Potato Futures

   Yesterday I checked my seed potatoes to see how they were surviving the winter. To do this I opened the fridge, pulled out the vegetable crisper, and took out a brown paper bag.  I put the bag on the kitchen counter and unrolled the top, then looked in at my 40 or so 'Rose Finn Apple' fingerling and 'Yellow Finn' potatoes.  Except for a couple of shriveled 'Rose Finn' tubers that I removed and threw in the compost,  they all looked plump and healthy. I put them back in their winter home in the crisper.

This is the first year I've saved my own potatoes to plant, though I've grown them for four years.  I was going to save some last year (2009) but  held off because of the chance they'd be infected with late blight.

   It is hard to raise potatoes profitably in my kitchen garden, especially if  have to buy mail order seed pots every year-- the shipping for a pound or two (all I have room for) costs as much or more than the potatoes.  So I hope to continue collecting my own seed potatoes, and this fall start saving seeds as well.

But first I'd like to buy some blue seed potatoes. Blue potatoes are expensive in the market, highly nutritious, and they look really cool! I've come up with a plan to avoid the costly shipping.  Late in February I'll be volunteering as a docent for several hours a a local Flower Show.  Last year I bought my 'Rose Finn Apple' seed potatoes from a booth at the show for less than $5. This year, if my luck is good, that vendor will return, and I'll leave the show with blue potatoes for my kitchen garden.

I swear it will be the last seed potatoes I buy.... maybe.