Radishes, Peas, Potatoes, Onions

PLANTING DATES

MARCH (Outdoor Start)

GROW TIME

Some potatoes can take up to 120 days to mature, so read labels and look for early and mid-season maturing varieties to get a quicker harvest. However, any potato can be harvested as “new” potatoes while the vines are still green.

SOIL

These veggies thrive best in loosened or ‘aerated’ soil that remains evenly moist and well drained. Fertilize with the ubiquitous nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) known as "primary nutrients”, and trace minerals. Plant growth and chlorophyll production depend on nitrogen and phosphorus helping them mature and cope with stress while aiding in energy production. Did you know Colorado is one of the potato-producing states?

WATER

These veggies do best in evenly moist and well drained soil. They don’t fare well with ‘wet feet’ which may contribute to diseases. Adding a layer of straw or organic mulch on top of the soil is a good way to retain moisture and allow it to spread evenly.

LIGHT

Identify a sunny spot where they’ll be planted outdoors. Tomatoes love the sun and require at least 4-5 hours per day for decent production. Tomatoes, Peppers, and Eggplants will do OK in partial sun, but you'll have to wait longer for a full crop. The more light you have, the faster they'll mature.

TOMATOES

• Cherokee Purple (heirloom)              •   Early Girl (hybrid)                   • Brandywine (cooking)

• Fourth of July (heirloom)                     • Sun Gold (cherry)

• Black Krim (heirloom)                           • Celebrity (indeterminate)

Determinate tomatoes produce their bounty at the beginning of the season in a shortened period of time such as 4-5 weeks, then they’re done. Ideal for preserving or for those who desire quick fruit. To fill out the season, we recommend growing other varieties as well that give a  more prolonged harvest.

Indeterminate tomatoes produce less weekly than determinate, but thankfully they offer their bounty throughout the whole season — producing right up until fall frost. These  usually get tall enough to require staking or a tomato cage.

Hybrids are a cross between two parent plants that select for traits like flavor, hardiness, or heavy fruit set.  They’re also more resistant to common diseases. Harvested seeds will likely revert to one of the parent varieties. 

Heirlooms are passed down from earlier generations. They grow big and luscious and full of flavor, but are also more prone to common tomato diseases. Heirlooms are open-pollinated; seeds collected from one year produce plants that resemble the parent plant. 

POTATOES

COMPANION PLANTS

• Basil • Corn

• Beans • Peas

• Cabbage family • Squash

** Avoid planting near cucumbers, pumpkins, rutabaga or tomatoes. **

PREP + PLANT

• Potatoes come in familiar russets, as well as red, white and even purple. They are one of the easiest root crops to grow.

• When selecting potatoes for your garden, choose varieties based on how you’ll use them in the kitchen. Some potatoes are naturally better for frying and baking; others are better for boiling. It all depends on how much starch they contain.

• Potatoes need a loosely-packed, well-drained soil that’s like a sandy loam. Improve clay or sandy soil by deeply digging in high-quality compost. Add fertilizer, but make sure it is dug deeply or applied to the side of the growing space, so it doesn’t come in contact with the planted seed potatoes.

• Potato tubers grow underground on stems, so avoid compacting the soil. Also avoid planting tubers where tomatoes, peppers or eggplants were grown the previous year to keep plants healthy.

• Planting in vegetable beds is only one way to grow potatoes. Because tubers develop on stems above their roots, they can be grown in raised beds, wooden potato boxes, inside stacks of discarded tires and in bales of straw.

• Purchase and plant only certified seed potatoes to prevent spreading potato diseases. Potatoes from the grocery store aren’t good for planting because most have been treated to keep them from sprouting.

• Potatoes are planted from tuber pieces or small seed potatoes. A week before planting, cut seed potatoes into pieces that are 1 ½ inches in size, weigh several ounces and have at least one “eye” called a bud. Keep the cut pieces in a cool location for 7 days to let them “cure” before planting.

• Lightly cover the pieces with soil. As the potato plant grows, you’ll need to continue covering the top of the plant, filling in the trench as you go. An alternative is to cover the tops of the potato plants with clean, weed-free straw.

MAINTAIN

• Potatoes grow into bushy and sprawling plants that like soil that’s consistently moist. Mulch helps with soil moisture and also keeps weeds out of the garden.

• Potatoes have only a few needs once they’re planted. When plants sprout and start to grow, you’ll need to gently hill soil (or add straw) around the plant. Hilling is a method for keeping the soil cool and also allowing room for potatoes to develop.

• Additional hilling is needed throughout the season to protect the potatoes from the sun. Potatoes will turn green and bitter if they’re exposed to sunlight for too long. Too much green skin can make the potatoes toxic if eaten in large quantities.

• Another key to growing potatoes to keep the soil on the moist, dry side. If there’s too little water the plants might not set potatoes or the potatoes just won’t grow. Too much water can make for potatoes that turn soft and start to rot in the ground.

• Plants will use the most water when the vine is actively growing and potatoes are developing. When the vine starts to decline, reduce the amount of watering

HARVEST

• Fall is harvest time for the potato crop, especially after the first frost. Several weeks after the vines have died, the potatoes will be ready to dig. Use a garden fork to carefully lift potatoes from the ground.

• Keep potatoes at a temperature of 50-60 degrees for a week or so to let them cure, then place them in a cool, dark place for long-term storage in a basement or cellar where temperatures are around 40 degrees. Don’t store potatoes in the refrigerator, where they will develop a high sugar content.