GARDENING TIPS: Planting Potatoes

WITH THE GROWING SEASON RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, ONE ITEM YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO GET A JUMP ON IS PLANTING YOUR POTATOES.

IN OUR GARDENING TIPS SEGMENT, WE GIVE YOU SOME HELPFUL IDEAS.

HI I'M JULIE RILEY WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA CO0OPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE, AND THIS IS PLANTING TIME. SO TODAY WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT SEED POTATOES. WHEN YOU SAY SEED POTATOES OFTEN TIMES PEOPLE THINK OF SEEDS!

BUT WHAT YOU ARE ACTUALLY DOING IS PLANTING PART OF THE POTATO TUBER, THAT HAS BEEN PRODUCED AS A CERTIFIED SEED. IT'S BEEN CERTIFIED BY THE STATE OF ALASKA TO BE FREE FROM ALL OF THE BAD POTATO DISEASES, LIKE THE BLIGHT THAT CAUSED THE IRISH POTATO FAMINE.

SO WHEN YOU PLANT POTATOES YOUR LOOKING FOR A TWO OUNCE SEED PIECE.

SO THIS WOULD PROBABLY BE PRETTY GOOD.

LAST YEAR I GREW DELTA REDS, THIS POTATO IS AMAZING, AND ITS AN INITERIOR VARIETY. YOU DON'T USUALLY SEE IT OUTSIDE OF THIS PART OF THE INTERIOR.

BBUT EVEN WHEN ITS COOKED IT KEEPS ITS NICE RED COLOR.

THIS AN ALL BLUE AND IT HAS REALLY NICE BLUE COLORED FLESH, PURPLE.

WE'VE ALSO GOT MAGIC MOLLY, WHICH IS PURPLE AND WHEN YOU TURN THESE INTO MASHED POTATOES, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF DIFFERENCE IN THE COLOR.

SO BACK TO PLANTING.

THESE ARE THE SPROUTS, AND I WOULD SAY THESE ARE THE PERFECT LENGTH TO USE. SO YOU WANT TO SET THIS IN THE GROUND WHERE THYE SPROUTS ARE JUST COVERED UP.

SO IT MAY BE A COUPLE OF WEEKS BEFORE YOU SEE THE PLANTS ACTUALLY POKING OUT OF THE GROUND.

SO I'M JULIE RILEY, JOIN ME NEXT WEEK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT "CONTAINER GARDENING"