Potatoes Angelique

The 'Angelique' waxy potato is a relatively rare variety that is early and highly productive. The elongated tubers are medium-sized and have light yellow and shiny skin with shallow eyes. Its delicious yellow flesh holds up well when cooked. These potatoes are perfect for steaming. They also work well in salads, stews, and vegetable medleys, and are the ideal accompaniment to fish, poultry, and roasts. They keep well when stored in a cool and dark place. This variety also has good natural resistance to diseases. Plant the tubers from mid-March to May, depending on the climate, and harvest them 3 to 3 and a half months later.

The potato is a root vegetable that has become essential in both the garden and the kitchen. It is a perennial plant cultivated as an annual, developing tubers as storage organs on its rootstock. Apart from a few varieties like 'Belle de Fontenay', the plants produce small flowers in summer. Each plant will produce several potatoes, which can be stored for several months and cooked in multiple ways. The potato belongs to the Solanaceae family, along with aubergine and tomatoes. Originally cultivated in the Andes Mountains, it was brought to Europe in the 16th century.

There are many different varieties. The tubers, which can be somewhat elongated in shape, generally have yellow flesh, but sometimes they can be red, pink, or purple. Low in calories, potatoes are rich in carbohydrates, iron, and potassium.

There are three categories of potatoes, based on their flesh content:

- Firm-fleshed varieties have good cooking properties. These potatoes, which are usually elongated in shape, have fine and tasty flesh. They are ideal for boiling or steaming, and can also be stewed or pan-fried.

- Floury-fleshed varieties are rich in starch and easily break apart. These fairly large potatoes are perfect for mashing or soups. They also make perfectly crispy fries as they tend to absorb less oil when cooked.

- Waxy-fleshed varieties have a melting texture while still retaining good cooking properties. They can be used in multiple ways: pan-fried, stewed, or roasted.

Harvesting

Depending on the variety and their maturity, potatoes can be harvested from May to October. Gently lift the plants with a garden fork to avoid damaging the tubers. Let the potatoes dry in the sun for a day.

Storage potatoes should be harvested when the foliage turns yellow and withers. Early varieties are harvested 80 to 90 days after planting, mid-early varieties around 110 days, semi-late varieties around 120 days, and late varieties from 120 to over 150 days.

As for new potatoes, which have very thin skin and delicious flesh, they are harvested before maturity, around 70 days after planting. Harvest them just after flowering, around May-June.

Storage

After removing any damaged tubers, store the potatoes in a cool, dry, and dark place. In the presence of light, the tubers turn green and produce a toxic compound called solanine. Early harvested varieties should be consumed quickly. Storage potatoes can be stored for several months. The storage duration varies depending on their maturity: late varieties can be stored the longest.

Gardener's tip

Grow potatoes as part of a crop rotation, as they are often considered a cleansing crop. The hilling process and root development leave the soil clean and loose after harvest. Potatoes also benefit from being grown near legumes such as beans, broad beans, and peas.

Potato plants are meant to be planted in the ground and cultivated before consumption. Depending on the variety, they may have been treated with Thiabendazole (a preservative) and Imazilil (an antifungal product). Therefore, please do not consume them as they are.