Potatoes are the underground tubers of bushes with lush foliage. Plants grow best in full sun, with plenty of water and ample space to develop.
Solanum tuberosum
The humble spud is a staple in many countries around the world. Whether you like them baked, roasted, boiled, mashed, fried, or added to cooked dishes, there is a perfect potato for the job. Today, potatoes aren’t only white. Some have yellow, red, pink, or purple skin, and while most have white or creamy yellow flesh, there are some with purple flesh. The flesh varies in its starch content and waxiness, which is why certain varieties are better suited to particular methods of cooking.
Potatoes are the underground tubers of bushes with lush foliage. Plants grow best in full sun, with plenty of water and ample space to develop.
Potatoes are highly productive and can yield 3–4 kg (6–8 lb) of tubers per square meter (yard) if grown well. They need fertile, well-drained soil that is high in organic matter. Prepare the bed a few weeks before planting by adding aged animal manures and compost. Fork the soil over thoroughly to remove any clods and make it easier for tubers to develop. Potatoes should be grown in full sun and protected from cold winds, with plenty of space and ample water while growing. They are related to bell peppers, chili peppers and eggplants, and all are prone to certain diseases. Don’t grow potatoes in a bed where any of these vegetables have grown in the past four years.
Potatoes prefer mild temperatures of 16°C–22°C (61°F–72°F). In tropical and subtropical areas they can be grown all year round, although they are best planted in summer and autumn for harvest before the rainy season. In cold areas they are planted about four weeks before the last frost so their new foliage is not killed. In these climates they grow during spring and early summer, when there are 60 to 90 days of frost-free conditions. Ideally, the soil temperature should be 15°C (59°F). In milder areas you can plant an autumn crop.
Problems Proper crop rotation is essential to help reduce most pest and disease problems. Many insect pests can be avoided by keeping potatoes properly covered under soil, as the pests will damage only the exposed tubers. Irregular watering causes several problems, including soil cracking, which lets insects reach the buried tubers.
Harvesting Potatoes will be ready for harvest in 15 to 20 weeks, depending on the variety. New potatoes can be dug up as needed from 8 to 12 weeks after the plant has flowered, once the foliage begins to yellow from the bottom leaves up. These new potatoes are best steamed whole and covered with butter and finely chopped fresh herbs such as parsley or chives.
For long-lasting potatoes that come to full maturity and are ready for storing, harvest two to three weeks after the top foliage has died off. Leaving them for those extra weeks allows their skin to harden off, or set, so that the skin doesn’t rub off and the tubers don’t break easily when rubbed.
Test one or two potatoes before lifting the entire crop. Use any damaged potatoes immediately and store the rest in a dark, dry place with good air circulation. Brush excess dirt off, but don’t wash them; they are best stored with dirt on, as this helps exclude light and stop them going green. Always use a garden fork to harvest potatoes, as you’re less likely to damage the tubers than if you use a spade. The dirt will fall between the prongs of the fork.
Potatoes will also store well in the ground as long as the weather is not too wet or warm.
Never eat potatoes that have been exposed to light and have developed green patches, as they contain a toxic alkaloid known as solanine.
There are many varieties of potatoes that you can grow or purchase. They are either sold washed or unwashed, although they keep better with dirt on them. Here on the platter (clockwise from top left) are Pink Eye, Russet Burbank, Bintje, Ruby Lou, Royal Blue, and Dutch Cream. On the table are Sebago (top right) and Purple Congo. In the round bowl (bottom right), Nicola and Desiree; and in the flat dish, small Kipfler (left) and full-size Kipfler.
The rich purple flesh of the Purple Congo variety will make a striking addition to the dinner plate.
It is best to start with certified disease-free seed potatoes every year. While it is possible to plant any potatoes that sprout, many nonorganic supermarket potatoes are sprayed with antisprouting chemicals. Certified seed potatoes are best planted whole. However, if they are very large, cut them into pieces that weigh around 50–60 grams (about 2 ounces) each and that contain at least two or three eyes. Leave the cuts to air-dry thoroughly. The eyes are the dormant buds from which the potato will shoot.
The seed potatoes and cut pieces need to sprout before planting. Spread them out in a warm, well-lit place such as a cupboard or above the refrigerator or freezer for up to a month, or until the sprouts are thick and around 1.5 cm (1/2 in) long. Discard any potatoes with shoots that are thin and long.
There are a number of ways to grow potatoes, both in the ground and above the ground. The important thing to understand is that they yield about 80 percent of their crop above the level where the seed potato was originally planted. Each seed potato is capable of producing a tenfold harvest. This means that either you plant them deep in the ground in trenches and then mound the soil up around the plants with a rake as they grow or you plant them at soil level and then stack soil on top of them.
Planting in trenches Dig a trench 15 cm (6 in) deep, leaving the soil on the side for refilling. Space the trenches 75 cm (2 1/2 ft) apart. Space the sprouted seed potatoes 30 cm (1 ft) apart along each trench. Cover them with 10–15 cm (4–6 in) soil. As the shoots emerge in three to four weeks, use the reserved soil to cover them, hilling it up over the emerging shoots. This encourages the formation of more tubers and ensures that they’re not exposed to sunlight. You can also add a layer of straw mulch 5–10 cm (2–4 in) thick for the same purpose.
Planting the no-dig way To grow spuds the no-dig way, mix together aged animal manure, such as that from a cow or sheep, compost, and straw. Lay wet newspaper on the ground, then add a 15–20-cm (6–8 in)-layer of the bedding mix on top and lay out your seed potatoes on it, 30 cm (1 ft) apart. Cover them with 15 cm (6 in) of the bedding mix and water well. When the potato shoots have reached 20–30 cm (8–12 in) in length, cover them with another 15-cm (6-in) layer of bedding mix so that only their tips are visible. Continue to add extra layers of bedding mix throughout the growing season until you have a depth of around 60 cm (2 ft). A dose of seaweed-based plant tonic at planting and flowering time will also be helpful.
Though the potato is an excellent root, deserving to be brought into general use, yet it seems not likely that the use of it should ever be normal in the country.
DAVID DAVIES, THE CASE OF LABOURERS IN HUSBANDRY STATED AND CONSIDERED (1795)
You can plant your sprouted potatoes in individual 15-cm (6-in)-deep holes, spaced about 30 cm (1 ft) apart. The sprouts should be thick, not too thin or too long.
Raised towers This raised, no-dig planting method uses towers made from three stacked Styrofoam boxes with their bottoms cut out, stackable wooden frames, or wine barrels, even old ones on which the base has fallen out. You can also make a tower out of a ring of chicken wire or wire mesh supported by some wooden garden stakes or steel fence posts.
The potatoes are easy to harvest when the foam boxes or wire towers are taken apart, and there is no risk of damaging the tubers with a garden fork. Also, the compost, manure, and straw mix can be recycled elsewhere in the garden.
Potato bags Potato-growing bags made from laminated polypropylene are ideal for gardeners with limited space. They let you multiply 3 to 5 seed potatoes tenfold into 30 to 50 potatoes. These bags have a special Velcro flap in the side so it’s easy to feel around and find new potatoes while the main crop is growing.
If space is limited, growing potatoes in potato bags is a great option. The Velcro flap on the side of the bag lets you access the new potatoes from the sides as the plants—and tubers—are growing.
Position three potato-growing bags in a space of about 1 sq m (1 sq yd) and grow a different variety in each. You can put the bags on concrete or paving. And expect to harvest between 30 and 50 potatoes from each bag.
The harvest from a single sprouted tuber is impressive. When lifting a plant, insert the garden fork at least 15 cm (6 in) away from the stems to avoid impaling the potatoes.
Growing a number of different potatoes not only gives you a variety of uses, qualities, and flavors, this diversity also reduces the likelihood of pest and disease problems.
Potatoes with a low starch content are waxy and hold their shape after cooking. Often referred to as boiling or waxy potatoes, they are the best choice for potato salad. Potatoes with a high starch content are ideal for baking, boiling, mashing, and frying; they’re called baking potatoes. All-purpose potatoes have a medium starch content and can be used for most cooking methods.
Yellow-fleshed potatoes These have a buttery flavor and waxy consistency when cooked, making them chefs’ favorites.
• Fingerling: Yellow-fleshed, elongated tubers with a finger-like shape and a firm texture.
• Bintje: Knobby yellow skin and waxy yellow flesh. Keeps well; great for cooking and frying, and makes excellent potato salad.
• Desiree: Elongated oval tubers with pale pink skin and creamy flesh. Excellent for all cooking methods except frying.
• Dutch Cream: Large, oval tubers with creamy yellow flesh, thin skin, and a buttery taste. Good mashed, baked, or in salads.
• King Edward: Oval tubers; smooth, dappled pink skin with creamy flesh and a floury texture. Great all-purpose potato, excellent mashed or baked, and makes great fries.
• Kipfler: Small, finger-like tubers with yellow skin and creamy yellow flesh. Excellent all-purpose potato, although not ideal for frying.
• Nicola: Small to medium tubers with elongated shape, yellow skin, and yellow flesh. Slightly sweet, buttery flavor is good in all cooking. Excellent in salads, boiled, mashed, or baked.
• Pink Eye: Cream-and-purple tubers with a waxy yellow flesh. Great boiled, steamed, or baked.
• Royal Blue: Oval tubers with rich royal blue skin and creamy yellow flesh. The blue skin fades to golden brown when cooked. Good mashed or baked, and makes great fries.
• Ruby Lou: Oval tubers with shiny pink skin and creamy flesh of great flavor. Good all-rounder.
• Spunta: Large, oblong tubers with yellow flesh. While good for baking and mashing, its large shape makes it popular for making fries.
White-fleshed potatoes These tend to have a more floury, starchy consistency when cooked.
• Coliban: Medium-sized, round tubers with smooth skin and white flesh. Its floury texture is best suited to mashing, baking, or making fries.
• Red Pontiac: Round, reddish-pink–skinned tubers with white flesh. Great for mashing, boiling, or baking, but not for frying, as they crumble.
• Russet Burbank or Idaho: Large, elongated tubers with brown skin and white flesh. Good for baking, mashing, and making fries.
• Sebago: One of the most common potatoes. Large, oval tubers with smooth white skin and white flesh. Good all-purpose potato and the main variety used for fries and potato chips.
• Toolangi Delight: Round tubers with deep dimples, purple skin, and white flesh. Great for baking, mashing, or making fries and gnocchi.
While many people are accustomed to white potatoes, the colorful flesh of the yellow and purple varieties has more nutritional benefits. The pigments come from carotenoids and flavonoids, currently being studied for their health benefits, including cancer prevention.
Other potato varieties
• Cranberry Red: Large red-fleshed tubers with good flavor. Good for mashing or baking.
• Purple Congo: Elongated tubers with very dark purple skin and purple flesh, which turns a lovely lavender color when cooked. Good for mashing, steaming, boiling, microwaving, and salads, but not good for baking. A squeeze of lemon juice over the cooked potato can intensify the purple color.
For me, a plain baked potato is the most delicious one. . . . It is soothing and enough.
M.F.K. FISHER (1908–1992)
Potatoes should be firm and unblemished. Avoid any that show signs of sprouting or that have green areas. Keep in a cool, dry, dark place in a ventilated basket or box—do not store in plastic bags. And contrary to common practice, potatoes and onions should not be stored together, as the gases they produce can hasten spoilage.
Applied raw to the skin as a poultice, potatoes have long been used as a folk remedy for warts, wounds, and burns. A hot baked potato, held so the steam might enter the ear, was said to ease earaches, while steam from boiling potatoes was a remedy for eye disorders. Rich in vitamin C, they were also used to prevent and treat scurvy. Eating a white potato with the skin boosts potassium intake, which helps the body regulate blood pressure.
Warm potato salad
For an elegant, flavor-drenched warm salad, boil nutty new potatoes and high-fiber fava beans, drizzle them with an herby vinaigrette, then serve on lettuce leaves.
Preparation: 15 minutes / Cooking: 15 minutes / Serves: 4
500 g (1 lb) small new potatoes
1 kg (2 lb) fresh whole fava beans in the pod or 300 g (10 oz) frozen fava beans
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 large sprigs fresh thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
100 g (3 1/2 oz) beet greens or mixed lettuce leaves
4 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
Put the potatoes in a large saucepan of boiling water, bring back to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. Drain. Meanwhile, if using whole beans, split the pods and take out the beans. Put the fresh or frozen beans in a separate saucepan of boiling water and cook for 3–4 minutes. Drain well. When cool enough to handle, remove the tough outer skins; pierce the skin encasing each bean and slip the inner bean out.
Whisk the sugar, mustard, and vinegar in a large bowl until the sugar has dissolved. Whisk in the oil and rub the thyme leaves into the bowl. Season to taste.
Make a bed of leaves on four plates. Gently toss the drained potatoes and beans in the vinaigrette. Sprinkle with chives and toss again. Top the leaves with the potato-and-bean salad.
Chips or fries?
Although cooks have been frying small slices of vegetables for centuries, the term “potato chip” did not come into use until the 1800s, when it began to appear in both recipe books and literature. Charles Dickens, in A Tale of Two Cities (1859), describes “husky chips of potatoes, fried with some reluctant drops of oil.” It was beaten into print, just, by “French fried potatoes”—potatoes cut into thin slices and cooked in boiling fat—as detailed in Eliza Warren’s Cookery for Maids of All Work (1856). During World War I American soldiers serving in Belgium and France popularized the term “french fries.”
Twice-cooked fries
For perfect fries, the trick is to double-fry. Peel and cut baking potatoes into 1.5-cm (1/2-in) spears. Pat dry. Half fill a deep fryer or a large saucepan with oil and heat until hot (170°C/340°F). A cube of bread or small piece of potato skin dropped in should sizzle. Cook the potatoes for 5 minutes, until just starting to color. Remove and leave to drain and dry out on paper towels. Increase the oil temperature to 180°C (350°F). Cook again until crisp and golden, about 7–10 minutes.
Dig! Dig! Dig!
In Britain during World War II, the Dig for Victory campaign urged people to grow as much food as possible. Garden beds and public land were turned over to the cultivation of potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, and onions. A similar campaign of planting Victory Gardens was implemented in the U.S.
Potato latkes
Latkes are often served with a dollop of sour cream or applesauce, but you can simply sprinkle them with salt and serve as part of a meal. Crisp on the outside but creamy inside, these grated-potato pancakes are especially good for breakfast.
Peel and grate 1 kg (2 lb) baking potatoes and combine with 1 finely chopped small onion. Take a handful of the potato-and-onion mixture and squeeze over a bowl to remove as much liquid as possible. Transfer to a clean bowl and repeat with the remaining mixture.
Add 2 lightly beaten eggs. Sift together 1/3 cup (50 g) all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon baking powder and add to the bowl. Stir until well combined.
Heat 6 mm (1/4 in) vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Drop 1/3 cup of the mixture into the pan and flatten slightly with a spatula to about 7.5 cm (3 in) in diameter—you should be able to cook about four at a time, but don’t overcrowd the pan. Cook for 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crisp.
Drain on paper towels and keep warm while cooking the remaining latkes. Serve hot.
Serves 6 (makes 12 latkes)
