Mind Your Taters

Of all the vegetables that are commonly grown at home, I would rank the humble potato as one of the most useful. Not only are they multi-talented in the kitchen, but they are also a breeze to grow. If you can make a trench in the ground you can grow tubers. Most nurseries and local markets have starter spuds ready to plant during the springtime. Just take them home and plant each piece about six inches apart in a row of any convenient length. Cover with some earth, then as they begin to send up shoots, just add a little more earth until you have a mound or hill established. The tuber will grow along the buried shoot. A few months later, you are ready for the harvest and the best part is that once dug up and cured, potatoes can last a long time before going bad. If you’re really lazy like me or a little tight for space consider using a plastic garbage can. Sometime in the spring just cut some circular holes in it big enough to admit your hand and then locate it in a sunny spot elevated on some paving stones. Next fill the bottom third with dirt, add a few starter potatoes with their eyes intact then cover with about three inches of soil mixed with straw or even shredded newspaper. After a week or so the tubers will sprout and break the surface at which point you will continue to add more dirt and paper or straw until they are just covered. Keep this up until the foliage has reached the top of the trashcan. Come fall reach in a hole with your hand to grab a potato or two for the dinner table. What could be easier?