Growing Potatoes
Planting marks the beginning of the growing season. Potato seeds are planted
in long rows and covered with fertilizers and soil. Each potato tuber
must have an eye to sprout a new potato plant. As the tuber grows and
breaks through the soil it is necessary for the grower to pile soil around
the base of the plant. This cultivating process is commonly referred to
as “hilling”; tubers that are exposed to the sun during the
growing season become sunburned and turn green. This critically affects
the potato’s appearance, taste, and market value.
When the plant can be seen above the ground it is time to start to spray.
Spraying usually starts around July 1st and continues through the month.
There are three types of groups that the chemicals are divided into. Fungicide,
pesticide, and insecticide. Insecticides are pests in the potato plant.
The grower uses different chemicals for fungicide and insecticide and
other diseases.
Growing the Seed
When growing the seed into the potato, the farmer needs to cultivate and
make sure that the new soil can be dug up. The farmer has to make sure
before harvest that that the blossoms are showing. They need to mature
before they are dug.
Harvest
Before the farmers can harvest their crop they need to kill the plant.
Farmers do this so the potato will not bruise during the harvest process.
They also use a machine called a windrower that picks up the potato and
moves them into different rows. Then the farmer comes along with a harvester
that picks up the potato and then loads them into a bulk body truck.
Potato Storage
Most potatoes grow in northern U.S. are stored during the winter. Seed
and fresh market potatoes are stored at 38 degrees F. Processing potatoes
should be stored at 45 to 50 degrees F. If potatoes are stored at a cool
temperature, too much sugar is produced. And a warm temperature makes
the potatoes sprout. It is very important to each grower that the optimal
temperature is maintained at each storage facility to ensure good prices
for quality potatoes.