Yep, they were first cultivated in the southern part of what is now Peru thousands of years ago. After the Spanish conquest, potatoes became known worldwide.that you harvest potatoes when the plant part turns brown and dies?
True. You CAN get potatoes while the plant part is green but basically, as long as the plant is green, the potatoes are still growing. that there used to be about 4,000 varieties of potato in a variety of colors?
Sadly, now the market has focused on a few varieties and even in Peru, there are less than 100 varieties grown now. Our potato plants are doing great, I am definitely not patient enough to wait until the plants die so I will be feeling around the soil for some baby potatoes long before anything turns brown. My oldest wants lots and lots of French fries from our potatoes but I am longing for some homemade (and homegrown!) mashed potatoes. If all goes well I am going for some rare varieties next year!
Photo credits: Vantage Travel, SF Examiner, Fans del Espanol.
6 comments:
Cool potato pictures! I had no idea potatoes were originally from Peru, or you! I haven't grown these before, but I think I would like to try out the purple variety.
Great information! I didn't know there was that many types of potatoes! I do know I love eating them though...lol
Have a great day!!
Blessings,
Jill
Neat read!! Now I have potatoes on my garden list!!! :) Thanks for the visit today. :)
Love your story about potatoes! Now I feel guilty. I have a bag of seed potatoes gathering dust on the shelf in my office. I was going to plant them and didn't.
Thanks for the reminder--though it may be too late.
xo
Donna
I knew there were lots of kinds of potatoes but not that many! Wow..
I love potatoes. I buy the organic fingerling kind at Costco, put some olive oil and salt on them, and bake them. They are so delicious!
No sabia que eras de Peru, Claudia. Una compatriota sudamericana! Besos.
This was such an interesting post. I love the purple potatoes but had no idea there used to be that many varieties of them!
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