How to Grow Organic Potatoes
I never really liked mashed potatoes because I always found it to be boring and missing the flavour of roast potatoes cooked with meat, for example. However, this recipe (below) for organic garlic mashed potatoes is delicious and I’m sure to make it again and again in the not too distant future.
Recommended potatoes for mashing include:
- Desiree
- Nicola
- Purple Congo
- Tasmanian Pink Eyes
- Toolangi Delight
- Brownell
Some of these varieties are available as organic potatoes but some are not. The solution to this is to grow your own potatoes. Potatoes are very easy to grow and are fun to grow too. I love pulling up potatoes. If you want to get your children involved in gardening, get them to start with potatoes; you really can’t go wrong.
How to Grow Organic Potatoes
Firstly, get yourself some potatoes. You can get seed potatoes from a garden centre but the varieties available is often limited. I’ve heard that growing potatoes from those bought in a supermarket can have limited yields. I haven’t had any problems growing them this way but you might find you need to try a few different varieties until you find one that grows well in your area.
Once the potatoes have started to sprout you can either plant them whole or cut them into smaller pieces with at least one eye per piece. You can plant them in any soil but this method works particularly well:
- Place the potatoes on the ground, 30cm apart.
- Cover them with a 50/50 mix of straw and well rotted animal manure.
- Add blood and bone.
- Cover with compost or mulch.
As the potatoes grow, cover them with more of the above mixture to ensure they are not exposed to sunshine. If they are exposed to sunshine they will turn green making the potatoes toxic.
The potatoes will be ready for harvesting in around 16 weeks. Once the plants have flowered and they start to die they are reading for picking.
Be sure to plant your potatoes in a different position in your garden the following year to avoid diseases.
Organic Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- 4 large organic potatoes
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
- 1/4 cup whipping cream
Method:
- Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender (around 20 minutes).
- Drain and return to the pot.
- Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat.
- Lightly fry the garlic until tender (about 3 minutes).
- Add the garlic and butter to the potatoes.
- Add the cream.
- Mash the potatoes coarsely.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve.
More Organic Articles
No comments yet. Be the first.
Leave a reply
