There are different ways in which you can plant them but knowing when to harvest potatoes is important so that you can harvest enough at the right stage. Knowing how to store them properly also allows you to maximize the use of your harvest without having to consume too much within a short period of time just to avoid wasting them due to rotting.
Potatoes are one of the most important crops in the world. Although they are 80% water, it can’t be denied that they’re very versatile once cooked or combined with other ingredients. There are many ways to enjoy potatoes such as mashing, boiling, and even baking them.
From hash browns and fries to chips and salads, everyone has surely tried potatoes at least once in their life. Whole boiled sweet potatoes are even consumed as street food in South Korea, especially during the cold seasons.
When to Harvest Potatoes in a Bag
The general rule in harvesting potatoes is that you can harvest them as soon as the leaves turn yellow. Although, if you want full-grown potatoes, you have to leave them planted in the soil until the leaves turn brown and dry.
Planting potatoes in a bag is one of the easiest ways you can grow them. All you have to do is have a bag that could hold your potato plant even when it’s full-grown. It could be a garbage bag, sack or the bag you bought your potting soil in. Just make sure it’s enough to hold about two or three gallons of soil. Once you have that, punch some small drainage holes on the bottom so that the water wouldn’t stay stagnant and make the soil soggy.
As for the soil, put in a few inches thick on your container and then a little amount of organic fertilizer.
If you have small potatoes to begin with, you can plant them whole. If you have large potatoes, cut them into smaller pieces before planting them. Because potatoes can grow large, only plant up to four pieces, depending on how big your bag is. After putting the potato pieces in, cover them with another inch or two of soil.
Tip
Remember to not put your plant bag on a hot surface, but also make sure it gets enough sunlight.
As the plant grows bigger, keep covering the lower stems and leaves with fresh soil or mulch. You can keep doing this until the bag is almost filled up.
After about three months or so, plants start to turn yellow. They may even produce flowers. To know when to harvest potatoes in a bag, know what kind of potatoes you want. If you want ‘new’ potatoes, harvest them early on by lightly poking the soil using your fingers. If you want mature potatoes, wait for the leaves to dry up before taking everything off the bag.
When to Harvest New Potatoes
Any variety of potato can be harvested as a ‘new’ potato after about two months after planting. This is when the leaves are yellow, and the plant is producing flowers.
To know when to harvest new potatoes, sift carefully through the soil near the base of the stem and have a feel of the size of the potatoes. Choose which ones to harvest and which ones to leave on the ground to mature.
New potatoes are more tender than mature ones, so they should be consumed within a week or two. After that, they begin to decay.
While all kinds of potatoes can be harvested early on, it can’t be denied that there are, in fact, some varieties of potatoes that taste better and sweeter when harvested as new potatoes. The sweetness of new potatoes comes from their sugars not having turned to starch just yet.
Harvesting new potatoes not only saves you time but also lowers the risk of your potatoes contracting diseases that make your plant unconsumable.
How to Cure Potatoes
Before storing the mature potatoes you’ve just harvested, you should allow them one or two weeks to “cure”. Curing lets the bruises and cuts on the potatoes heal so that they could also be stored well. If you don’t want to cure your potatoes, it’s advised that you consume them immediately.
Now that you know how and when to harvest potatoes, learning how to cure potatoes is easy.
First, you have to let the harvested potatoes dry by letting them sit in the garden. You can also put them on a lattice or something similar.
Doing this should allow the soil to come off of the potatoes on their own. If they don’t drop away, you can use a brush and lightly remove the soil.
Be very gentle in handling them since newly harvested potatoes don’t have tough skin. It’s also crucial to know that you should never was newly harvested potatoes because it can shorten their shelf life.
If you want to leave the potatoes to dry for longer, place the lattice on a dark but dry area where it’s a little humid.
If some of your harvested potatoes have deep cuts or bruises, the best thing to do is use them right away instead of storing them as they could spoil the other potatoes in storage.
Conclusion
Potatoes are really easy to grow, even for beginners. They’re also one of the most practical crops to grow at home as they can substitute rice in your diet. They can also be used in a lot of dishes, so you’ll surely enjoy always having them in your garden. And who doesn’t get random cravings of fries, right?
Now that you know how and when to harvest potatoes, you can save a lot of time and money in going to the grocery and buying produce.
While potatoes are a part of most people’s diet, it should still be noted that consuming too much of it also poses dangers to the health. Fries, for example, are dangerous when consumed too frequently as it contains a lot of fat that can be harmful to the body. Potato chips, too, while they may be nice to munch on while watching Netflix, are bad for the health when consumed excessively.
Remember to still eat your greens from time to time! Nevertheless, happy gardening!
Read my other post on sustainable backyard farm and farming hacks.
