As a potato farmer’s daughter, this topic is something near and dear to my heart. Here’s the Q&A!
Q. I am planting potatoes for the first time this year! I have read that I should dust them with agricultural sulfur before planting. How important is this? I’ve also read that some people ‘hill’ them with soil and others with mulch. Which is better? Anything else I should know?
A. The sulfur dust on the potatoes eyes is for good measure, as a year like this one when we are getting too much moisture, promotes fungal diseases. It’s not absolutely necessary, but it’s good practice. That said, another thing that will help is to mound up (hill) the rows. This allows excess moisture to drain away.
Denny Blew, Pres., BlewLabel Perennials, Bridgeton, New Jersey
