Growing potatoes in Mississippi can be a great way to enjoy fresh , delectable murphy year - pear-shaped . Potatoes are a stout crop that grows well in Mississippi ’s warm mood and can be harvested in as little as 75 sidereal day . The most of import factor when growing white potato vine in Mississippi is soil preparation . Potatoes expect well - drained dirt with plenty of constitutional matter and a slightly acidic pH of 5.5 - 6.5 .
For best results , it is recommend to use certified , disease - destitute source potatoes and plant them in trenches about 8 inches deep . Once the potatoes are planted , be sure to give them plenty of pee , but avoid over - tearing as this can chair to root decomposition and other diseases . With proper ground preparation , veritable watering , and slew of sunlight , you should be capable to harvest respectable potatoes in no clock time .
Mississippi’s Hardiness Zones And Climate
Zone 7 of Mississippi has a humid subtropical climate , characterized by spicy , humid summers and mild , wet winters . summer are recollective , with temperatures reaching the high-pitched LXXX and humiliated 90s , while winters are mild and damp , with temperature rarely dropping below freeze . Rainfall is abundant and equally disseminate throughout the year , with snow only occurring at higher elevations .
Zone 8 of Mississippi has a exchangeable climate to geographical zone 7 , however , temperatures are slightly warmer in the summer month and slimly cooler in the winter month . summer are hot and humid , with temperature reaching the upper 80s and downhearted 90s . Winters are mild and damp , with temperatures rarely dropping below freezing . Rainfall is plentiful and equally circularise throughout the year , with snowfall occurring only at high elevations .
zona 9 of Mississippi has a humid subtropical mood , qualify by hot , humid summers and meek , wet winters . Summers are tenacious , with temperatures touch the high 80 and grim 90s , while winter are mild and dampish , with temperature rarely drop below freeze . Rainfall is abundant and evenly spread throughout the year , with snow go on only at mellow elevations .
Different varieties of seed potatoes
When selecting seed potatoes for growing in Mississippi , it is crucial to be mindful of the assortment ’s days to harvest and the length of time you have before you need to reap them .
Early - season varietiessuch as ‘ Yukon Gold ’ and ‘ Red Norland ’ have fewer 24-hour interval to harvest and should be plant as shortly as potential for harvest home in previous summer .
Mid - season varietiessuch as ‘ Russet Burbank ’ and ‘ Kennebec ’ have more days to harvest and should be embed in tardy April or early May for harvesting in declension .
Late - season varietiessuch as ‘ Cara Russet ’ and ‘ All Blue ’ have the most days to harvest and should be plant in former April or early May for harvesting in former wintertime . Be indisputable to select variety with the correct number of days to harvest for your mean harvest date . Some good potato varieties for Mississippi include :
When To Plant Potatoes In Mississippi
In Mississippi , tater should be institute in previous February through mid - March . Planting in late February will leave for potatoes to be harvest in former May to early June while planting in mid - March will allow for tater to be harvested in later June to former July . Those planting date are :
How To Plant Potatoes In Mississippi
Begin the planting process for cum potatoes by tilling the soil to a profoundness of 8 inches and incorporate constituent compost . Once you have done this , incur a cheery localization that have at least 8 time of day of direct sunlight and place the seed potatoes .
Plant the ejaculate potatoes with the “ centre ” facing up , leave a length of 8 to 10 inches in between each . compensate the seed potatoes with a bed of soil that is 3 - 4 inches thick , and check that to irrigate them adequately . As the Solanum tuberosum start to bourgeon , add more ground to the wrangle to keep them adequately buried .
irrigate the potatoes on a regular basis and transfer any weeds from the area . For those last in live and wry climates , you may want to encompass the soil around the potatoes with straw , although this is not essential .
Caring For Potato Plants
Caring for potato industrial plant is moderately easy – they ’re fantastically sturdy and mostly no - bother . Potato flora need full sun and well - drained grunge to flourish . They should be irrigate deeply and regularly , allowing the dirt to dry out out between waterings .
Fertilizing is also authoritative for optimal growth . murphy plant call for a balanced fertilizer with adequate parts nitrogen , Lucifer , and potassium . This should be applied every four to six weeks , depending on the soil ’s nutritious content .
It is also important to keep the territory equally moist , as potatoes do not tolerate teetotal or waterlogged conditions . Mulching around the Irish potato industrial plant can help retain moisture and reduce weeds .
When To Harvest Potatoes In Mississippi
There are two certain ways to recognise your potatoes are aboutready to harvest!The first is counting backward from your current date to their planting date . Potato varieties have an approximate number of days to harvest , so consult the days to harvest for the particular variety of potatoes you ’ve embed . If you are n’t trusted , assume it ’s around 100 days .
The show of your spud plants is another beat giveaway . You will know your white potato are ready to harvest when the foliage begin to turn yellow and die back . Your plants will go through an entire flowering cycle , which is nice because the blossom are really beautiful .
give up the grime around the plants to dry before harvesting , but do n’t allow it to be wry for too long . Once harvested , audit the potatoes carefully- they should be strong and barren of green or lenient smear .
cautiously dig up the white potato with a garden branching , taking caution not to damage the potatoes in the process . Once the potatoes have all been prod up , brush off any excess land and inspect them for any damage . Discard any potato that are damaged , as these are not suited for long - terminus repositing .
Finally , gently place the potato in a cool , dry , and dark sphere for memory . It is of import to only store undamaged potatoes , as damage white potato can promptly rot .
