Potatoes Bintje

Planting: Potatoes need a light, deep, and rich soil. Choose a sunny location. Add well-rotted compost in the previous autumn, incorporating it in 5 cm (2in) deep, after having loosened the soil. Plant under shelter in February-March for early varieties. Plant other varieties from mid-March to May depending on the climate. Wait until the soil is at least 10°C (50°F). Easter is often a landmark to start planting. Plant several varieties in your garden to vary the harvest!

Loosen the soil deeply and form rows 10 cm (4in) deep, 70 cm (28in) apart. Place the tubers, sprout upwards, every 40 cm (16in) (or 30 cm (12in) for early varieties) and cover with fine soil. When the plants reach 15 cm (6in), earth up the stems with fine soil to 20 cm (8in). Earthing up will promote the formation of tubers and the flow of water. You can mound them up again a month later. Mulch at the base of the plants, with successive thin layers of grass clippings mixed if possible with dead leaves. This protection allows the soil to remain moist and limits weeding.

Potatoes do not require watering, except in high heat. In this case, water the base without wetting the foliage to prevent fungal diseases.

Diseases and pests: Potatoes are susceptible, just like tomatoes, to blight. This is a fungal disease caused by the Phytophthora infestans fungus. Blight develops in hot and humid weather. Small spots appear, white on the underside of the leaves and brown on top. As a preventive measure, here are some tips to limit the risk of blight:

• do not grow several plants from the Solanaceae family (potatoes, tomatoes, aubergines, peppers, chillies...) on neighbouring rows because they are susceptible to the same diseases

• in terms of rotation, wait 4 years before growing a Solanaceae plant in the same location

• space the plants well in the row and between rows, to promote air circulation and prevent disease spread

• if you need to water, do not wet the foliage

• spray Bordeaux mixture or preparations such as horsetail decoction or garlic purée

Harvesting can also be hindered by the Colorado potato beetle, an insect of the order Coleoptera. You will recognize it by its yellow head and yellow and black striped body. The best solution, although a bit time-consuming, is to remove them as they appear. As a preventive measure, sow blue flax seeds between rows of potatoes. Sow from April to June in shallow furrows. In addition to its repellent effect against Colorado potato beetles, flax will brighten up your vegetable garden with its pretty little blue flowers. You can also interplant peas between your rows of potatoes.

Other planting methods: The detailed planting method above is the most common. Other methods exist, such as mulch planting and tower planting.

Mulch planting involves placing the tubers on the ground and covering them with a layer of mulch. This protection will be added to as the plant grows, with the tubers always kept away from light.

Tower planting or bag planting is practical for small spaces but requires regular watering. The tower can be constructed from various materials (wood, wire mesh, bag, tires...). The tubers are placed on a bed of potting soil or compost. As the plant grows, it is covered with potting soil, leaving only the topmost leaves exposed, and so on until the top of the tower, allowing the tubers to form at the entire height of the container. Harvest when the foliage is dried up.