The Complete Handbook of Potatoes

It's a solid reference, but I was expecting a bit more on the actual growing schedule for different climates. The chapter on storage is excellent, very thorough on temperature and humidity specifics. The business opportunities chapter felt a little thin, though — I was hoping for more granular info on contract structures. Worth a buy if you're already a serious grower, but not the first book I'd hand to a beginner.

There's a lot of good information here, but I found the writing a bit dry, even for a reference book. The troubleshooting chapter, though, saved it for me — it's very easy to look up a specific problem like hollow heart. The glossary is helpful. However, I wish they went into more depth on specific non-commodity varieties like purple potatoes and their market viability. It's a good desk reference, but not a page-turner.

Honestly, I bought this before my first year scaling up to a half-acre field for the farmers market. The discussion of determining if a seed lot will produce a potential problem with virus load is something I've never seen spelled out that clearly. I have a real quibble though — the comps table at the back comparing the major suppliers felt dated. But the field troubleshooting guide is worth the price alone, saved me from losing a whole bin to rot.

This is the potato bible. It doesn't waste a single paragraph. I run a small commercial operation (about 10 acres of pick-your-own and retail), and the chapter on storage and curing is worth the purchase price 100 times over. The fact they explain what specific humidity and temperature do to the tubers, not just the numbers, helps you make your own decisions. If you have any kind of serious potato enterprise, buy it and keep it in the office.

This handbook is everything I wanted and more. I'm a chef who buys direct from growers, and this has completely changed how I have conversations with my suppliers. I know the specs now — I can ask about specific gravity instead of just 'are they fluffy?' The section on the white vs. russet processing differences is excellent. This is not fluff; it's dense, applicable information. I've already ordered two more copies for my sous chefs.

We run a CSA with a big potato share, and I had gotten complacent with my storage. This manual was our cold winter wake-up call. The maintenance chapter helped me diagnose a recurrent bad smell in our cooler — it was bacterial soft rot, just as the book described. The 'why it matters' parts are great; I finally understand what's happening biologically, so I can predict problems before they appear. An essential reference for any serious farmer.

Amazingly thorough. What I appreciate most is the clear-eyed, practical tone. No hype, just facts. I used the specs in chapter 2 to re-negotiate a contract with our packer, and the specifics about tolerances for defects gave me a stronger position. The chapter on choosing a variety based on soil type and end-use is the best explanation of why my Yukon Golds didn't do well in the sandy section. This is a lifetime resource.

Okay, it's useful, but it's really geared towards big commercial operations. I'm a serious hobbyist growing a lot in a small greenhouse and using raised beds. The chapters on field cultivation didn't apply to me much. The sections on storage were good though, I adapted the advice for my small coolers. They also don't address the specific problems of growing in containers much. Good info, but it could have used a broader scope.