Potatoes…
Nutrient Rich, bursting with vitamins & minerals
Our mothers always told us to eat our vegetables, and so we tell our kids and they will probably pass on the tradition! In New Zealand one of the most loved and widely eaten vegetables is the potato. Tasting fantastic, being very versatile at the same time as being a nutritional goldmine are just some of the reasons why they have won our hearts. Potatoes are amazingly nutrient rich, bursting with vitamins and minerals. Potatoes are virtually fat free, contain no cholesterol and when served in their skins are a great source of fibre. They are perfect as part of a healthy balanced diet.
Potatoes are important in our diet because of their valuable nutrition status, e.g. vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Most New Zealanders get around 30% of their vitamin C requirement from potatoes. They are good quality nutrition at a price most can afford and New Zealanders love them and eat lots of them!
To get the best choice of the freshest potatoes you really need to grow your own. Potatoes are grown from small tubers known as seed potatoes. Starting in July it is time to purchase seed potatoes and set them out to sprout for a few weeks before planting. Always look for government certified seed as these are free of known virus diseases. As soon as you purchase your seeds place them on a tray in a dark, warm position (cupboard) for about 3 weeks to allow young shoots to form. This allows the young sprouts to ‘green’ or harden.
Seed potatoes should be sprouted before planting them. If they have not yet sprouted place them in a warm cupboard for a few days to encourage this more quickly. When it is time to plant work in plenty of compost and the recommended amount of potato fertiliser.
If planting in late winter plant them fairly shallow, no more than a spade blade depth; make a shallow furrow and plant them about 30cm apart, with rows about 75cm apart. Just cover with soil and as the sprouts grow through the ground mound up the soil over them, spread more potato fertiliser along the mound surface each time. Mounding will help protect young growth from frosts. Ensure that exposed tops are covered also on evenings that may be frosty. Once the mound is of sufficient height then you may need to use frost cloth to protect your plants.
If you do not have enough space in your garden for a row or two of potatoes you can grow them quite successfully in containers, old vehicle tyres, large plastic bags or a bucket (say 15 ltr) using a good quality potting mix. Make sure there are plenty of drainage holes. Place tubers in the potting mix near the bottom of the container covering them by about 50mm. As the sprouts grow, keep adding potting mix until it is up to the brim of the container, add a dressing of potato fertiliser each time the potting mix is added. Harvest when the tubers are ready.
If possible avoid planting potatoes in the same place each year. Potatoes should also not be planted where tomatoes have been planted the previous season. Soil borne diseases from previous crops can affect your new crop.
The fastest early to mature potatoes for planting are ‘Rocket’ and ‘Swift’ taking 60-70 days depending upon conditions. So, these planted in August would be ready for harvest in October. Ilam Hardy is an early maturing potato and generally takes 70-80 days. Planted in August they should be ready in October. Rua and Red Rascal, main crop potatoes take another month or so.
Newer Varieties
Purple Heart; is an early main cropping potato that matures in approximately 80-90 days from planting. The tuber is an oval shape with shallow eyes, the skin is deep purple and smooth. The flesh is purple toned. It is a great general purpose potato that can be used for salads, boiling and microwaving. This variety is high in antioxidants with strong health benefits.
Osprey; this new variety is a second early, maturing in approximately 90-100 days. It has an oval tuber shape and white skin with red eyes. This potato has flesh of a cream colour and is a high yielder. It is good for all purpose cooking, it stays firm and is great to microwave and roast.
Favourites
Three favourite varieties are Agria; a main crop potato with long oval shaped with yellow flesh it is a great all rounder. Heather; this early main crop potato has a distinctive purple skin, it is oval shaped with white flesh and like Agria is versatile in its range of uses. Jersey Benne; this early variety is an oval to kidney shaped potato with white skin and white flesh, it is an excellent potato for mashing or boiling, soups, casseroles and salads. If planting potatoes in August and September you should have a nice new crop for Christmas.
Commonly asked potato questions
Why do potatoes go green?
Greening is caused when potatoes are exposed to light. The greening is due to the presence of a substance called solanine, which is poisonous. Hence it is important that any portions of a potato which are green should be discarded.
Why do potatoes vary?
The growing conditions of a potato greatly influence the characteristics of a particular potato. A similar potato which is grown in different conditions, i.e. rainfall, frost, soil type, can exhibit quite different qualities in terms of cooking attributes, flavour etc.
Why do some potatoes go grey when they are cooked?
This is related to the iron content of the potato. At certain times in the year the iron content of the soil varies - hence when the iron content is low the potatoes tend to grey if they are cut open and/or cooked and left at a high temperature. To rectify this, add some lemon juice to the water and this will inhibit the greying.
What is a floury potato?
Floury describes the texture of the potato. Floury potatoes tend to be really good for mashing and baking. They tend not to hold their shape so are usually best not used for salads.
What is a waxy potato?
Waxy describes the texture of the potato. Waxy potatoes tend to be really good for boiling , salads and adding to casseroles and soups as they tend to hold their shape and won't fall apart.
Why do some potatoes slough or fall apart when boiling?
Some potatoes retain their shape a lot better than other potatoes, depending on the make up of the potato. Potatoes which disintegrate on boiling tend to be floury - which are better suited to mashing. It is also sometimes due to the cooking technique being too aggressive - i.e. boiling too hard or for too long.
Why do some potatoes brown better when making them into fries or wedges?
This is due to the sugar level in the potatoes. Potatoes with a naturally high sugar level will brown a lot faster that those with a low sugar level. This is why processing manufacturers are particularly careful to monitor sugar levels. So when purchasing seed, choose a variety as suitable for this purpose. 