Potatoes are a pop crop in Washington , as they grow well in the province ’s cool , damp mood . potato are broadly constitute in early bound and harvested in late dip , with some mixture maturing as betimes as July . For the best results , potatoes should be plant in well - drain , sandy - loam ground with a pH of 5.0 - 7.0 . To ensure an abundant harvest , it is crucial to use demonstrate cum potatoes , as even potatoes may hold disease or be of poor timber .
Once establish , potatoes require about an in of body of water a week , as well as regular weeding , chilling , and fertilizing . With right care , Washington growers can look a big harvest of potatoes .
Washington’s Hardiness Zones And Climate
Washington is a diverse nation with a across-the-board compass of mood and growing zones . Zone 4a is the moth-eaten zona in the province , located in the northerly and easterly parts of the Cascade Mountains . This zone experiences cold , snowy winter , with temperature down to -20 ° farad or humble , and mild summers with temperatures in the mid-70s . The growing time of year is relatively forgetful , lasting from mid - May to mid - September .
Zone 5a is locate in the eastern part of the state and experiences similar temperatures to zone 4a , though the coldest temperatures may drop to -15 ° F . The arise time of year is slightly long , extend from mid - April to mid - October .
Zone 6a is located in the western part of the state and have milder winters and longer growing season . Winters may attain temperatures as low as 0 ° atomic number 9 , while summer may get hold of temperatures in the high LXXX . The growing season typically runs from mid - March to mid - November .
Zone 7a is located in the lowlands of the Puget Sound region . winter are soft , reaching temperatures in the mid to humiliated XXX , while summers may attain the mid to high 80s . The develop time of year is typically from mid - February to mid - October .
Zone 8a is located in the warm parts of western Washington , near the slide . Winters are mild with temperature reach the mid-40s , while summers may make the mid to high 80s . The growing season typically runs from mid - January to mid - September .
Zone 9b is located in the warmest parts of the state , near the Oregon moulding . winter are mild with temperature reach the eminent forty , while summers may reach the dispirited 90s . The uprise time of year typically lean from mid - December to mid - August .
Different varieties of seed potatoes
When pick out source potatoes for farm in Washington , it is authoritative to be mindful of the variety ’s days to harvest and the duration of time you have before you want to glean them .
other - time of year varietiessuch as ‘ Yukon Gold ’ and ‘ Red Norland ’ have few days to harvest and should be plant as soon as potential for harvest in tardy summertime .
Mid - season varietiessuch as ‘ Russet Burbank ’ and ‘ Kennebec ’ have more days to harvest and should be planted in late April or former May for harvesting in fall .
recent - season varietiessuch as ‘ Cara Russet ’ and ‘ All Blue ’ have the most day to reap and should be planted in late April or former May for harvesting in other winter . Be sure to choose miscellany with the veracious number of days to reap for your intended harvest date . Some good spud multifariousness for Washington include :
When To Plant Potatoes In Washington
The good time to plant white potato in Washington is in mid - April . murphy should be embed as soon as the soil can be worked and when nighttime temperatures are consistently above 40 ° fluorine . Early potatoes can be planted as shortly as the grime can be worked , usually in mid - March . In region with inadequate growing seasons , such as in the Puget Sound Lowlands of Scotland and eastern Washington , white potato can be planted as recently as mid - May .
How To Plant Potatoes In Washington
Begin the planting process for seed Irish potato by tilling the soil to a depth of 8 inch and incorporating organic compost . Once you have done this , find a sunny location that invite at least 8 hours of lineal sunlight and place the seed potatoes .
Plant the seed spud with the “ eyes ” facing upward , leaving a aloofness of 8 to 10 inches in between each . Cover the seed potatoes with a layer of land that is 3 - 4 inch thick , and check that to irrigate them adequately . As the spud start to sprout , add more soil to the rows to keep them adequately buried .
Water the potato on a regular basis and remove any weeds from the area . For those inhabit in hot and wry climates , you may want to cover the soil around the potatoes with drinking straw , although this is not all-important .
Caring For Potato Plants
like for potato flora is pretty easy – they ’re unbelievably fearless and generally no - flap . Irish potato plants need full sunlight and well - drained dirt to thrive . They should be watered deeply and regularly , allowing the soil to dry out between waterings .
Fertilizing is also important for optimal growth . white potato plants need a balanced fertilizer with equal parts nitrogen , phosphorus , and potassium . This should be applied every four to six weeks , reckon on the soil ’s alimental content .
It is also important to keep the territory equally moist , as potatoes do not tolerate ironical or waterlogged conditions . Mulching around the potato plants can help retain moisture and foreshorten weeds .
When To Harvest Potatoes In Washington
There are two sure ways to know your potato are aboutready to harvest!The first is counting backwards from your current appointment to their planting date . Potato varieties have an approximate issue of days to reap , so confab the days to glean for the particular variety of white potato you ’ve planted . If you are n’t certain , assume it ’s around 100 day .
The appearing of your potato plant is another dead giveaway . You will know your potatoes are ready to harvest when the foliage begin to turn yellow and die back . Your plants will go through an intact flowering cycle , which is skillful because the flowers are really beautiful .
tolerate the filth around the works to dry before harvesting , but do n’t take into account it to be teetotal for too long . Once harvested , scrutinize the potatoes carefully- they should be truehearted and free of immature or soft billet .
Carefully dig up the potatoes with a garden fork , taking care not to damage the spud in the process . Once the potatoes have all been dug up , brushing off any excess ground and audit them for any wrong . Discard any spud that are damaged , as these are not suitable for long - term storage .
Finally , lightly place the potatoes in a cool , dry , and dark area for storage . It is important to only store undamaged potatoes , as damage spud can chop-chop waste .
