Irish Potatoes

Potatoes require a large amount of fertilizer for good growht and production.  Apply an additional 1/2 to 1 pound of complete fertilizer (such as 10-10-10) for each 100 feet of garden row before planting potatoes. 

Plant potatoes 3 to 4 weeks before the last killing frost.  Use only certified seed stock.  Seed potatoes should be firm and unsprouted.  Cut the seed potatoes into pieces weighing about 2 ounces.  Each seed piece must have at least one good bud or eye.  Plant the pieces about 3 inches deep, 10 to 12 inches apart, in rows about 36 inches apart. 

After the plants emerge and begin to grow, mound the plants.  This simply means pulling soil around the plants several times during their early growth until the seed pieces are about 6 inches deep. 

Potatoes are ready to harvest when they are mature and the skin is set. Depending upon the season, this is usually 90 to 120 days after planting. 

Avoid bruising potatoes when digging.  Store potatoes for a week at 65 to 70 ºF in the dark to help heal bruises.  Then store at 35 to 40 ºF at high humidity.