The humble spud or potato

Number two on my high calorie must grow foods is the Potato. Yes the humble spud is an important plant for small scale subsistence farmers around the world. It is a mainstay in many vegetable gardens in temperate climates. There is a wide range of potatoes that can be grown. They store well and are easy to prepare. There are 116 calories in 1 cup of diced Potatoes (Flesh and Skin). That cup of potatoes is 1% fat, 91% carbs, 8% protein.

Below is some good information on potatoes in general.

International Potato Center
http://cipotato.org/

Tomatoville potato forum
http://www.tomatoville.com/forumdisplay.php?f=89

Potato breeding genetics
http://web.cals.uidaho.edu/potatoscience/files/2014/03/2014-Potato-Science-Lect-19-Breeding-Genetics.pptx

Growing instructions for your spud.

You will be surprised on how many different systems you can use to grow the humble spud.

Get a Head Start With Chitting Potatoes, Mother earth news
http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/greensprouting-potatoes-zb0z1203zlon.aspx#axzz3BjiM6lFC

Growing Potatoes in the Home Garden, Ohio State University
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1619.html

Potato site - Cornell University

http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/homegardening/scenec6be.html

Growing Potatoes Organically Basics From Seed To Storage, UC Davis
http://vric.ucdavis.edu/pdf/organic_potatoes.pdf

Potatoes Purdue University
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/ho-62w.pdf

Potatoes in a Barrel, Mother earth news
http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/potatoes-in-a-barrel-zmaz80mazraw.aspx#axzz3BjiM6lFC

Growing potatoes in grow bags

http://www.container-gardening-for-food.com/how-to-grow-potatoes.html

Our Aquaponic Potatoes In A Barrel Experiment
http://www.steamykitchen.com/28644-our-aquaponic-potatoes-in-a-barrel-experiment.html

Growing Potatoes in coffee bean burlap bags

http://www.farmcurious.com/growing-potatoes-vertically/

Mulching Potatoes With Straw
http://www.permaculture.co.uk/articles/mulching-potatoes-straw

Ruth Stout And Permanent Hay Mulch, Mother Earth
http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/ruth-stout-hay-mulch-zmaz99fmzraw.aspx?PageId=1#axzz3BjtFpf94

Sheet mulching with cardboard and potatoes
http://www.goveganic.net/article247.html

Sources of virus free potato seed tubers

It is very important to get spuds that are disease free. You can grow the spuds from the store but what diseases could you be putting into your garden?

Seedsaver
http://www.seedsavers.org/Preservation/Virus-free-seed-Potatoes/

Burpee seeds
http://www.burpee.com/vegetables/potatoes/

Meet the Colorado Certified Seed Potato Growers
http://www.coloradocertifiedpotatogrowers.com/certified-potato-growers

The Uihlein Farm of Cornell University
http://uihleinfarm.pppmb.cals.cornell.edu/seed-orders

Johnny Select Seeds
http://www.johnnyseeds.com/c-41-potatoes.aspx

Montana certified seed potatoes wholesale directory
http://www.montanaspud.org/extension%20information/2013%20Garden%20Seed%20directory%20(2).pdf

Storing your potatoes

A big part of high calorie gardening is the ability to store the calories for when you need to consume them. Curing and proper storage of your spuds are important if you wish to use those calories.

Farmers store potatoes in damp sawdust

http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/article-24683/potato-farmers-put-sawdust-new-use

20 Crops That Keep and How to Store Them

http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/food-storage-zm0z12aszcom.aspx#ixzz3Bk4fh7F4

22 Foods You Can Store in Root Cellars
http://www.hobbyfarms.com/food-and-kitchen/how-to-store-food-in-root-cellars.aspx

Dehydrate Potatoes February 2013
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbSZoYQJu0A

Removing potato starch from shredded potato
Removing starch means they dry without turning black.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75BbSlXxF9M

True Potato seeds not Tubers

Yes you heard me correctly. I am talking about sources of seed to grow your spuds. Just remember that the first year you are likely to get just thumb sized spuds. These will be your seed potatoes for the next year. It is from these small spuds that your big potatoes will grow in the second year.

Collection from Tom8toes
http://www.tom8toes.com/index.php/potatoes.html?limit=all

Double Helix Farm
http://www.doublehelixfarms.com/true-potato-seed-TPS

Tater Mater Seeds

Tom Wagner

8407 18th Ave. West

7-203

Everett, Washington  98204

Cell 425 894 1123
http://tatermaterseeds.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2&zenid=f3d35746ac1740a45e84ee614821bcdf

Curzio Potato project
http://www.curzio.com/N/Potato_starting_from_seed.htm

Potato true seed (TPS) mix (200 seeds)
https://www.cultivariable.com/?product=true-potato-seed-mixed

Producing Potato true seeds

How about creating your own stain of potato adapted to your area.
You can also trade and sell true potato seeds. Nice trade item.

The Amateur Potato Breeder’s Manual
http://sharebooks.com/system/files/Potato-Breeders-Manual.pdf

Potato Breeding For Durable Resistance to Pests and Disease
http://www.growseed.org/potato.html