The garden is my playground, whenever I master growing something as common as potatoes. I tend to start experimenting with different varieties and colors. This explains earlier posts on this blog on how to grow purple sun carrots and how to grow purple cauliflower. My latest ‘color’ experiment was trying to grow purple potatoes.
Did you know that all potatoes originate from South America? Peru and Chile to be exact. Apparently when you head over there you will not only find different sizes, but colors as well as texture too. When it comes to the ‘purple’ ones, the varieties you can try growing in your garden include the Peruvian Purple Potato, Adirondack Blue Potato, All Blue Potato, Purple Majesty Potato.
Here’s What You’ll Need:
- purple seed potatoes---------------------- Advertisement ----------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------- - compost
- manure
- shovel (optional)
The best location for growing your potatoes in your garden should have well well drained soil with a pH between 5.0 and 6.0. There should be at least 3 hours of direct sunlight everyday in your chosen location. When preparing the area for planting make sure that you work in some compost as well as manure into the soil. Plant in rows 3 feet apart, and trenches 6 to 8 inches deep. Space your seed potatoes within the row at least a foot apart.
Initially cover the seed potatoes with about 4 inches of soil, and then keep adding more as they grow. Water well to promote growth. Plant your seed potatoes in early to late Spring. They should be ready fro harvest within 90 to 140 days depending on the variety. Some varieties like the Peruvian Purple Potato is high resistant to disease and pests. Although others maybe a little more susceptible.
You can get more information on the Positively Sustainable blog, here…
You can watch the video below on Planting Purple Potatoes…
You can watch the video below on Harvesting Purple Potatoes…
