Growing Potatoes
Pumpkins take a lot of space, but many gardeners plant one or two clumps, or hills, of them for fall decoration and pies. Some save space by sowing a few seeds in a row of corn, combining two plants in the same area. Others train the vines to grow on supports. Still others plant bush pumpkins, only 3 feet across.
Each block should weigh 1 to 2 ounces and contain one to three eyes. Spread the pieces out in a single layer in a well- ventilated and well-lighted place for four or five days before planting. To minimize loss from rot, dust the pieces with captan.
Prepare the soil by digging a flat-bottomed furrow 6 to 8 inches wide and 3 to 4 inches deep; for more than one row, space the furrows 21/2 to 3 feet apart. Scatter 5-10-5 fertilizer along the bottom of the furrow at the rate of 21/2. pounds to 25 feet of row; mix the fertilizer with the soil. Plant the pieces of potato in the furrow, eyes up, at 12- to 15-inch intervals, and cover them with 3 inches of soil. Potatoes form close to the surface of the soil and are easily damaged by cultivation.
Potatoes grow best in light, sandy soil with a pH of 4.8 to 6.5. In most of the U.S. and southern Canada, where frost is expected in winter, plant potatoes in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked. In parts of the South and Southwest where some frost is expected in winter, plant potatoes in January or February so that they can be ready for harvest in spring before daytime temperatures are expected to average 90 or more.
Harvest young potatoes whenever the tubers are large enough to be worth digging up-usually about the time blossoms appear, seven to eight weeks after planting. Do not dig up entire plants-instead, dig carefully around the plants and remove some of the larger tubers, leaving the smaller ones to continue to grow.
Potatoes for winter storage should be dug two to three weeks after the tops have died to the ground. Dig potatoes in dry weather, and take care not to bruise the skin. Dry potatoes for winter storage for two to three hours, then store them in a cool dark place, preferably at 40 to 45, to keep them from turning green and developing an unpleasant flavor. Before cooking, cut out all eyes and any greenish or spoiled parts. Potato tops, sprouts and green sections contain the poisonous substance solanine.
