potato are a popular crop in Louisiana , as they are easy to grow , necessitate small sustainment , and can be plant year - orotund . murphy can be implant in Louisiana from March to June and from September to December . The honorable grime for growing white potato is abstemious and sandy , with plenty of constitutive topic , such as manure or compost .
Louisiana ’s moist climate is ideal for turn white potato , and a territory pH of around 6.0 - 6.5 is idealistic for the crop . It is important to ensure that potatoes get tolerable water supply during the develop season and to harvest the tater before the first frost . With the right precondition , Louisiana ’s dirt can produce a delicious crop of tater .
Louisiana’s Hardiness Zones And Climate
Louisiana has a humid subtropical mood with long , blistering summers and mild winters . Growing zones 8 and 9 generally have modest winters with ordinary temperatures ranging from 40 to 60 degree Fahrenheit . summer in these zona are blistering and humid , with temperature reaching up to 90 degrees Fahrenheit and high .
rain is abundant in these zone , with the highest amount occurring in the spring and summertime month . This offer the perfect environment for a miscellany of plants and vegetables to thrive . The soil in these zones is generally productive and well - debilitate , making it idealistic for gardening .
The climate of growing zones 8 and 9 of Louisiana make it an fantabulous lieu to grow a miscellany of fruits , vegetable , and flowers . Gardeners in these areas can expect to bask a foresighted develop time of year with plenty of sun and pelting .
Different varieties of seed potatoes
When select seed potatoes for growing in Louisiana , it is important to be mindful of the diverseness ’s days to crop and the distance of time you have before you want to glean them .
former - season varietiessuch as ‘ Yukon Gold ’ and ‘ Red Norland ’ have few Clarence Day to glean and should be institute as before long as potential for harvesting in late summertime .
Mid - time of year varietiessuch as ‘ Russet Burbank ’ and ‘ Kennebec ’ have more day to harvest and should be embed in late April or early May for harvesting in drop .
Late - season varietiessuch as ‘ Cara Russet ’ and ‘ All spicy ’ have the most sidereal day to glean and should be institute in recent April or early May for harvest home in other wintertime . Be sure to choose variety with the correct turn of days to harvest for your intended harvest escort . Some upright potato salmagundi for Louisiana admit :
When To Plant Potatoes In Louisiana
In Louisiana , potatoes should be planted in former February or early March . They can also be planted in April if temperatures are mild . The optimum soil temperature for planting potatoes is 45 ° F . When the soil temperature has reach this temperature , potato can be planted . The planting date for potatoes in Louisiana are :
How To Plant Potatoes In Louisiana
Begin the planting process for germ Irish potato by tilling the soil to a depth of 8 column inch and incorporating organic compost . Once you have done this , find a sunny location that have at least 8 hours of direct sunshine and localize the seed potatoes .
Plant the seed tater with the “ eyes ” face up upwards , leaving a distance of 8 to 10 in in between each . get over the seeded player potatoes with a layer of soil that is 3 - 4 inches thick-skulled , and ensure to water them adequately . As the Solanum tuberosum start to stock , add up more soil to the wrangle to keep them adequately buried .
Water the white potato on a regular basis and remove any weeds from the area . For those dwell in spicy and dry climates , you may desire to cover the soil around the potatoes with straw , although this is not all-important .
Caring For Potato Plants
Caring for white potato vine plants is pretty loose – they ’re fabulously hardy and generally no - bickering . tater plants need full sun and well - run out filth to thrive . They should be watered deeply and on a regular basis , allowing the soil to dry out out between watering .
Fertilizing is also important for optimum growing . spud plants need a balanced fertilizer with adequate part atomic number 7 , morning star , and atomic number 19 . This should be apply every four to six week , depending on the soil ’s nutrient content .
It is also of import to keep the dirt evenly moist , as tater do not tolerate juiceless or waterlogged experimental condition . Mulching around the Irish potato plants can help retain moisture and repress widow’s weeds .
When To Harvest Potatoes In Louisiana
There are two sure agency to know your potatoes are aboutready to harvest!The first is count backward from your current date to their planting date . Potato varieties have an close together number of days to harvest , so look up the day to harvest for the finicky multifariousness of potatoes you ’ve planted . If you are n’t indisputable , assume it ’s around 100 Clarence Shepard Day Jr. .
The coming into court of your potato plant is another dead game show . You will know your potatoes are ready to harvest when the leaf set out to become scandalmongering and break down back . Your plants will go through an intact flowering cycle , which is nice because the flowers are really beautiful .
Allow the grime around the plants to dry out before harvesting , but do n’t leave it to be dry for too long . Once harvested , inspect the potato carefully- they should be firm and detached of green or soft spots .
Carefully moil up the spud with a garden fork , taking care not to damage the white potato in the process . Once the white potato have all been dug up , brush off any excess soil and inspect them for any hurt . Discard any white potato vine that are damaged , as these are not suitable for farsighted - term storage .
eventually , gently come in the potatoes in a cool , dry , and dark area for entrepot . It is significant to only stash away undamaged murphy , as damage white potato vine can apace rot .
