Harvest is a hectic time of year filled with decisions that can make or break your potato season. A few Sundays ago, I got a text from a farmer struggling with just that. As we worked through his questions, I realized that some things as crucial as nitrogen management weren’t clear to him. I’m glad he reached out.
When it’s almost time to harvest, petiole sampling should show nitrogen at less than 10,000 parts per million before the plants are desiccated. This allows the plants to go through their natural cycle. As they run out of gas at the end of the season, they set skin and the vines lay down. This makes the vine easier to deal with whether you’re flailing, shredding or using a desiccant.
Like nitrogen, water is another management variable. For some varieties, you really want to dry them down at the end of the season to make sure the lenticels close. Other varieties have more energy at the end of the season, so having a little bit of extra water in the field is not a problem.
This wasn’t familiar to this grower because previously their crops had gone straight from harvest to a processing plant. The way we handle harvest is both use and variety specific. This focused management in field is critical not just so we get a great quality product, but also because a lot of our potatoes end up in storage. Potato’s storage season starts in the field.
We have some stellar varieties that store like a rock. Camelia is one example, with both great dormancy and beautiful skin. But even Camelia won’t store successfully if it’s not managed right. It needs proper fertility management through the season, it needs to set skin, and equipment needs to be adjusted for proper drops, so it doesn’t bruise.
Some farmers have the expertise in house to ensure this is all properly managed, and some use contracted agronomists. No matter what way you do it, if you’re paying close attention to what your crop is telling you, you’re well set up for a successful outcome.
With another season of excess potatoes, buyers are going to be scrutinizing shipments. Proper nitrogen, water and storage management will set you up to get the most value out of your hard work. If you have questions, feel free to reach out. We would be happy to do our best to assist.
