Max Gallaway
This year up to now has certainly challenged and for the next weeks month and even years will continue to challenge those that enjoy working outside in the landscape. We are now entering the time of year that requires some preplanning for gardeners as well as some planting. Two garden vegetables that are favorites for many include asparagus and potatoes. Asparagus is a good spring vegetable. To promote a good crop, we need to fertilize the asparagus twice each season; once in late February or early March and again at the end of the harvest to stimulate the growth of ferns. Promoting vigorous fern growth will replenish the energy reserves in the roots for next year’s harvest.
Before we fertilize, remove last year’s dead ferns and apply a side dressing of fertilizer. You will find a set of three bold numbers separated by dashes on the fertilizer bag indicating the amounts of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. Generally, you will only need to apply nitrogen, which is the first number in the trio, unless soil tests indicate a nutrient deficiency. It is important to have your soil tested every two or three years, and only apply phosphorous and potassium as needed.
The fertilizer is applied at a rate of about one to two pounds of actual nitrogen per 100 foot of row or 1/3 of an ounce per row foot. Incorporate the fertilizer into the upper inch of soil. Then spread a thin layer of compost, about one to two inches thick to add a little organic matter to the system. This will help hold back weeds, and also help retain soil moisture. Don’t forget to make that second fertilizer application as the harvest dwindles.
Next we focus on the potatoes, potato plants are started from seed potatoes. These are not seeds in the common sense of the word, but rather small sections of the potato tuber. The tuber is the portion of the potato plant that we eat. Potato plants form tubers to store large amounts of carbohydrates over the winter. In the spring, new shoots develop from wintered tubers. The new shoots develop from the eyes of the potato.
You can purchase seed potatoes from your local garden center, where several different cultivars are available. To prepare the seed pieces, cut the tuber into quarters, making sure each section has at least two good eyes. You want to plant good sized pieces to ensure a large yield. If tubers are small, you may only cut them into two pieces or leave them whole. After cutting the tubers, leave the seeds in a well ventilated location to cure for at least three days. This will allow the surface to heal and harden, reducing the chance of rotting.
While the seeds cure you can prepare the planting bed. Potatoes need loose, rich soil, which can be a challenge in Stephens County. To loosen soil, turn it and incorporate large amounts of organic matter. Once the soil is turned, dig trenches four to five inches deep the length of the bed. Rows should be spaced two to three feet apart.
Set the cured potato seeds into the trenches with the cut side facing down and with the eyes directed upward. Space seeds one foot apart. Cover the seeds pieces with enough soil to bury them 5 to 6 inches deep. Sprouts will emerge in two weeks, depending on the soil temperature. We will still have danger of frost when shoots emerge, so pull soil up around the stems for protection or cover the stems with plastic milk jugs or juice bottles with the tops cut off for that extra protection.
For any questions or further information please contact Max Gallaway at 580-255-0510 or max.gallaway@okstate.edu.
— Max Gallaway is the Oklahoma State Extension educator for agriculture for Stephens County. He can be reached by calling 580-255-0510.
