Upstate Abundance Potato Growing Guide

SCIENTIFIC NAME

Solanum tuberosum

DAYS TO MATURITY

100 days; 75 days for new potatoes.

FIELD NOTES

Soil requirements: Fertile, well-drained soils with an optimal pH of 5.5-6.0.
Hilling: Mound soil covering half of the plant to protect tubers from light exposure and increase yield. Repeat until hills are about 12" high.
Produces an abundance of early, golf-ball-sized potatoes. Most small potatoes currently for sale are produced by planting potato seed pieces very close together and killing the vines early when the tubers are still immature and small. Upstate Abundance produces small potatoes at normal seed spacing, so less seed is needed, and the vines don't need to be killed early to keep the tubers small.

SPACING

Plant spacing: 8-9”
Row spacing: 36”

DIRECT SEEDING

Plant potatoes 2-3" deep in mid- to late spring. Will tolerate cool soil and frost but best planted later for higher yields.
One day before planting, cut tubers into .75-1.5 oz. (about 1" diameter, maximum weight equal to a golf ball) pieces, with at least two "eyes" per piece. Small tubers may be planted whole. Allow cut tubers to dry before planting.
6-12 days to emergence.

PEST + DISEASE INFO

Diseases: Resistant to Golden Nematode Race Ro1 and Potato Virus Y (PVY). Some demonstrated resistance to late blight. Can be susceptible to common scab, shatter bruise, blackspot bruise. Use best management practices such as crop rotation, sufficient watering and moisture management, and removal of crop debris post-harvest to prevent common potato diseases.
Insect Pests: Use row covers, handpicking or organic insecticides such as spinosad to control for pests such as colorado potato beetles, aphids and leafhoppers.

HARVEST

For new potatoes (75 days), gently scrape away hilled soil to uncover harvest, keeping the growing plants intact; then re-cover roots. For mature potatoes, dig tubers about 2 weeks after foliage has died back in the fall. Brush off soil and dry before storing.

STORAGE

Cure for a few days and store in a dark, cool, humid place at 40˚F. Use boxes or crates with airflow.