[LotuSeed]

I'm new to the world of potato growing, could someone please help me out here?  I have five varieties, norland red, dark norland red, red pontiac, kennebec and Yukon gold. (All potatoes taste the same to me but I figured I get a few types to see which hold up best during processing.  Red pontiac and kennebec are labeled as main crop and the other three are earlies. I'm not interested in extending my growing season as I plan on canning all of them. They're all going in raised beds. Should I just plant them all at the same time and harvest as the plants die back? Do I need to cut them into pieces or can I plop them in whole?
Thanks in advance,
Utterly Confuzzled

[DD.]

I plant all at the same time. "Early", as I mentioned in another thread, refers to the growing period, not the planting time, so these will mature first. So yes if you want mature potatoes, harvest them when the foliage dies back.

However, over here, earlies are often harvested whilst immature to use as "new" potatoes, whilst they are about egg size, or even smaller. Main crop, (or late) potatoes are usually grown to mature for storing and are not so good harvested immature as they tend to be harder.

I'm afraid I don't know much about canning food, (nothing at all actually), but wonder why you would need to do it for main crop potatoes that can be stored as they are. It seems to me an extra unnecessary process when the potato is a natural storer in it own right, so why process it? I would have thought only apply it to the smaller, early potatoes - but as I say - I know nothing on this front!

As for chopping them up, this is a technique used a lot in wartime when everything was in scare supply and not really necessary today. The ideal size is egg size, larger ones can be cut in half, as long as each portion retains some eyes, but this can let in infection and lead to rotting.

 

[LotuSeed]

Thanks for the thorough reply, it was very helpful I didn't know main crops weren't harvested early and used as new potatoes.
I know potatoes can be stored, but it's easier far and more convenient for me to can them as I a) don't have to check them to see if any have gone off and b) because it's much easier to open a jar and heat the contents up as opposed to washing peeling cutting and cooking. If I had to do all that I'd never eat them! 😜
Thanks again for your help!

[sunshineband]

I am a little bit puzzled by your reply to DD's post, where you say you would not peel and chop a potato when you need it... don't you have to do this in order to can them?


(Not a canning expert and have never "done" potatoes)

[Nobbie]

I am a little bit puzzled by your reply to DD's post, where you say you would not peel and chop a potato when you need it... don't you have to do this in order to can them?


(Not a canning expert and have never "done" potatoes)

I think they are like me with parsnips, I process them all at once and put them in the freezer. That way if I fancy some, they are ready to go rather than preparing them each time from fresh.

[LotuSeed]

I am a little bit puzzled by your reply to DD's post, where you say you would not peel and chop a potato when you need it... don't you have to do this in order to can them?


(Not a canning expert and have never "done" potatoes)

Yes. Last year a processed 50lbs of potatoes over a 2-3 day period. They were cleaned, peeled, cut into cubes, par-boiled, packed into quart sized jars, topped up with hot water from the kettle, and then processed in the pressure canner (with an emphasis on pressure canner). It's a lot of work but the end result is worth it. I don't have to check to see if my spuds have spoiled in storage and there's no preparation necessary other than opening a jar and heating. They can be used for salads, fries or mash. It's a lot of work to do all at once, but that's the point; It's only done once! 

[3759allen]

as said before plant all at the same time.

as your looking to can them all and you say they all taste the same, next year i would only grow one variety of main crop.

i would say the variety that does best this year for quantity of crop, how ever it is worth taking into account things like if they have been affected by scab and/ or pests (all my desiree suffered from scab last year and it made the job of peeling them longer and waste more).

[LotuSeed]

I am a little bit puzzled by your reply to DD's post, where you say you would not peel and chop a potato when you need it... don't you have to do this in order to can them?


(Not a canning expert and have never "done" potatoes)

I think they are like me with parsnips, I process them all at once and put them in the freezer. That way if I fancy some, they are ready to go rather than preparing them each time from fresh.

Yes. Exactly this 😄

As far as not being able to taste the difference from one variety to another, I'm sure that will come with time. Plus the varying degrees of starch levels affect how they're best used and how well they'll hold up during processing.
Thanks All for the help☺️