I have finally harvested my bags of Potatoes

Potatoes are ready to harvest about two weeks after the greens, which you see in this photo hanging over the bags, have died back. That means they are brown and withered. I harvested my first bag too soon. The potatoes were still a little hard, some still attached to the roots, and most of those that were still attached were teeny, tiny little balls.  I did cook the potatoes and they were okay, but not the deliciously sweet tender potatoes that make life worth living.
So I left the second bag alone. It sat on the driveway through a family reunion, was moved around while we cleaned up before and after the family reunion, and was left alone while we road tripped it through the Upper Peninsula.  One day back from my road trip and I couldn’t wait any longer. I dug through the dirt in the bag looking for my gems like they were chocolate eggs in the bottom of an Easter basket. And I was rewarded!!! There were more and they were larger, which is a relative term because they are fingerling potatoes after all.  The color was deep and they were tender.

I cooked them with other veggies from the garden.

Well sure, it wasn’t a bushel full of potatoes, but they were worth the effort because they were pretty easy to grow:  4 inches of composted soil in a bag, plus a couple of potato “eyes” that have sprouted, placed gently on the 4 inches of soil, then covered with 3 inches of soil, watered and placed in a warm, sunny spot, with the sides of the bag folded over to the top of the soil. As the potato plant grows, unfold the edges of the bag, cover the plant with more soil, repeat until the bag is filled.  Water only when the soil is dry.  Then, ta da  -in 10 to 13 weeks you’ll have fresh potatoes.
I will definitely grow potatoes again next spring.  In fact I think I’ll add a bag and grow full size potatoes too.  Because this girl loves her spuds.
For the recipe, click on the Charmed Kitchen tab.