Potatoes Sirtema

Planting: Potatoes require a light, deep, and rich soil. Choose a sunny location. Add well-rotted compost in the previous autumn, by scratching 5 cm (2in) deep after loosening the soil. Planting takes place under cover in February-March for early varieties. For other varieties, plant them from mid-March to May depending on the climate. Wait for the soil to be at least 10°C (50°F). The flowering of lilacs is often a landmark for starting planting. Install several varieties in your vegetable garden to vary the pleasures!

Loosen the soil deeply and form rows 10 cm (4in) deep, spaced 70 cm (28in) apart. Place the tubers, sprouts upwards, every 40 cm (16in) (or 30 cm (12in) for early varieties). Cover with fine soil. When the plants reach 15 cm (6in), mound up by bringing fine soil to the base of the stems, up to a height of 20 cm (8in). Mounding will promote tuber formation and water drainage. You can mound them again a month later. Mulch at the base of the plants with thin successive layers of grass clippings mixed if possible with dead leaves. This protection, which keeps the soil moist, also limits weeding.

Potato cultivation does not require watering, except in case of high temperatures. In this case, water the base without wetting the foliage to prevent the appearance of fungal diseases.

Diseases and pests: Potatoes, like tomatoes, are susceptible 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 reduce the risk of blight:

• Do not grow several plants from the Solanaceae family in neighboring rows: potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, chili peppers, etc., as they are susceptible to the same diseases.

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

• Space the plants, both within and between rows, to promote air circulation and prevent rapid spread of diseases.

• If you need to water, do not wet the foliage.

• Spray Bordeaux mixture or preparations such as horsetail decoction or garlic purin.

The harvest can also be affected by the Colorado potato beetle, an insect of the order Coleoptera. You will recognize it by its yellow head and its 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 your potato rows. Sow from April to June in shallow furrows. Besides being repellant to Colorado potato beetles, flax will brighten up your vegetable garden with its pretty little blue flowers. You can also intercrop with peas between your potato rows.

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 is added as the plant grows, with the tubers always kept away from light.

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