The potato has been a staple in my cultures and has had a huge impact on many societies economies. There are more than 2000 varieties of the potato and many different ways to raise this popular crop.

• Potatoes are grown in every US State and Canadian Province. They are also grown in over 125 countries around the world.
• The Indians in Peru were the first people to cultivate the potato over 4000 years ago and the Potato was first imported by Europeans on Spanish ships returning from Peru.
• Potatoes first became popular when Marie Antoinette wore a crown of potato flowers in France
• In the late 1700’s Frederick the Great planted potatoes in his Pleasure Garden in Berlin. He admired the beauty of the potato flowers.
• King Frederick the Great promoted the eating of potatoes because of its high nutritional value.
• The war between Frederick the Great and Maria Theresa forced soldiers to steal the enemy’s potatoes. The war was named “The Potato War” of 1770. There was not much more food to eat due to crop failure so when the potatoes ran out, the war was over.
• In 1845 and 1846 the potato crop in Ireland was devastated by fungus. The potato had become a major food in Ireland and the “Irish Potato Famine” cased many Irish to immigrate. Between 1847 and 1851 the population of Ireland decreased by nearly two million.
• The potato arrived in North America when Captain Nathaniel Butler, Governor of Bermuda sent a cargo of potatoes to Francis Wyatt, governor of Virginia in 1621.
• Henry Spalding first planted potatoes in Idaho in 1837
• In October 1995, the potato became the first vegetable to be grown in space. NASA and the University of Wisconsin, Madison, created the technology with the goal of feeding astronauts on long space voyages. Their hope was if the experiment worked they would eventually use the potato to feed future space colonies.
• Apples should never be stored near potatoes. They give off ethylene gas, which causes potatoes to sprout.
• You can clean a oil painting with a raw potato
• Mr. Potato Head was the first toy to be advertised on TV
• A potato is about 80% water and 20% solid.
• “French Fries” were introduced to America when Thomas Jefferson served them at a Whitehouse dinner, which created quite a stir. Little did Jefferson know what an impact the French Fry would have in America.
• The largest potato grown was 18 pounds and 4 ounces according to the Guinness Book of World Records. It was grown in England in 1795
• 2008 is the “International year of the Potato”

It’s important to start your seeds at the proper time and not to early. Plants started too early tend to get leggy and root bound. These plants take longer to recover when planted in the ground and may not produce as well all season long.

The proper time to start plants is about six to eight weeks before you last frost for vegetables and eight to 10 weeks before the last frost for flowers. Flower seeds grow more slowly thus take more time. The weather will also play a factor in the seedlings growth, but unfortunately we don’t have control over that.

I follow these guidelines for my plants except for hanging baskets, which are often indoors and for tomato plants.

Tomato plants are one of the few plants that benefit from re-potting and this method can create larger stronger tomato plants that produce early. If you start your tomato plants early you have to replant them and this does take time and soil, but to me its worth the effort.

Tomato plants using the re-potting method.

• Decide what tomatoes you want to start early and how many. I will admit I grow too many tomato varieties. But I am tomato addicted and all the colors and verities add fun to the garden and table. I would choose nine to 12 plants for each variety. Extra plants can be given away.
• I always start a few extra plants than I think I need so that I can select the healthiest plants.
• Soak the seeds overnight.
• Water your soil first and let it sit. Do not water the soil until it is soggy.
• Plant the seeds the next day and either place them on top of the refrigerator or use a heating pad for heat from below. Tomatoes germinate better and grow stronger if you use extra heat from beneath. I have used this method for close to 10 years.
• Your seedling should sprout in five to 10 days using heat from below.
• Once the seedlings begin to grow add additional lighting at close range. This encourages compact growth. Plants that do not get enough light grow quickly and lean towards the light.
• Water you seeding only when they are dry and its best to water from below. I set my plants in a tray with water and water them this way. Do not let the top of the soil become wet.
• Use luke warm water for watering
• If the topsoil becomes wet turn on a fan on low to dry it out or put additional lighting close to the plants.
• I occasionally water the tomato plants with Chamomile tea. Chamomile tea has a natural disinfectant in it and it will help with soil mold (caused from soil that is too wet) if you have that problem.

When to repot

• I repot the tomato seedlings when there are two true sets of leaves. The first leaf set is not leaf shaped and will fall off.
• Move the tomato seedlings to a pot that is ½ -larger on all sides. (I use homemade paper pots)
• When you repot place the plant deeper in the soil that it originally was. Tomato plants are one of the few plants that make roots on the stem if it is placed deeper in the soil. This is actually a good thing because it gives you a deeper root system.
• I will replant my tomato plants up to five or six times before its time to set the plants out or into their permanent home.

Using this method you will have large sturdy plants that are often ready to start producing fruit. My plants are usually 2 to 3 foot in size by May and producing in June. Most gardeners in my Zone 5 growing area have their first ripe tomato in August.

There are two ways to make planting blocks.

Compost or pre-packaged soil block

One way to make a soil block is too wet good soil. This would be a pre-bought and packaged bag of potting soil or homemade compost. Find a rectangular box frame with a 3-inch height. Wet the soil to the point where it will clump in your fist when you squeeze a handful. Pack the soil into the frame and tamp it until it is firm. Let it dry.

Cut the dried soil into squares. Plant in these squares like any other soil block. Tip: I either place newspaper or an old coffee filter around the block to make sure it holds together well.

The next block is quite unique. I read about this in Organic Gardening many years ago. I did try it and it works but I can honestly say I am not sure about it. I cannot even tell you why I feel this way. But I like new ideas and this one stands out in my opinion.

Turf block

Often times in your garden you remove the top layer of garden soil. I will do this in a new garden plot so that I can make sure I have all the grass and weed roots out. I add more compost to make up for the turf removal and plan and plant the new garden.

This turf that you removed can be added to a compost pile to break down, used to fill or replace bad areas in the yard or used for soil blocks.

If you haven’t removed turf or the top layer of grass from you yard its actually quite easy. I use a garden tool to cut into the soil about three to four inches deep. I work in about a foot area at a time. Once I cut the turf in a line I cut up the sides about a foot. You can take a hoe or spade and cut under the soil and it will peel back.

Take a small section, usually a foot square (larger pieces get heavy), and place on a table or tray to cut. I cut these into roughly 3-inch squares. I trim the grass or weeds as short as possible with a pair of scissors. Turn the block upside down so that the grass is on the bottom and let the blocks dry for a few days. The grass will begin to die on the bottom.

When you are ready to plant a seed just poke a hole in the block with you finger, place the seed in and cover with fresh soil. Water and wait for the seed to grow.

I didn’t have a problem with weeds popping out of the block and the seeds germinated the same as in the garden. I would recommend bigger seeds though. I think a small lettuce or radish seed would get lost.

I have used the turf blocks a few times, mostly for pumpkin or squash seeds and when I am running out of pots.

If you try this let me know what you think. As I said earlier I really had no positive or negative thoughts about the turf blocks one way or the other.