling types. Watering requirements will be greater however, so check the cages or containers frequently in warm weather. STORAGE Potatoes keep best in the dark at 36 deg. to 40 deg. F., at high enough humidity that they don't dry out, and given enough air circulation that they can respire (don't forget, they're alive). Light and/or warmth promote sprouting and will also turn the potatoes green. But, cold potatoes bruise easily, so handle them gently when moving them around in storage. We recommend burlap sacks, slotted crates or baskets. SOUTHERN GROWN POTATOES Early Spring Planting Spring comes to the Deep South (Zones 8, 9, 10) when it is frequently too stormy in the North to ship your seeds without a high likelihood of them freezing in transit. To get seed potatoes securely you should order in October or November. Store the seed in your refrigerator (there are instructions on the preceding pages) until mid-January. Then bring the seed potatoes into the warmth and light and pre-sprout (chit) them for 2-4 weeks. Plant when conditions are favorable, sometime in February to early March, depending on your location. If you are uncertain when to plant or which varieties grow best at this time of year, ask a neighbor, the Extension Service. Fall-Planted Potatoes In zones 8-10, over wintering gets the earliest of the earlies. And if you have an extra old refrigerator, you can fill it up after harvest and hold your harvest through the summer until the fall crop. Here's what to do. Order some seed now for delivery next September. These newly dug seed potatoes don't sprout easily. First, chill them; put the tubers in a paper bag and place it in the refrigerator for 2-4 weeks. Then follow the directions for "greening" or "chitting" them. They will probably sprout in 2-4 weeks. Another way to induce sprouting is by putting apples, bananas, or onions in a paper bag with the tubers and placing the bag in a warm room (70 degrees F.). Ethylene gas given off from the fruits will initiate sprouting. Potatoes that are chilled for a month to six weeks will respond much more rapidly. You can also treat with Gerablic Acid. Plant your just sprouting potatoes from October through November. Choose a site that allows good drainage where winter rains may be heavy. By January, your potatoes could be emerging. By March, the vines may be two feet tall! Of course, weather will greatly effect emergence and growth. Be sure to provide protection from frost when it threatens. Dig new potatoes after blossoming. Harvest the rest when the vines have browned off. Save some seed in your refrigerator for a late-summer planting and fall harvest. WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE POTATO LEAVES THE FARM? Potatoes are harvested from early summer through to late fall. Those harvested during the summer and early fall are trucked to on-farm packing operations or processors. At these facilities, the potatoes are washed, graded, packaged and distributed to buyers throughout UK. Those harvested in the fall are put into storage, and loads are removed and distributed to wholesalers and processors as the market demands. Approximately 40% of the main crop goes for processing, with the remaining 60% destined for the fresh market. Can leftover potatoes be frozen? We don't recommend it. While cooked potatoes can be frozen, they tend to become watery upon reheating. The potato is 80% water; and when frozen, this water separates from the starch and nutrients causing the reheated potato dish to be watery. WHAT CHALLENGES DOES THE POTATO PRODUCER FACE? Potato late blight and insect pests are the main concern for potato growers. A program is in place to track the occurrence of plant diseases and insect infestation. WHO'S INVOLVED IN PRODUCING POTATOES? Potato grower Field workers Seed potato producer Workers in processing plants Other Nutritional Information Why are potatoes a good source of carbohydrates? Potato Prep/Cooking Potato Chip How do you can potatoes? What is the best fertilizer to use on potatoes? Storing Potatoes 1. Where is the best place to store potatoes? 2. Should I wash my potatoes before storing? What are potatoes? Potatoes are tubers. A tuber is a fleshy, food-storing swelling at the tip of an underground stem, also called a stolon. Potatoes have white, brown, purple or red skin and white or golden flesh. How many potatoes do we produce? How are potatoes produced? Potatoes grow from eyes which are pieces cut from seed potatoes. As potatoes grow they must be hilled when the plants are 20 to 30cm high. Hilling is done by covering the base of the plant with soil to prevent the potatoes from exposure to light which causes them to turn green. Before harvesting, potato vines are killed to allow the skin to set. A mechanical harvester is used to pick the potatoes. Potatoes need to be harvested at certain temperatures to maximize the length of time they can be stored. If the temperature is too warm, the pulp deteriorates before cooling can occur. If temperature is too cool, the potatoes are bruised during harvest. WHAT DOES A POTATO LOOK LIKE WHEN I USE IT? Fresh potatoes, potato chips and French fries are the most common uses for potatoes. They are a good source of potassium, iron, thiamin, folic acid and vitamin C. The nutritive value of potatoes is reduced the more the potato is processed. Thus, French fries have about one-half as much vitamin C as boiled or mashed potatoes have. Potatoes are about 80% water. What happens after the potatoes leave the farm? Potatoes are harvested from early summer through to late fall. Those harvested during the summer and early fall are trucked to on-farm packing operations or processors. At these facilities, the potatoes are washed, graded, packaged and distributed to __________. Potatoes go to state warehouses to be distributed through public distribution system in the state. Surplus potatoes get exported outside the state for products and services in essential ingredients of the economy in the state. Those harvested in the fall are put into storage, and loads are removed and distributed to wholesalers and processors as the market demands. Approximately 40% of the main crop goes for processing, with the remaining 60% destined for the fresh market. WHAT CHALLENGES DOES THE POTATO PRODUCER FACE? Potato late blight and insect pests are a concern for potato growers. A new program is in place to map the occurrence of plant diseases and insect infestation in a geographic information system. By knowing where disease and insect problems are likely to occur, IPM (Integrated Pest Management) can be utilized more efficiently. Who is involved in producing potatoes? What are carbohydrates? Carbohydrates are any of a large group of sugars or starches that the body uses by converting into glucose a simple sugar for fuel. Sugars and starches are compounds of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Carbohydrates are also the major energy source within plants and animals. They are also a component of food that supplies calories to the body. Q. What are the differences between sweet potatoes and yams? Can I substitute one for the other in recipes? In the __________, the term "yam" is used interchangeably, but incorrectly, with "sweet potato." In fact, they are different and distinct vegetables. To further the confusion, canned and frozen sweet potatoes are often labeled as yams. Both yams and sweet potatoes are tubers, or roots, of plants. The tropical yam is popular in Central and South America, Africa and Asia. Sweet potatoes are native to North America. The flesh of yams ranges in color from white or yellow to pink or purple. The flesh of the most common variety of sweet potato is deep orange. Yams have higher sugar and moisture contents, but sweet potatoes are richer in vitamins A and C. Yams can be used interchangeably with sweet potatoes in most recipes. I'd like to use sweet potatoes and yams in my cooking throughout the year, not just during the holidays. Do you have any tips for using these vegetables year-round? Oh, the lonely, sometimes forgotten, often overlooked sweet potato. A smooth mash is key to many recipes. And because some canned varieties tend to remain a bit lumpy after they've been mashed by hand or even with a handheld electric mixer, use a food processor or a blender. You'll get a creamy smooth texture every single time. Here are more sweet potato tips: * Substitute sweet potatoes in baked goods calling for mashed bananas or pumpkin. * Bourbon, rum, orange liqueur, and vanilla pair well with sweet potatoes. Just a teaspoon or so in a sweet potato dish brings out the vegetable's savory side. * Just 1/2 cup of mashed sweet potatoes delivers more than 200 percent of the vitamin A and well over one-third of the vitamin C you should have in a day. Why do some recipes for diabetics include potatoes? I'm diabetic, and my doctor told me not to eat them. Since most meal plans allow between 40 and 60 grams of carbohydrate per meal, many diabetic recipes are designed to be suitable for these meal plans. So, you will find a few recipes that include high-carbohydrate foods. Including foods high in carbohydrate in your meal is acceptable as long as they are counted toward the total carbohydrate content of the meal. Daily meal plans are very individual. A recipe may work well for one meal plan but not for another. Yukon Gold Early to Mid season Large, yellow-fleshed variety. They are excellent baked, boiled, or mashed. These potatos store well. Superior Mid season Good baked, boiled, or mashed. Resistant to potato scab. Red Pontiac Late maturing High yields, large round potatoes, easy to grow, stores well. Kennebec Late maturing Excellent producer, large potatoes, great for baking or frying, stores well. Russet Norkotah Late maturing Excellent baking potato, excellent producer, large potatoes. White Rose Early to Mid season Good producer, good for cooking, doesn't store well. Russet Mid season Excellent producer, excellent baking potato, large potatoes, excellent for storage. Norland Early maturing Red skin, white flesh, excellent when boiled, fried, or mashed, stores well. Planting Methods for Growing Potatoes Traditionally potatoes are grown in rows. The potato 'seeds' are planted every 15 in., with the rows spaced 2 1/2 to 3 ft. apart. If space is limited or if you would only like to grow a small crop of potatoes, you may prefer to plant one or two potato mounds. Each 3-4 foot diameter mound can support 6 to 8 potato plants. With either method, the first step is to cultivate and turn the soil one last time before planting, removing any weeds, rocks or debris. This will loosen the soil and allow the plants to become established more quickly. Your potato plants will benefit from the addition of compost, well composted manure, and other organic matter to the soil. HOWEVER, too much organic material can increase the chances of potato scab. Potato scab is a bacterial infection which doesn't affect the usability of your potatoes, but it does make them look pretty ugly! To lessen the likelihood of potato scab, mix the organic matter into the soil below the potato seed, where it will feed the roots, but not contact the newly forming potatoes. Planting in rows Dig a shallow trench about 4 inches wide and 6-8 inches deep. The spacing at which you place the seed pieces will determine the harvested potato size. For most household uses, you will want to plant your potato seeds 15 inches apart in this trench. If you'd like a quick crop of "baby" potatoes for soups and stews, you can plant the seeds 4 inches apart, and begin harvesting them as soon as they reach the desired size. Place the potato seeds into the trench (cut side down) and then cover them with 3-4 inches of soil. (Do not fill the trench in completely!) Depending on the soil temperature, the sprouts will begin to emerge in about 2 weeks. At this time add another 3-4 inches of soil. Your crop of potatoes will form between the seed piece and the surface of the soil. For this reason, when the stems are about 8 inches high, you once again add enough soil to bring the level half way up the stem of the plant. Another hilling will be needed 2-3 weeks later, at which time you again add soil half way up the stem of the plant. After these initial hillings, it is only necessary to add an inch or two of soil to the hill each week or so, to ensure there is enough soil above the forming potatoes that they don't push out of the hill and get exposed to light. If the new potatoes are exposed to sunlight while they are developing, they will turn green. This green portion may be toxic! Potatos can be prepared many different ways Mound planting The hilling process is necessary in both methods to create sufficient space for the potatoes to develop large tubers, and an abundant crop. Don't get carried away with hilling though... If you cover up too much of the foliage, you may end up reducing your final crop yield. The basic procedure for planting potatoes in mounds is the same as for planting in rows. The difference here is that you can grow your crop in a more confined area, or take advantage of an otherwise unused area of the garden. Cultivate and loosen the soil where your potato mound will be. Designate the approximate perimeter of your planting circle (3-4 feet diameter). Space 6-8 potato seeds evenly around your circle, and cover with the initial 4 inches of soil. Continue the same procedures as you would for planting in rows. Potatoes thrive in the warm environment of a soil filled tire! Four tires + Two pounds of seed potatoes + Good soil = 20-30 pounds of winter potatoes! Pick a spot where you can stack your tires which is out of the way and preferably out of sight. Loosen the surface of the soil just enough to allow for drainage, and set your largest tire in place. Fill the inside of the tire casing loosely with good topsoil, and then set 3-4 potato seeds into the soil. (Use sticks or rocks to keep the casing rings spread open.) Add enough soil to the tire "hole" to bring it to the same level as the soil inside the tire. Potato watering and care For the maximum crop, keep your potato vines well watered throughout the summer, but especially during the period when they are in flower, and immediately thereafter. This is the time when the plant is creating the new tubers, and water is critical. Water early in the day so that the foliage has time to dry completely before evening. (Wet foliage can make your plants more susceptible to several potato diseases.) When foliage turns yellow and dies back, discontinue watering to allow the tubers to "mature" for a week or two before harvesting. Once the vines have passed the critical watering stage while in flower, they will tolerate a certain amount of drought. According to some studies, non-irrigated potatoes are less watery and more healthful. However, potato plants which are not watered regularly will produce a much smaller crop. Harvesting your Potatos Your may begin to harvest your potatoes 2 to 3-weeks after the plants have finished flowering. At this time you will only find small "baby" potatoes if you were to dig up a plant. Potatoes can be harvested any time after this, by gently loosening the soil, reaching under the plant, and removing the largest tubers, leaving the smaller ones to continue growing. If you want late potatoes for storage, wait 2-3 weeks after the foliage dies back. Carefully begin digging a foot or so outside of the row or mound. Remove the potatoes as you find them. (Be careful not to bruise or cut the tubers with your spade!) If the weather is dry, allow the potatoes to lay on the soil surface, unwashed, for 2-3 days so they can dry. If the weather is wet, or rain is expected, move the harvest to a cool, dry area (like a garage or basement) for the drying period. This drying step is necessary to mature the potato skin, which will protect the potato during storage. If, by the end of September, the plants have not begun to die back, all of the foliage should be cut off to ensure your crop has ample time to mature before winter. Store your undamaged potatoes in a well-ventilated, dark, cool (about 40 degrees) location. Properly dried and stored potatoes should keep well for three to six months. Whether mashed, baked or roasted, people often consider potatoes as comfort food. It is an important food staple and the number one vegetable crop in the world. Potatoes are available year-round as they are harvested somewhere every month of the year. The potato belongs to the Solanaceae or nightshade family whose other members include tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, and tomatillos. They are the swollen portion of the underground stem which is called a tuber and is designed to provide food for the green leafy portion of the plant. Don't grow potatoes in the same soil more than once in three years. Potatoes provides for each of the nutrients of which it is a good, very good, or excellent source according to our Food Rating System. Additional information about the amount of these nutrients provided by Potatoes can be found in the Food Rating System Chart. A link that takes you to the In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Potatoes, featuring information over 80 nutrients, can be found under the Food Rating System Chart. * Health Benefits * Description * History * How to Select and Store * How to Enjoy * Individual Concerns * Nutritional Profile * References Health Benefits Potatoes are a very popular food source. Unfortunately, most people eat potatoes in the form of greasy French fries or potato chips, and even baked potatoes are typically loaded down with fats such as butter, sour cream, melted cheese and bacon bits. Such treatment can make even baked potatoes a potential contributor to a heart attack. But take away the extra fat and deep frying, and a baked potato is an exceptionally healthful low calorie, high fiber food that offers significant protection against cardiovascular disease and cancer. Our food ranking system qualified potatoes as a very good source of vitamin C, a good source of vitamin B6, copper, potassium, manganese, and dietary fiber. Potatoes also contain a variety of phytonutrients that have antioxidant activity. Among these important health-promoting compounds are carotenoids, flavonoids, and caffeic acid, as well as unique tuber storage proteins, such as patatin, which exhibit activity against free radicals. Potatoes' Phytochemicals Rival Those in Broccoli Potatoes' reputation as a high-carb, white starch has removed them from the meals of many a weight-conscious eater, but this stereotype is due for a significant overhaul. A new analytical method developed by Agricultural Research Service plant geneticist Roy Navarre has identified 60 different kinds of phytochemicals and vitamins in the skins and flesh of 100 wild and commercially grown potatoes. Analysis of Red and Norkotah potatoes revealed that these spuds' phenolic content rivals that of broccoli, spinach and Brussels sprouts, and includes flavonoids with protective activity against cardiovascular disease, respiratory problems and certain cancers. Navarre's team also identified potatoes with high levels of vitamin C, folic acid, quercetin and kukoamines. These last compounds, which have blood pressure lowering potential, have only been found in one other plant, Lycium chinense (a.k.a., wolfberry/gogi berry). How much kukoamine is needed for a blood pressure lowering effect in humans must be assessed before it can be determined whether an average portion of potatoes delivers enough to impact cardiovascular health. Still, potatoes' phytochemical profiles show it's time to shed their starch-only image; spuds-baked, steamed or healthy sautéed but not fried-deserve a place in your healthy way of eating."Phytochemical Profilers Investigate Potato Benefits,"Agricultural Research, September 2007 Blood-Pressure Lowering Potential Until now, when analyzing a plant's composition, scientists had to know what they were seeking and could typically look for 30 or so known compounds. Now, metabolomic techniques enable researchers to find the unexpected by analyzing the 100s or even 1000s of small molecules produced by an organism. "Potatoes have been cultivated for thousands of years, and we thought traditional crops were pretty well understood," said IFR food scientist Dr Fred Mellon, "but this surprise finding shows that even the most familiar of foods might conceal a hoard of health-promoting chemicals." Another good reason to center your diet around the World's Healthiest Foods! The IFR scientists found higher levels of kukoamines and related compounds than some of the other compounds in potatoes that have a long history of scientific investigation. However, because they were previously only noted in Lycium chinense, kukoamines have been little studied. Researchers are now determining their stability during cooking and dose response (how much of these compounds are needed to impact health). Vitamin B6-Building Your Cells If only for its high concentration of vitamin B6-a cup of baked potato contains 21.0% of the daily value for this important nutrient-the potato earns high marks as a health-promoting food. Vitamin B6 is involved in more than 100 enzymatic reactions. Enzymes are proteins that help chemical reactions take place, so vitamin B6 is active virtually everywhere in the body. Many of the building blocks of protein, amino acids, require B6 for their synthesis, as do the nucleic acids used in the creation of our DNA. Because amino and nucleic acids are such critical parts of new cell formation, vitamin B6 is essential for the formation of virtually all new cells in the body. Heme (the protein center of our red blood cells) and phospholipids (cell membrane components that enable messaging between cells) also depend on vitamin B6 for their creation. Vitamin B6-Brain Cell and Nervous System Activity Vitamin B6 plays numerous roles in our nervous system, many of which involve neurological (brain cell) activity. B6 is necessary for the creation of amines, a type of messaging molecule or neurotransmitter that the nervous system relies on to transmit messages from one nerve to the next. Some of the amine-derived neurotransmitters that require vitamin B6 for their production are serotonin, a lack of which is linked to depression; melatonin, the hormone needed for a good night's sleep; epinephrine and norepinephrine, hormones that help us respond to stress; and GABA, which is needed for normal brain function. Vitamin B6-Cardiovascular Protection Vitamin B6 plays another critically important role in methylation, a chemical process in which methyl groups are transferred from one molecule to another. Many essential chemical events in the body are made possible by methylation, for example, genes can be switched on and turned off in this way. This is particularly important in cancer prevention since one of the genes that can be switched on and off is the tumor suppressor gene, p53. Another way that methylation helps prevent cancer is by attaching methyl groups to toxic substances to make them less toxic and encourage their elimination from the body. Methylation is also important to cardiovascular health. Methylation changes a potentially dangerous molecule called homocysteine into other, benign substances. Since homocysteine can directly damage blood vessel walls greatly increasing the progression of atherosclerosis, high homocysteine levels are associated with a significantly increased risk for heart attack and stroke. Eating foods rich in vitamin B6 can help keep homocysteine levels low. In addition, diets high in vitamin B6-rich foods are associated with overall lower rates of heart disease, even when homocysteine levels are normal, most likely because of all the other beneficial activities of this energetic B vitamin. A single baked potato will also provide you with 11.7% of the daily value for fiber, but remember the fiber in potatoes is mostly in their skin. If you want the cholesterol-lowering, colon cancer preventing, and bowel supportive effects of fiber, be sure to eat the potato's flavorful skin as well as its creamy center. Vitamin B6-Athletic Performance Vitamin B6 is also necessary for the breakdown of glycogen, the form in which sugar is stored in our muscle cells and liver, so this vitamin is a key player in athletic performance and endurance. Description Whether it is mashed, baked or made into French fries, many people often think of the potato as a comfort food. This sentiment probably inspired the potato's scientific name, Solanum tuberosum, since solanum is derived from a Latin word meaning "soothing". The potato's name also reflects that it belongs to the Solanaceae family whose other members include tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, and tomatillos. There are about about 100 varieties of edible potatoes. They range in size, shape, color, starch content and flavor. They are often classified as either mature potatoes (the large potatoes that we are generally familiar with) and new potatoes (those that are harvested before maturity and are of a much smaller size). Some of the popular varieties of mature potatoes include the Russet Burbank, the White Rose and the Katahdin, while the Red LeSoda and Red Pontiac are two types of new potatoes. There are also delicate fingerling varieties available which, as their name suggests, are finger-shaped. The skin of potatoes is generally brown, red or yellow, and may be smooth or rough, while the flesh is yellow or white. There are also other varieties available that feature purple-grey skin and a beautiful deep violet flesh. As potatoes have a neutral starchy flavor, they serve as a good complement to many meals. Their texture varies slightly depending upon their preparation, but it can be generally described as rich and creamy. History Potatoes originated in the Andean mountain region of South America. Researchers estimate that potatoes have been cultivated by the Indians living in these areas for between 4,000 and 7,000 years. Unlike many other foods, potatoes were able to be grown at the high altitudes typical of this area and therefore became a staple food for these hardy people. How to Select and Store While potatoes are often conveniently packaged in a plastic bag, it is usually better to buy them individually from a bulk display. Not only will this allow you to better inspect the potatoes for signs of decay or damage, but many times, the plastic bags are not perforated and cause a build up of moisture that can negatively affect the potatoes. Potatoes should be firm, well shaped and relatively smooth, and should be free of decay that often manifests as wet or dry rot. In addition, they should not be sprouting or have green coloration since this indicates that they may contain the toxic alkaloid solanine that has been found to not only impart an undesirable taste, but can also cause a host of different health conditions such as circulatory and respiratory depression, headaches and diarrhea. Sometimes stores will offer already cleaned potatoes. These should be avoided since when their protective coating is removed by washing, potatoes are more vulnerable to bacteria. In addition, already cleaned potatoes are also more expensive, and since you will have to wash them again before cooking, you will be paying an unnecessary additional cost. Since new potatoes are harvested before they are fully mature, they are much more susceptible to damage. Be especially careful when purchasing these to buy ones that are free from discoloration and injury. The ideal way to store potatoes is in a dark, dry place between 45°F to 50°F between 7-10°C) as higher temperatures, even room temperature, will cause the potatoes to sprout and dehydrate prematurely. While most people do not have root cellars that provide this type of environment, to maximize the potato's quality and storage, you should aim to find a place as close as possible to these conditions. Storing them in a cool, dark closet or basement may be suitable alternatives. Potatoes should definitely not be exposed to sunlight as this can cause the development of the toxic alkaloid solanine to form. Potatoes should not be stored in the refrigerator, as their starch content will turn to sugar giving them an undesirable taste. In addition, do not store potatoes near onions, as the gases that they each emit will cause the degradation of one another. Wherever you store them, they should be kept in a burlap or paper bag. Mature potatoes stored properly can keep up to two months. Check on the potatoes frequently, removing any that have sprouted or shriveled as spoiled ones can quickly affect the quality of the others. New potatoes are much more perishable and will only keep for one week. Cooked potatoes will keep fresh in the refrigerator for several days. Potatoes do not freeze well. How to Enjoy For some of our favorite recipes, click Recipes. Tips for Preparing Potatoes: The potato skin is a concentrated source of dietary fiber, so to get the most nutritional value from this vegetable, don't peel it and consume both the flesh and the skin. Just scrub the potato under cold running water right before cooking and then remove any deep eyes or bruises with a paring knife. If you must peel it, do so carefully with a vegetable peeler, only removing a thin layer of the skin and therefore retaining the nutrients that lie just below the skin. Potatoes should be cleaned and cut right before cooking in order to avoid the discoloration that occurs with exposure to air. If you cannot cook them immediately after cutting, place them in a bowl of cold water to which you have added a little bit of lemon juice, as this will prevent their flesh from darkening and will also help to maintain their shape during cooking. As potatoes are also sensitive to certain metals that may cause them to discolor, avoid cooking them in iron or aluminum pots or using a carbon steel knife to cut them. Nutritional Profile Potatoes are a very good source of vitamin C. They are also a good source of vitamin B6, copper, potassium, manganese, and dietary fiber. For an in-depth nutritional profile click here: Potato. In-Depth Nutritional Profile In addition to the nutrients highlighted in our ratings chart, an in-depth nutritional profile for Potatoes is also available. This profile includes information on a full array of nutrients, including carbohydrates, sugar, soluble and insoluble fiber, sodium, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids and more. In order to better help you identify foods that feature a high concentration of nutrients for the calories they contain, we created a Food Rating System. This system allows us to highlight the foods that are especially rich in particular nutrients. The following chart shows the nutrients for which this food is either an excellent, very good, or good source (below the chart you will find a table that explains these qualifications). If a nutrient is not listed in the chart, it does not necessarily mean that the food doesn't contain it. It simply means that the nutrient is not provided in a sufficient amount or concentration to meet our rating criteria. (To view this food's in-depth nutritional profile that includes values for dozens of nutrients - not just the ones rated as excellent, very good, or good - please use the link below the chart.) To read this chart accurately, you'll need to glance up in the top left corner where you will find the name of the food and the serving size we used to calculate the food's nutrient composition. This serving size will tell you how much of the food you need to eat to obtain the amount of nutrients found in the chart. Now, returning to the chart itself, you can look next to the nutrient name in order to find the nutrient amount it offers, the percent Daily Value (DV%) that this amount represents, the nutrient density that we calculated for this food and nutrient, and the rating we established in our rating system. For most of our nutrient ratings, we adopted the government standards for food labeling that are found in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's "Reference Values for Nutrition Labeling." Are potatoes nutritious? YES! Potatoes are a low calorie, fat and cholesterol free vegetable high in vitamin C, potassium and a good source of vitamin B6 and dietary fiber. Visit the nutrition section of www.healthypotato.com for more information. Are potatoes fattening? NO! It's all those delicious toppings we use that add calories and fat. The potato contains zero fat and a 5.3-ounce potato is only 100 calories. Check out "Healthy Potato Consumer Recipe Brochure" nutrition pamphlet for some low-fat topping ideas. Is it safe to eat the potato skin? Absolutely! In fact, we recommend it. The skin of the potato contains the majority of the potato's fiber, and many of the nutrients are located close to the skin. Wash the potato thoroughly, cut away green discoloration and/or sprouts and enjoy your potato with the skin on. Why does the potato selection vary at grocery stores throughout the year? Here are discussion questions. How do you grow potatoes? How do you select a potato? Are potatoes a nutritious food? How should potatoes be stored? How do you prepare a potato? Why do potatoes grow sprouts? Why do some potatoes become discolored after they are cooked? What is the difference between starchy and waxy potatoes? How popular are potatoes? How are all of the potatoes used? Do you like potatoes? How important are potatoes? What do you know about the nutritional value of potatoes? How do potatoes compare to other staple foods like rice, pasta and bread? What different ways are there to cook potatoes? Do you prefer baked, roast, boiled, mashed or jacket potatoes? How do you make a potato salad? What do you know about how potatoes grow? Are you a meat and potatoes person? Potato Nutrition Information Table
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