Always cure your potatoes prior to storing. Excavate lightly next to the plants and gently dig out a few tubers from each plant. If the growing season has been good with adequate water and sunshine, harvesting sweet potatoes should begin about 100-110 days after planting depending on the variety. Space your potatoes 12 inches apart if growing standard potatoes with smaller potatoes spaced at 8-12 inches. Modified tractor-pulled potato harvesters can be used for harvesting sweetpotato. There is no doubt that purple sweet potatoes have gained popularity—just open the pages of Eating Well, Martha Stewart Living, The Washington Post and O, The Oprah Magazine.Even journalist Dan Buettner, author of Blue Zones, credits these purple beauties with being part of the diet and lifestyle that has propelled the longevity of the centenarian Okinawa population. New potatoes don't store well and are best used soon after harvesting. You can harvest new potatoes about three weeks after flowering – dig carefully to avoid bruising tubers or damaging roots. I got a delayed start because we got a lot of rain this spring and I need to expand my garden to make room for them. Click here to find out where you can purchase purple or blue potatoes. Baking or Russet and red, sometimes gold is all I knew growing up. In the case of potatoes, it is the anthocyanins that provide the deep purple color. Most red-skinned potatoes and fingerlings have thin skins, while big russets and many other brown-skinned potatoes have thicker coats. Purple Viking – snow-white flesh and true purple skin with pink or red splashes. Purple Vikings are ready for harvest after the vines begin to die, typically 95 to 100 days after they've been planted. Then remove the soil by gently rubbing with the hands. Figure 6. Selecting the proper variety, or cultivar, is important since varieties differ in yield, cooking characteristics, time of maturity, skin and flesh color, and storage life. Purple potatoes require the same growing conditions as other potato types. Harvesting Purple Sweet Potatoes… Sweet potatoes need a long growing season, at least four preferably five months of good summer heat. We recommend skipping purple potatoes in recipes where the starch content is critical to success, such as potato latkes or gnocchi. Brush off loose soil. This article reviews whether it's safe to eat sprouted potatoes. Adirondack Blue – More blue than purple, with purplish flesh. A lot of people I imagine are the same way. Purple Pelisse – another fingerling; deep violet in color. Growing potatoes at home really is lots of fun, Weaver says. The size of new potatoes varies, but they get larger as the season progresses. Pull the tubers out of the loosened soil and brush off the excess soil. Sweet potatoes are sometimes confused with yams. Most purple potato varieties grow as early, midseason or late-season varieties. Roasted red, white, and purple potatoes: Combine equal amounts of red potatoes, white or gold potatoes, and purple potatoes to make about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds.Scrub the red potatoes but leave the skins on for color, if possible. Harrington's specialties include small business information, crafting, decorating and gardening. Their unique colors come from natural anthocyanin pigments; some Peruvian potatoes are naturally purple, while others are bred for deeper shades. If the harvest operation is conducted in wet soil, allow roots to dry naturally in a shaded area until the soil dries. Expected Harvest I planted my potatoes in early May. Blue/Purple Potato Varieties. Here are possible varieties: All potatoes need rich, fertile soil and good drainage. Most of the crop will be in the top 6 inches of the soil. Harvest on a sunny day and leave them out to dry for an hour. I hear more and more people asking for purple potatoes. In their native Andes Mountains of South America, more than 2,500 potato species and cultivars exist, with colors ranging from white, pink, red and yellow to purple, bluish and black. Keep weeds down with mulch or hoeing. Harvest potatoes … Place them in a single layer in a warm, well-ventilated shady place for a week or two. Picking new potatoes doesn't require extensive digging if you are allowing most of the tubers to reach maturity. Fall and winter-planted early potatoes, typically planted in August or February, are usually ready for harvest in June or early summer. You can harvest “new” potatoes once the canopy flowers have bloomed, which is usually about six to eight weeks after the potato plants begin to grow. Cool-season plants, they do best when planted in early spring so they can make growth before hot temperatures hit. Loosen the soil around mature potatoes with a spading fork, but avoid piercing the tubers. Purple potatoes are vibrant, versatile and nutritious, making them a must-have for any seasoned spud-lover. I expect the harvest to begin sometime in early to mid July, depending on the weather. Updated March 30, 2020. You can harvest new potatoes about three weeks after flowering – dig carefully to avoid bruising tubers or damaging roots. Purple Majesty Potato produces oblong potatoes with a dark purple, almost wine-colored skin. Boiled Purple Potatoes. “True yams” are rarely found in U.S. grocery stores and are starchy, dry tubers from Africa. These new potatoes are smaller and have thin skins compared to those harvested later in the season. Potatoes come in a variety of colors, one of which is a deep blue or purple tint. Moist but well-drained soil, warm summer temperatures and all-day sun result in a bountiful harvest. The young potato tubers begin to form at flowering. Just about any kind of dirt will do, provided it contains some compost or manure. 1. Jenny Harrington has been a freelance writer since 2006. Plant die-back indicates that's its time to harvest the potatoes. It can be grown like other sweet potatoes and needs a long, hot growing season. Mashed Purple Potatoes: This recipe makes a beautiful dish with the deep purple color. Can I Plant a Cut Potato to Grow More Potatoes? Her published articles have appeared in various print and online publications. This action will further allow the tubers to develop. Despite their exotic looks, growing purple potatoes (Solanum tuberosum, sometimes Solanum tuberosum andigenum) is similar to growing most other types of potato. Between rows, it should be 2-3 feet. Different varieties of purple potatoes will have different storage times. Potato varieties vary in the thickness of their skins. Hawaiian sweet potato, which is a variety called ‘Okinawan’, but is commonly called purple yam, Japanese purple potato or Japanese Sweet Potato. Both skins and flesh may display the purple color. Research shows these potatoes have anti-inflammatory properties and are high in fiber. In other respects, purple potatoes are no different from other potato varieties and need similar growing conditions and care. Fleshy root damage should be minimized when harvesting in dry soils. They are also rich in vitamin C. Like all potatoes, purple potatoes may be large bakers, small round tubers or fingerlings. Russet tubers tend to be … While all the purple potatoes made acceptable home fries, the purple gnocchi were dense and gummy across the board, due to their low starch levels. The interior reveals a beautiful kaleidoscope of purple shades from light to dark. In either case, do not wash after harvest – it encourages rot. This allows the skins to finish drying so they store better. A good rule of thumb is to watch for the first signs of yellowing leaves. Cover them with several inches of soil – this is known as “hilling” – at least twice while growing to protect tubers from light. When to Harvest Sweet Potatoes. This allows you to get an early start on the growing season. Purple potatoes are fun. Most gardeners pre-sprout, or chit, their potatoes. The color does not affect flavor. You can often find them in specialty stores. They are related to lilies and have a cylindrical shape with blackish or brown, bark-like skin and white, purple, or reddish flesh. In between are many multi-purpose potatoes like the purple potato I've been growing for years. With maple … Instead, substitute them in recipes that call for Yukon Gold potatoes. Here in the South (again, I am in central NC, zone 7b), I plant my sweet potatoes in the middle of May and harvest in … The purple potato made its way to Hawaii and then to the U.S. mainland. Proceed with the recipe. But, to get the best each variety has to offer, find out its best traits. Although expected time to maturity can help when selecting a purple potato variety, it is not an exact guide for harvesting. Once potatoes reach 6-8 inches in height, start to hill them up. I cook purple potatoes three different ways - roasted, boiled, and pan fried or sauteed. Previously, she owned her own business, selling handmade items online, wholesale and at crafts fairs. Plant in individual holes or a trench and hill the potatoes at least twice while growing by covering with several inches of soil. With frequent and consistent watering, even novice gardeners can grow bountiful harvests of purple potatoes. How to Rescue Potatoes From Potato Blight. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Take your potato chunks and place them on the dirt, cut side down. https://homeguides.sfgate.com/harvest-purple-potatoes-62385.html Varieties traditionally have been classed as white, red, orrusset, based on skin color and texture. If the plants don't die back before a hard frost, which sometimes occurs with late-season purple potatoes, you can dig up the potatoes before the plant dies off completely. Here are some popular varieties of blue or purple potato plants for the garden: ‘Adirondack Blue’ Picking the potatoes at the right time depends on the variety of purple potato and whether you want new or full mature tubers. ). Late-season varieties, such as “AC Domino,” need 110 to 130 days to reach maturity from planting. Increased interest in new gourmet varieties has added purple, blue, orange, yellow, and other colors to the inventory. Purple potatoes feature purple skins, although blue varieties are sometimes referred to as purple. You can rob your new potatoes anytime after they have reached usable size, 50-60 days after planting for early varieties. Although potatoes have a reputation of causing weight gain, studies show that the type of potato you choose and how the potato is prepared could make a difference.. Early types, like “Caribe,” require 70 to 90 days to reach full maturity. Midnight Moon – purple skin and golden yellow flesh. Plants tend to come as live cuttings that … There is more to three options in the potato world. When to harvest sweet potatoes depends largely on the seasonal growing. Choose and Prepare a Container: Let me be very clear on this, almost any container will do with … Physical signs on the plant provide a better guide for when to harvest than the numbers printed on the seed potato label. Harvesting new potatoes before the main harvest is often referred to as “robbing”. University of California Cooperative Extension Stanislaus County: Potatoes in Your Garden, University of California Cooperative Extension Contra Costa Master Gardeners: Contra Costa County Vegetable Planting Guide for Interior Regions. When left in storage for too long, potatoes can begin to sprout, creating debate as to whether they're safe for consumption. Like other colorful fruits and vegetables, purple potatoes’ bright color is a … This is an early-maturing potato variety that is typically ready to harvest in 85-90 days after planting. The color typically fades toward blue when the potatoes are cooked. Weather, water and environmental stress can all affect the expected harvest time. Allowing the plant to die back ensures the skins of the tubers harden enough so they don't scratch off easily. Midseason and early purple potato plants planted in spring usually begin to die back in late summer, while late-season plants die back in fall or after the first frost. Allow the blue potatoes to cure for a day in a dark area before storing them. Sweet Potatoes vs. Yams. When your potatoes get close to flowering is the come get me, I’m ready for the table signal. Store in a dark, cold but not freezing area with high humidity. After harvesting store them in a dark, dry place for a week at 65-70 degrees F. Then store them at 35-40 degrees F out of the light. It is noted that the first purple sweet potato was bred by the Japanese and grown specifically on Okinawa, hence its name. You can dig up new potatoes at any time after your plant flowers. These baby potatoes range from one- to two-inches in diameter. Potato tubers (the part growing in the ground that we eat) can be harvested any time after their first buds or flowers appear. Keep potatoes well-watered during growth but stop watering once they flower to promote tuber development. Often, the combination of mulching and dense top growth will prevent weeds from invading the potato garden bed. Check for bruises and small areas of decay before storage – these potatoes can still be used immediately by cutting out the bad spots. New potatoes don’t store well and should be eaten within a day or two. As a general rule of thumb, more deeply colored vegetables and fruit have high antioxidant levels. Tubers of standard white and red varieties generally are round to oblong and relatively thin skinned compared to russets. Note: The leaves of potato plants are poisonous to humans and animals. Some potatoes are bred for early harvests and others are better as mature potatoes. Purple-fleshed sweet potatoes need a long, warm season to produce a good crop, but the starchy, deep-purple roots of varieties such as ‘Violetta’ and ‘All Purple’ are worth the wait. This is a sign that the tubers are indeed forming in the soil. Use your fingers to feel around in the top 2 or 3 inches of soil around the base of the plant to find a potato of suitable size and pick it. Packed with antioxidants. I don't know how you are growing them but when I've done potatoes in the past I have tried mounding up soil and also spent hay and straw (hay/straw was easier for harvesting because there's no digging at harvest time and it's easier to just break open a bale and cover them. The health benefits of growing purple potatoes Purple tatties not only look good – they could help ward off strokes and heart disease The colour purple: the Vitelotte variety of … Peruvian Purple – fingerling; purple throughout. Harvesting New Potatoes. Growing an Okinawan sweet potato vine is rewarding as long as you have the right climate. Grow them in full sun in all USDA Zones. Purple potatoes, also known as Peruvian purple potatoes, have naturally purple or deep blue skin and flesh, and are unusually high in antioxidants which makes them super healthful. Mature potatoes are usually ready three or four weeks after the tops die down. 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