Best time to plant potatoes in our area

Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2013 08:26:42 -0500
From: Sam Groce
Subject: Chatlist 4543 – Planting Potatoes

Chatlist Readers:

The question was raised in Chatlist 4543 on when is the best time to plant potatoes in our area.  The answer to that question is often determined by soil moisture and it being dry enough to get into the field and till and plant.  The recommended planting time for our area is mid February to early April.  If we are having a late winter and deep freezing of the soil then you would want to hold off for a little while.  Here is a link to a NC State University on planting of vegetable crops.  The potato information can be found on page 67.  http://cals.ncsu.edu/hort_sci/extension/documents/sevegguide05.pdf

Many of you are aware that Al Cooke, Chatham County Extension Agent for Horticulture and frequent poster to the Chatlist retired on January 1, 2013.  Until such time as the university will allow me to advertise and rehire his position, Debbie Roos and I will do our best to try to keep questions that Al would normally have answered covered.  However, we do ask that folks be patient with us since even with a full contingent of agents everyone was extremely busy and for the foreseeable future we will be short an agent.  Please also feel free to contact us directly at our office in the Chatham County Agriculture Building located at 65 Chatham Street or 919-542-8202.

Sincerely,
Sam Groce
Samuel E. Groce
County Extension Director
Administration, Community & Rural Development, Livestock & Forages
Chatham County Center, NC Cooperative Extension
North Carolina State University
Post Office Box 279
Pittsboro, NC 27312
Office 919-542-8202, Mobile 919-548-2220
webpage:  http://chatham.ces.ncsu.edu/
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