Hello dear Steemians, greetings to you all . Today I like us to talk about how and when to plant potatoes.

POTATOE CULTIVATION

Potatoes is one of the most commonly eaten food in almost every part of the world. In Bamenda, it is a common dish that is prepared and eaten at least twice a week in every household that can afford three Square meals a day averagely. It is planted both in dry land and in the swampy areas during the dry season.

This is dry season potato cultivation which benefits watering from a nearby srtream

It's possible to plant potatoes all year round ,provided there is good irrigation or water can be harnessed to the area. On another front, you can plan for the rainy season in lat February or early march why the ground is still lose and dusty. The heat during the day and cold during the night form the atmospheric conditions that the seeds need in order to germinate.During the first rains in March , it helps the the tuber to develop its first shot and roots then grows from there. It is then moulded and weeded after 2 months since planting.This helps the potato to bear new tubers, mature them and are harvested after two months . Before the harvest,the main stem shrinks or withers and turns yellow or dries off. The ground immediately beneath it is cracked open because of the increase in size of the potatoes . At this point know that your potato is ready fro harvest.
Do harvest it and enjoy it fried ,boils,pounded or baked.

In the case of planting it for the dry season, it can be done in two sessions you can plant in the late rainy season say in September. This one grows till about December. The difference is that this one taste better and can last longer provided it was not over fertilized.

Another time to plant potatoes is in October or November. This will depend on how loose or tight the soil is . This will grow till about 4-5Months before harvesting. After the harvest keep in a cold, dry, dark place so that it can reduce the water content and shrink before eating.These are the methods of growing potatoes that has worked for the people of the northwest region of Cameroon. No matter
where and when you plant it ,note that maintenance and management goes the same.But it can be adjusted as the need arises. Keep a keen observation on the plant and uproot if it withers so that the deseases or attack does not spread to the other ones. Thank you for finding time to read.