Planting Potatoes & Peas

 ​For us, March is the start of the outdoor gardening season. We love planting Peas and Potatoes. Fresh potatoes from your garden can't be beat.
Growing potatoes:

1. Start off with certified seed potatoes as they are free from disease and not treated with growth retardant. With that said, for years people have been having fine results with potatoes from the grocery store, including myself.
2. There are several ways to grow potatoes; the simplest way is in the ground, but you can grow them in barrels, bags, and even pallets.
3. Start by digging a trench about 6 inches deep and 6 inches wide. Make sure the soil is loose. Place rows about 3 feet apart.
4. Start by cutting up your seed potatoes. Each piece should have at least 2 eyes. If the potatoes a very small just plant the whole potato.
5. Plant them in the bottom of the trench about 8 to 12 inches apart. Press them into the soil so they make good soil contact.
6. Cover them with 1 inch of soil or compost.
7. As the potatoes grow, you will need to pull soil up and mound around the plant. The potatoes will continue to grow in the mounded soil.
8. Potatoes like the cool weather which is why we plant early. The will blossom and eventually die off in July or August. Once the plant dies, it is time to harvest.
9. Early harvest tip: once the plant has blossomed you can stick your hand right in the soil at the base of the plant and pull out baby potatoes. The plant will continue to grow and you will have tender potatoes.
10. When harvesting potatoes after plant has died, start on the outside edge with a pitch fork working your way toward center. Be gentle and avoid damaging potatoes.

Enjoy your taters !
Planting Peas:

1. Peas are another cool weather crop that leaves with the onset of hot weather, so plant them early.
2. Start with a trench about 4 inches deep and 4 inches wide. We plant peas in a trench to help keep their roots cool so they last longer into the heat of summer.
3. Press seeds into soil about 3 inches apart with rows 3 feet apart.
4. Cover seeds with a 1/2 inch of soil or compost.
5. Seed may pop up out of the ground after a heavy rain. Just press them back down into the soil or cover with a bit more soil.
6. Keep them well watered until they sprout, then just water as you would normally.
7. Peas love to grow up a fence. 4' is tall enough.
8. We all love fresh Peas, but did you know you can eat young pea tendrils, and the blossoms? Both are great in salads and stir-fry.