Potatoes Vitabella

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

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

Potatoes do not require watering, except in case of extreme heat. In that case, water the base of the plant without wetting the foliage to prevent the onset 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 undersides of the leaves and brown on the top. As a preventive measure, here are some tips to limit the risk of blight:

• Do not grow several plants of the Solanaceae family (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, chillies, etc) in adjacent 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, both within and between rows, to promote air circulation and prevent rapid disease spread.

• If you need to water, avoid wetting the foliage.

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

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, albeit a bit time-consuming, is to remove them as they appear. As a preventive measure, sow blue flax seeds between your rows of potatoes. Sow from April to June in shallow furrows. In addition to being repellent to 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 is added as the plant grows, with the tubers always kept away from light.

Tower planting or container planting is practical for small spaces but requires regular watering. The tower can be constructed from various materials (wood, wire mesh, bag, 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 only the top leaves exposed, and so on until the top of the tower, allowing the tubers to form at all levels of the container. Harvest when the foliage has withered.