India: Red, white and blue potatoes - just in time for July 4th

And one of the most exciting things about experimenting is sharing with fellow gardeners, especially if the experiment turns out to be a success.

Theresa January, one of the master gardeners in our area, decided to try her hand at raising potatoes one spring. Of course, potatoes like cool weather and they mature in early summer, so this is the prime time for harvesting this year’s spring crop. Not satisfied with plain old potatoes, she decided to plant red, white and blue potatoes for the new crop.

We are all familiar with white potatoes, of course; most of us cook them often for breakfast or dinner, and you just can’t beat a fully loaded baked white potato for a satisfying lunch. We are all probably familiar with red potatoes as well; they are great in soups, and with roast beef, or in stew. Both white and red potatoes are easily found in our local grocery stores in the produce section. But have you ever seen a blue potato?

We cut the blue one in half to see if the blue color went all the way through the flesh of the potato, and it certainly does. I took the blue one home to slice it and fry it, in anticipation that it would turn white when it was cooked. To my surprise, it remained blue when it was entirely cooked, and it tasted delicious, just like a white potato.

So how do you grow potatoes in Oklahoma? In fact, it is really fairly simple, and even a couch potato can grow a good potato crop without too much effort. By using straw and preparing your soil up front, you can produce a plentiful crop in a limited space; in fact, there are very few crops which yield more than the potato.

First, you need to obtain seed potatoes, which are readily available at most nurseries. Yukon Gold is a great variety which produces a nice white potato that is tasty. However, blue ones may be harder to find, so mail order from a reputable seed company is the best way to obtain starter seed potatoes for more unusual varieties. Do not be tempted to plant potatoes from the supermarket; they may be treated with substances that prevent sprouts from developing.

Loose, well-drained soil with a generous amount of organic material is ideal for potatoes, and adding compost will help to keep your soil from compacting. Decide how long you want your row and then dig a trench four inches deep and 12 inches wide.

Push your seed potatoes one-half inch into the loose soil in the bottom of the trench and space them 12 inches apart. Then fill your trench with six inches of clean, weed-free straw – not dirt. As the plants emerge, add another 4-6 inches of straw and water as needed to keep the straw moist but not soggy. In fact, some gardeners plant their potatoes in bales of straw and use no soil at all. In 3-4 months, you can begin harvesting clean, soil-free potatoes; just pull back the straw, take what you need and then replace the straw.

Potatoes are a great fall crop for Oklahoma as well, so you may want to consider planting potatoes in August as part of your fall gardening. Next spring, try your hand at red, white and blue potatoes, and they will be ready just in time for July 4.