Should I be able to grow Idaho potatoes in NH?

NHGardener 4/23/2011, 12:38 pm

I got four nice, big, healthy looking Idahos at the grocery store that I want to cut into 4ths and plant in plastic planter containers that I already have hanging around (which are deeper than my 6" SFG beds). I'm wondering tho if NH summers might be too short & cool for Idaho potatoes. Anyone know?

**camprn** 4/23/2011, 5:47 pm

Go for it! are they already sprouty? I am not sure where in Idaho they grow potatoes, but a bit of Idaho is in the same hardiness zone as we are. I am not sure how long the growing season is. Maybe Jennie can tell us... Very Happy

Nonna.PapaVino 4/23/2011, 6:38 pm

Years ago my folks lived in New Hampshire, near the Seabrook facility. Both were born and raised in Idaho, so potatoes were part of their garden and Mom's garden ALWAYS did what she told it to. Very Happy

I say go for it. Something just thumped the back of my mind: doesn't Maine grow lots of potatoes?

**camprn** 4/23/2011, 7:01 pm

Nonna.PapaVino wrote:Years ago my folks lived in New Hampshire, near the Seabrook facility. Both were born and raised in Idaho, so potatoes were part of their garden and Mom's garden ALWAYS did what she told it to. I say go for it. Something just thumped the back of my mind: doesn't Maine grow lots of potatoes?

Good Memory Nonna!
From the Maine Potato Board:
Maine typically ranks seventh or eighth in the nation for potato production; 1.6 billion pounds of potatoes harvested this past fall. Very Happy

Nonna.PapaVino 4/23/2011, 8:19 pm

Seems to me the vast majority of potatoes raised for commercial use are russets. I'd be willing to bet the potatoes NHGardner "harvested" from her local grocery were bakers, i.e., russets, which are the best for baking and mashing....not so great for, say, potato salad. Please, NH, let us know how your experiment plays out, and are the 'taters really a russet, or......what? This year we're growing a russet type, Kennebec; an unknown-to-us, Makah Ozette--appears to be somewhat a Russian fingerling; and Purple Viking--skin's purple, flesh very white. We'll see.

muffinator 4/23/2011, 10:00 pm

My dad tossed potatoes from the grocery store into the ground and got some results, so it's worth a shot!

NHGardener 4/23/2011, 10:06 pm

Hmmm. Well, the potatoes don't have a name on them (and they were the loose kind) but I had thought they were Idahos... I'll look the next time I'm at the grocery store. But they were pretty big.

Glad to hear the positive reports - I'll let you know how it goes. If they're Idahos, and they work, I guess it's only fair to shoot some Maine potatoes over to the Idaho growers - ha!

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