2008 Garden in Review–Onions, Potatoes, Cucumbers

Onions
One thing I learned here–definitely worth starting from sets! All the time and effort I put into starting from seeds was pretty much wasted. I harvested 6 pounds of onions, and used every last one in salsa! I planted them this year near my potatoes, but in the end they sort of competed for space.
Next [...]

Delicious Potato Soup

I think the best part of having a garden is actually cooking with home-grown veggies! I love this potato soup recipe.

Potato Soup
Saute 1 cup diced onions and 1/2 cup chopped celery in 2 TBS butter until transparent. Add 2 cups peeled, cubed potatoes, 2 cups chicken broth, 1 tsp salt, and pepper (to taste). Cover and [...]

What are certified seed potatoes?

Basically, these are potatoes that have not been treated to prevent sprouting. They are also less likely to have problems with disease. You can plant potatoes from the store, but it’s riskier.
One potato can be cut up and planted in several pieces–just be sure each piece has 2-3 eyes and weighs at least 2 ounces. Set the [...]

What kind of fertilizer should I use on my potatoes?

Nitrogen (34-0-0) 6 weeks after planting. Too much fertilizer will lead to lots of leaves but little potatoes.

What is wrong with my potato plants?

My plants have small brown spots on them which seem to spread. The whole plant is looking sad, and it’s not flowering.
 Probably the problem is blight. The solution is a fungicide.

When do I plant and harvest potatoes?

Plant potatoes in the spring, 2-3 weeks before the frost date. Here in Utah County, that means mid- to late-April.
The potatoes should flower–you can harvest “new potaotes” (small, thin skins) 2-3 weeks after they flower. Or, wait until the vines die. Dig up the “late potaotes” (larger, tough skins) and brush off dirt. Store in [...]

Growing Potatoes Reference

Growing Potatoes reference sheet from the Utah Extension Service

Growing Potatoes in a Square Foot Garden

From Mel Bartholemew’s Site www.squarefootgardening.com: “Potatoes are a fun crop to grow because being underground you don’t know what you have until it is time to harvest them. They fit very nicely into a square Foot Garden. For large-sized potatoes we plant one per square foot. If you are going to harvest them early, called [...]