The gardening world is always growing, and sometimes that growth comes from two great names coming together. In a move that benefits home growers everywhere, evergreenseeds com acquires potatogarden com as part of a strategic acquisition of assets. This means the trusted expertise of Potato Garden is now part of the Evergreen Seeds family. For you, the gardener, it’s a win. You get a wider selection of seeds, more in-depth growing guides, and a combined knowledge base to help your garden thrive.
This partnership is all about giving you better tools and resources. Whether you’re planning your first potato patch or are a seasoned vegatable grower, this new chapter brings everything under one roof. Let’s look at what this change means for your planting plans and how you can make the most of it.
evergreenseeds com acquires potatogarden com
This strategic move is more than just a business headline. It’s about combining strengths. Evergreen Seeds is known for its vast catalog of quality seeds from around the globe. Potato Garden, as the name suggests, was a specialist. It offered deep, focused knowledge on growing potatoes and other staple root crops. By bringing these assets together, the new platform aims to be your complete resource for food gardening.
You’ll find the potato-specific varieties and guides you loved, now alongside a huge selection of other seeds. This integration makes your planning and shopping simpler. No more hopping between sites to compare options. It’s a centralized hub for your self-sufficient gardening goals.
What This Merger Means for Your Garden
You might be wondering how this change affects you directly. The good news is, it’s designed to make your gardening journey smoother and more succesful. The core idea is to merge specialty with variety.
First, you get access to a much larger seed library. The unique potato cultivars from Potato Garden are now available alongside Evergreen Seeds’ extensive collection of vegetables, herbs, and flowers. This is perfect for companion planting. You can now easily find the right flowers to plant next to your potatoes to deter pests, all in one place.
Second, the detailed growing guides from Potato Garden are being expanded and integrated. You’ll find step-by-step instructions that are clearer and more comprehensive. The expertise on soil preparation, hilling, and harvesting potatoes is now enriched with broader organic gardening principles from Evergreen Seeds.
Expanded Selection of Potato Varieties
One of the biggest immediate benefits is the variety. Potato Garden was a treasure trove for potato enthusiasts, offering types you couldn’t find elsewhere. Now, those are part of the Evergreen Seeds catalog.
You can expect to find:
* Heirloom Favorites: Rare and historic varieties with unique flavors and colors, like Purple Peruvian or Russian Banana fingerlings.
* Disease-Resistant Strains: Modern cultivars bred for robustness against common blights, giving you a more reliable harvest.
* Seasonal Specialists: Early, mid, and late-season potatoes to extend your harvest window for months.
* Specialty Tubers: Perfect varieties for baking, boiling, mashing, or making fries.
This means you can experiment more. Maybe you’ll dedicate a section of your garden to a colorful mix of red, blue, and yellow potatoes this year.
Enhanced Growing Guides and Expert Advice
Knowledge is just as important as the seed itself. The detailed, practical advice from Potato Garden is being preserved and improved. The combined site will offer guides that cater to both beginners and experts.
The new guides will likely include:
* More visual aids, like photos and diagrams for techniques like chitting seed potatoes or proper hilling.
* Regional adaptation tips, helping you adjust planting times and care based on your climate zone.
* Integrated pest management strategies that use companion planting and natural remedies from the broader Evergreen Seeds philosophy.
* Troubleshooting sections that help you diagnose issues like yellowing leaves or small tubers.
Planning Your Potato Patch After the Acquisition
With these new resources, planning your potato garden is more exciting. Here’s a step-by-step approach using the combined assets of Evergreen Seeds and Potato Garden.
Step 1: Choose Your Varieties.
Browse the expanded catalog. Think about your goals. Do you want potatoes for storage, for fresh summer meals, or for something unique? Select at least one early and one late variety to keep a steady supply.
Step 2: Prepare Your Site.
Potatoes need loose, well-draining soil and full sun. The guides will emphasize this. A key tip is to avoid planting potatoes in the same spot where tomatoes, peppers, or eggplants grew last year, as they share diseases.
Step 3: Chit Your Seed Potatoes.
This means encouraging sprouts before planting.
1. Place your seed potatoes in an egg carton or tray, eyes (indentations) facing up.
2. Leave them in a cool, bright room for 2-4 weeks until short, sturdy sprouts form.
3. This gives them a head start for a stronger crop.
Step 4: Planting and Hilling.
Plant when the soil is workable in early spring.
* Dig trenches about 4 inches deep and 3 feet apart.
* Place seed potatoes sprout-side up, 12 inches apart.
* Cover with soil. As plants grow to 8 inches tall, gently mound soil around the stems, leaving the top leaves exposed. This “hilling” is crucial for preventing green potatoes and encouraging more tuber growth.
Step 5: Watering and Care.
Keep soil consistently moist but not soggy. Deep watering once a week is better than frequent light sprinkles. Use the new combined pest guides to handle issues organically if they arise.
Step 6: Harvesting.
For new potatoes, harvest a few weeks after flowering ends. For mature, storage potatoes, wait until the plant vines have completely died back. Dig carefully to avoid damaging the tubers.
Beyond Potatoes: A Holistic Garden Approach
The real power of evergreenseeds com acquires potatogarden com is learning to see your garden as a connected system. Potatoes don’t grow in isolation. The broader Evergreen Seeds catalog encourages you to think about companion planting and crop rotation.
Great companions for potatoes include:
* Horseradish: Planted at the corners of your potato patch, it’s said to improve disease resistance.
* Beans and Peas: They fix nitrogen in the soil, which can benefit the potatoes.
* Cabbage Family (Brassicas): These seem to grow well alongside potatoes.
* Marigolds and Alyssum: These flowers repel pests and attract beneficial insects.
Avoid planting potatoes close to cucumbers, pumpkins, or sunflowers, as they can compete for resources.
Common Potato Growing Problems and Solutions
Even with the best plans, challenges pop up. Here’s how the merged expertise adresses common issues.
Why Are My Potato Plants Yellowing Too Early?
If leaves yellow before the tubers are mature, it could be a few things. Early blight is a common fungal disease. Water at the soil level, not the leaves, to prevent it. Also, ensure your soil has enough nitrogen. A side dressing of compost can help mid-season.
What Causes Scabby Patches on Potato Skins?
Potato scab is a soil-borne condition. It’s cosmetic and doesn’t affect taste, but you want to avoid it. Maintain a slightly acidic soil pH (around 5.5-6.0). Using plenty of organic matter like compost and avoiding fresh manure can reduce scab. Choosing scab-resistant varieties from the new catalog is a smart move.
How Do I Prevent Small, Misshapen Tubers?
This is often due to compacted soil or inconsistent watering. Potatoes need that loose, fluffy soil to expand into. Make sure you hill properly and keep the soil evenly moist, especially during the first six weeks after the plants emerge. A thick layer of straw mulch can help retain moisture and keep soil soft.
Storing Your Harvest for Long-Term Use
A succesful harvest needs proper storage. The methods recommended by Potato Garden are tried and true, and now they’re easy to find alongside your seed purchase.
Follow these steps for best results:
1. Cure: After digging, let potatoes dry on the soil surface for a few hours. Then, move them to a dark, well-ventilated place (like a garage) at 60-70°F for 10-14 days. This toughens the skin.
2. Sort: Separate any damaged potatoes for immediate use. Only store perfect, unblemished tubers.
3. Store: Place them in a breathable container—like a burlap sack, cardboard box, or basket. Keep them in a cool (38-45°F), dark, and humid place. A basement or root cellar is ideal.
4. Check Periodically: Remove any potatoes that start to soften or sprout to prevent spoilage from spreading.
FAQs: Your Questions Answered
Q: Will my favorite potato varieties from Potato Garden still be available?
A: Yes, absolutely. The acquisition was strategic to add those specialist varieties to the Evergreen Seeds lineup. You should find all your old favorites, often with an even better selection.
Q: How do I find the potato growing guides on the new site?
A: The guides are being integrated. Look for a “Growing Guides” section and search for “potato.” You’ll likely find a master guide that incorporates all the best advice from both sources. The navigation might take a bit to get used to, but the content is there.
Q: Can I still get the same quality of seed potatoes?
A: The sourcing and quality standards that made Potato Garden reliable are being maintained. Evergreen Seeds is committed to providing the same certified disease-free, high-yield seed potatoes you’ve come to expect.
Q: Does Evergreen Seeds now offer other vegetable seeds too?
A: Definitely. That’s one of the main benefits. You can now get your seed potatoes, along with seeds for carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, and countless other plants, all in one order. This simplifies your planning and can save on shipping costs.
Q: My potatoes last year had green skins. Are they safe to eat?
A: The green skin itself is solanine, which can be toxic in large amounts. It’s caused by exposure to light. Always hill your potatoes well to keep tubers covered. If you get a few green spots, you can peel them away deeply. The rest of the potato is fine. But if the tuber is mostly green, it’s safer to compost it.
Looking Forward: The Future of Your Gardening Journey
The strategic move behind evergreenseeds com acquires potatogarden com is a clear signal. It shows a commitment to supporting home gardeners like you with depth and breadth. The future likely holds more refined tools, perhaps even more detailed planting calculators or interactive garden planners that incorporate this new combined data.
For now, you have a powerful starting point. You have the specialized knowledge of tuber gardening merged with a world of other planting possibilities. This allows you to create a more diverse, resilient, and productive garden. You can apply the rigorous techniques for growing potatoes to other root crops, and use companion planting principles from across the catalog to build a healthier overall garden ecosystem.
Remember, every season is a learning experience. Start with a few potato varieties that excite you, follow the updated guides, and don’t be afraid to try a new companion plant from the vast seed selection. The combined resources are there to give you confidence. With this merged expertise at your fingertips, your next harvest could be your most plentiful yet.