Growing an Okinawan sweet potato vine is rewarding as long as you have the right climate. The young potato tubers begin to form at flowering. This article reviews whether it's safe to eat sprouted potatoes. 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. A lot of people I imagine are the same way. Allowing the plant to die back ensures the skins of the tubers harden enough so they don't scratch off easily. Purple potatoes are vibrant, versatile and nutritious, making them a must-have for any seasoned spud-lover. Despite their exotic looks, growing purple potatoes (Solanum tuberosum, sometimes Solanum tuberosum andigenum) is similar to growing most other types of potato. Although expected time to maturity can help when selecting a purple potato variety, it is not an exact guide for harvesting. Purple potatoes require the same growing conditions as other potato types. In the case of potatoes, it is the anthocyanins that provide the deep purple color. These baby potatoes range from one- to two-inches in diameter. Potatoes come in a variety of colors, one of which is a deep blue or purple tint. I cook purple potatoes three different ways - roasted, boiled, and pan fried or sauteed. Russet tubers tend to be … 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 … Tubers of standard white and red varieties generally are round to oblong and relatively thin skinned compared to russets. Keep weeds down with mulch or hoeing. 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. Instead, substitute them in recipes that call for Yukon Gold potatoes. They are related to lilies and have a cylindrical shape with blackish or brown, bark-like skin and white, purple, or reddish flesh. The color does not affect flavor. Always cure your potatoes prior to storing. Physical signs on the plant provide a better guide for when to harvest than the numbers printed on the seed potato label. 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. Then remove the soil by gently rubbing with the hands. If the harvest operation is conducted in wet soil, allow roots to dry naturally in a shaded area until the soil dries. Harvesting New Potatoes. Keep potatoes well-watered during growth but stop watering once they flower to promote tuber development. Proceed with the recipe. When left in storage for too long, potatoes can begin to sprout, creating debate as to whether they're safe for consumption. This is an early-maturing potato variety that is typically ready to harvest in 85-90 days after planting. Hawaiian sweet potato, which is a variety called ‘Okinawan’, but is commonly called purple yam, Japanese purple potato or Japanese Sweet Potato. Harvesting Purple Sweet Potatoes… Sweet potatoes need a long growing season, at least four preferably five months of good summer heat. It is noted that the first purple sweet potato was bred by the Japanese and grown specifically on Okinawa, hence its name. Mashed Purple Potatoes: This recipe makes a beautiful dish with the deep purple color. Sweet potatoes are sometimes confused with yams. New potatoes don't store well and are best used soon after harvesting. 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. Note: The leaves of potato plants are poisonous to humans and animals. The color typically fades toward blue when the potatoes are cooked. They are also rich in vitamin C. Like all potatoes, purple potatoes may be large bakers, small round tubers or fingerlings. Purple potatoes are fun. You can often find them in specialty stores. Blue/Purple Potato Varieties. Choose and Prepare a Container: Let me be very clear on this, almost any container will do with … We recommend skipping purple potatoes in recipes where the starch content is critical to success, such as potato latkes or gnocchi. Some varieties have white interiors while others may have flesh as blue as their skins. Picking the potatoes at the right time depends on the variety of purple potato and whether you want new or full mature tubers. The size of new potatoes varies, but they get larger as the season progresses. Moist but well-drained soil, warm summer temperatures and all-day sun result in a bountiful harvest. You can harvest new potatoes about three weeks after flowering – dig carefully to avoid bruising tubers or damaging roots. Purple Viking – snow-white flesh and true purple skin with pink or red splashes. Plant three to six inches deep; fingerlings are planted more shallowly due to their smaller size. How to Rescue Potatoes From Potato Blight. In other respects, purple potatoes are no different from other potato varieties and need similar growing conditions and care. Generally, only harvest those the size of a golf ball or larger and leave the smaller tubers on the plant to reach full maturity. Store in a dark, cold but not freezing area with high humidity. Harvest potatoes … Pull the tubers out of the loosened soil and brush off the excess soil. Weather, water and environmental stress can all affect the expected harvest time. With maple … Plant die-back indicates that's its time to harvest the potatoes. I hear more and more people asking for purple potatoes. This allows you to get an early start on the growing season. In either case, do not wash after harvest – it encourages rot. 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. Most of the crop will be in the top 6 inches of the soil. Purple Vikings are ready for harvest after the vines begin to die, typically 95 to 100 days after they've been planted. Mature potatoes are usually ready three or four weeks after the tops die down. Updated March 30, 2020. Like other colorful fruits and vegetables, purple potatoes’ bright color is a … Harvest on a sunny day and leave them out to dry for an hour. There is more to three options in the potato world. The interior reveals a beautiful kaleidoscope of purple shades from light to dark. Previously, she owned her own business, selling handmade items online, wholesale and at crafts fairs. Excavate lightly next to the plants and gently dig out a few tubers from each plant. Varieties traditionally have been classed as white, red, orrusset, based on skin color and texture. When to harvest sweet potatoes depends largely on the seasonal growing. You can harvest new potatoes about three weeks after flowering – dig carefully to avoid bruising tubers or damaging roots. These new potatoes are smaller and have thin skins compared to those harvested later in the season. Often, the combination of mulching and dense top growth will prevent weeds from invading the potato garden bed. Packed with antioxidants. “True yams” are rarely found in U.S. grocery stores and are starchy, dry tubers from Africa. Boiled Purple Potatoes. Click here to find out where you can purchase purple or blue potatoes. Growing potatoes at home really is lots of fun, Weaver says. Purple Majesty Potato produces oblong potatoes with a dark purple, almost wine-colored skin. Fleshy root damage should be minimized when harvesting in dry soils. ). Her published articles have appeared in various print and online publications. 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.. New potatoes don’t store well and should be eaten within a day or two. Peruvian Purple – fingerling; purple throughout. https://homeguides.sfgate.com/harvest-purple-potatoes-62385.html Picking new potatoes doesn't require extensive digging if you are allowing most of the tubers to reach maturity. Modified tractor-pulled potato harvesters can be used for harvesting sweetpotato. Cover the sprouts with soil. 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. Cover them with several inches of soil – this is known as “hilling” – at least twice while growing to protect tubers from light. Plant in individual holes or a trench and hill the potatoes at least twice while growing by covering with several inches of soil. Most gardeners pre-sprout, or chit, their potatoes. Just about any kind of dirt will do, provided it contains some compost or manure. Place them in a single layer in a warm, well-ventilated shady place for a week or two. Late-season varieties, such as “AC Domino,” need 110 to 130 days to reach maturity from planting. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. As a general rule of thumb, more deeply colored vegetables and fruit have high antioxidant levels. With frequent and consistent watering, even novice gardeners can grow bountiful harvests of purple potatoes. Jenny Harrington has been a freelance writer since 2006. Take your potato chunks and place them on the dirt, cut side down. 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. Line the holes with coffee filters – don’t worry, they’ll biodegrade – and put about 3 inches of dirt in the bottom. 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. Their unique colors come from natural anthocyanin pigments; some Peruvian potatoes are naturally purple, while others are bred for deeper shades. Here are some popular varieties of blue or purple potato plants for the garden: ‘Adirondack Blue’ 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. The purple potato made its way to Hawaii and then to the U.S. mainland. This is a sign that the tubers are indeed forming in the soil. Harvesting new potatoes before the main harvest is often referred to as “robbing”. 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. Research shows these potatoes have anti-inflammatory properties and are high in fiber. Purple Pelisse – another fingerling; deep violet in color. Here are possible varieties: All potatoes need rich, fertile soil and good drainage. This guide to growing potatoes takes you step-by-step through the process. Potato varieties vary in the thickness of their skins. Plants tend to come as live cuttings that … I expect the harvest to begin sometime in early to mid July, depending on the weather. Grow them in full sun in all USDA Zones. I don't believe there is any real difference harvesting them from white-fleshed ones. Midnight Moon – purple skin and golden yellow flesh. Purple potatoes feature purple skins, although blue varieties are sometimes referred to as purple. Can I Plant a Cut Potato to Grow More Potatoes? You can dig up new potatoes at any time after your plant flowers. Baking or Russet and red, sometimes gold is all I knew growing up. It can be grown like other sweet potatoes and needs a long, hot growing season. Growing Okinawan Purple Sweet Potatoes. 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. Fall and winter-planted early potatoes, typically planted in August or February, are usually ready for harvest in June or early summer. This allows the skins to finish drying so they store better. Both skins and flesh may display the purple color. 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. 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. 1. 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