No matter what USDA Zone you garden in , you’re able to grow potato if you time your planting correctly . The Irish potato require a considerable leafy canopy for the photosynthesis that turns portions of the underground stem into comestible tubers . Light conditions can vary according to the line of latitude and growing season .
Potato Basics
Potatoes are a cool - season craw . However , maturity length can depart from 75 to 120 days , so the amount of sun the potato patch bugger off can be different over that menstruum of time . In increase , nurseryman in desert areas must usually grow potatoes in winter , when the Lord’s Day is at its lowest . The absolute minimum amount of sunlight for potatoes is six hour per day .
Potato Requirements
To grow good potatoes , you should assure the following :
Spring and Fall
While winter days are shortest , spring and fall have roughly tantamount amounts of sunshine over the grow stop . However , the timing is clearly dissimilar – in outpouring , day duration increases while in fall it lessen . It ’s important to time fall plantings so the potatoes are past the point of vegetative growing once the days really begin to get short .
Summer Sunlight
The amount of sun in summertime is seldom an proceeds in growing potatoes unless you garden where shade from marvelous tree fall on the garden area . A bigger issue in summertime may be heat . Potatoes do well when surrounding temperature stay between 65 and 70 ° F ( 18 and 21 ° one C ) . If you must farm white potato in summer heat , seek to provide them with some good afternoon shade .
Latitude and Sunlight
northerly areas typically have much farseeing days in summer , so Irish potato should get plenty of Sunday . They also often have the coolheaded temperature potatoes need . However , they have shorter acquire seasons . The amount of sunshine for your white potato vine may be less of an issue than that need to reap them before the ground freezes again in a place like Alaska .
Sunlight and Solanine
While the plant needs sun to grow , Tuber exposed to clean rick dark-green and become inedible . The light fosters the growth of solanine , a toxic substance common in the nightshade kinsfolk to which potatoes belong . Hillyour white potato vine at least twice while grow by covering them with soil or mulch to prevent greening an solanine development .
Stored Potatoes
Stored potatoes must be protect from light , whether sunlight or normal indoor firing . Just as with potatoes in the landing field , stored white potato will become green and uneatable if exposed to light . Once they have completed dormancy , brightness will also increase the hazard that stored potatoes will begin to shoot . Storeyour murphy in a cold , dark area with mellow humidness .
