Potato Harvest
We had just enough rain last week to soften up the ground. So over the weekend, we dug up the potatoes. It was one of the best potato harvests we’ve had. But first, let’s take a look back to see how we got to this point.
We planted 2 varieties of potatoes, Red Pontiac and Kennebec, on April 1. You can see the post about the planting here.
By April 23, they had come up, and were a couple inches tall.
Potatoes - April 23
By June 16, they were about 18 inches tall. They are the bushy plants to the right of the onions.
Potatoes - June 16
Within the last month, the plants above ground have died back, indicating that the potatoes are ready to dig. Because we had a drought though, the ground was too hard to dig the taters up. Last Friday, we had 3/4 inch of rain, which softened up the ground finally.
Using a potato fork, a garden tool that resembles a pitchfork, all you have to do is dig the potatoes up. (I say this lightly as I was not the one doing the digging. Mr. Man of the House took care of that job.)
We spread the potatoes out on a tarp on the garage floor to cure or dry for a few days.
No daylight or sun should reach them as that would green them up, and we wouldn’t be able to eat them then. Towards then end of the week, we’ll put them in the fridge in the basement, with the temp set for about 40 degrees. They will keep there for about 8 months. We’ll have all the potatoes we need until next spring.
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——-> Tomorrow: Wildflowers blooming in our pasture.
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Hi!
I don’t know if this is possible but could you do a guest post on my blog? My pattern company is called Sunflower Fields Pattern CO. and I absolutely love the pictures you took of the sunflowers! Someday I hope to see something like that in person!
Always,
Liz
I love the potato post, too!
I’d love to show your blog to my urban students who have NO IDEA where there Mc Donald’s french fries originate… or where wheat comes from, or sunflower seeds, or, well, you get the idea!
You document your life so well.
Thanks for sharing!
Hi Kelly,
Please do, and I hope they can learn a little bit from it.
You’re welcome, and thank you!
Love your blog, I grew up in SW Kansas but have lived in the OK panhandle so long that I feel as though I never lived anywhere else. Your blog is so easy to navigate and your photos are stunning! Thanks for a peek into your life.
Hi Beaverbelle,
You’re welcome, and thank you!
What a great potato harvest. My experiment with potatoes in containers was hit and miss. One container was too wet so I had mushy potatoes. The other two containers only produced small potatoes. But, they were soooo good. Home grown potatoes are the best.
Hi Gardener,
I had never had homegrown potatoes until after I married Harland, the potato guru. His family had always grown them. I couldn’t believe how much better they tasted than those from the store. So much flavor. The other night we had a few boiled and then just added butter, salt and pepper. So tasty.
Thank you!
I don’t think I’ve ever had fresh-picked potatoes. I can’t even imagine how amazing they are.
Hi Kim
Very tasty, and so worth all the effort of growing them.
Do try growing a few sometime.
Thank you!
Oh, this makes me want to garden so bad! I need to remember that tip to let them dry out first before storing them. Thanks!
Hi Lee Ann,
The drying part allows any bruising or cuts from the harvest to “heal” before storage.
You’re welcome, and thank you!
How interesting! I haven’t ever had fresh potatoes either, and I think I’ve missed out on a lot. I read the potato planting post too. You should write a book, Suzanne. With great pictures, of course. 🙂
Hi Vivian,
Thank you. I think about it sometimes.
Yum! Plenty for thanksgiving and beyond!
Hi Lynette,
Absolutely. Mashed, fried, baked….mmmmm…
I found your website today via Pioneer Woman. Your photos and explanations of your daily life are excellent!! You make me wish all the more that I lived in the country. I am a country girl at heart and loathe the big city. I’ve bookmarked your site and plan to make regular visits. Thanks!!
Hi Gena,
You’re welcome, and thank you!
Wow. And so many baby potatoes, too! Enjoy.
Hi Shailaja,
We’ll be eating the little taters first as they don’t store as well.
Thanks!
They look so good. I’m afraid to dig mine with all the water we’ve had. They still haven’t died down really well, so I’m still waiting.
Hi Teresa,
Have the rains finally stopped? You guys more than you needed and we were having a drought. Goes that way sometimes.
That’s a lot of potatoes! Fortunately they can be just stored for some time. This reminds me of my sweet potatoes that in one of my containers… I should be digging them out already…
Hi Stephanie,
Never grown sweet potatoes. Is is similar to growing regular potatoes?
Oooohhhhh, am jealous! Wish I had a place to let potatoes rest before storage! Am thinking of some yummy potato dishes now….
Glendus
Hi GinMT,
One year we spread them on the floor of our mud room on newspapers. Hubby had the idea this year of the garage.
Do you grow different types of potatos or just the ones pictured? =)
City Girl to Country Girl
Hi City Girl,
We grew Kennebec and Red Pontiac. Both have good flavor and store well. Never tried any others.
Thanks for visiting!
What a great post..I did ours in barrels and it works, I have a blog post about it, and need to do a update on the digout, thanks for reminding me.
how many pounds did you get? we did yukon gold and got 13 lbs!
Hi Ashley,
Thank you! Not sure how many pounds we got. More than I can lift I know.
Great harvest! That is fantastic! I love fresh potatoes. I have never grown any, but we have decided that we are definately growing them next year! Even my kids are excited about growing them and that makes me happy!
Hi Bonnie,
Potatoes are one of the easier crops. Just plant them, do occasional weeding, and forget about them until harvest.
For sweet potato, just tuck an inch (bottom) of the sweet potato into the soil/ground will do.
Hi Stephanie,
Thanks, I’ll have to try it.
Suzanne, I realize there WAS no life before Harland but I planted sweet potatoes in your garden the last year we had one. They were HUGE. One could feed several people. Love the soil you have now.
Glenda,
Don’t remember that, but I was kinda distracted by a mustached man from Kansas whom I was dating at the time, so that whole summer is rather fuzzy. :o)