Mid-March is the target date for planting seed potatoes. It is the cool season “white” potato (Solanum tuberosum) and not the warm season sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) that is planted in the spring. For this column the Solanum tuberosum potato will be referred to as simply ‘potato’.
The potato is native to South America, cultivated by the Incas in the Andes of Peru as early as 8,000 to 5,000 BC (n…