Potatoes
Potatoes are grown all across NYS, though the largest farms tend to be located in Western NY, the Finger Lakes Region and on Long Island, on deep, fertile, light- to medium-textured mineral soils, and on muck (organic) soils. Potatoes are grown on small, medium and large farms, for retail, wholesale (east of the Mississippi) and organic markets, for both fresh market and processing into chips, and for certified seed potatoes. Most growers store some of their crop for winter sales. Varieties include round whites, red-skinned potatoes, yellows, and a smaller acreage of a wide variety of specialty types, such as those with blue or red skin and flesh, fingerlings, etc. Potatoes are one of the highest value vegetables in NY, grown on about 17,100 acres, with an average value of about $74.4 million recently.Potatoes have many serious insect and disease pests. Late blight can be a devastating disease, capable of completely destroying an unprotected crop within 3 weeks in wet weather, and rotting the tubers. Late blight was the major cause of the Irish Potato Famine. It also affects tomatoes. New, more virulent strains of late blight fungus began showing up 20 years ago and the disease has been harder to predict and control ever since. Early blight is a common fungal disease on both potatoes and tomatoes which survives over-winter in the soil. Colorado potato beetles can cause serious defoliation if crops are not rotated up to a quarter mile from where they, tomatoes or eggplant were previously planted. They can rapidly become resistant to commonly used insecticides. Tiny, sucking leafhoppers move up from the south each June on weather systems, and can cause severe leaf burn and yield reduction. Aphids can also be a production problem as well as carrying viral diseases that can affect potatoes grown from saved seed.
Organic Production Guides
Robert Hadad, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program
Organic Production Guides for fruits, vegetables and dairy are available through the NYS Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program. They outline general practices for growing vegetable and fruit crops using organic integrated pest management techniques.
2023 Potato Variety Trial
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Know Late Blight Symptoms AND its Look-Alikes
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
2022 Potato Variety Trial Report
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Interseeding Summer Cover Crops Between Vegetable Beds, Trial Results
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Managing weeds between vegetable beds remains an on-going issue for vegetable growers, both organic and conventional. It is common practice for vegetable growers to transplant crops into beds covered with black plastic mulch. This strategy provides excellent weed control in the planted row but leaves soil between beds exposed and vulnerable to erosion, compaction, and weed growth. Conventional growers often use herbicides for weed control, but herbicides applied at crop establishment do not provide season long control. Organic growers can mow or use tillage to control weeds, but this can be difficult between beds with plastic mulch and the soil is continuously disturbed decreasing soil health over time. Planting cover crops to protect and improve soil health is not new and the potential benefits of cover crops are well known.
Interseeding Summer Cover Crops Between Vegetable Beds, Trial Results Yr2
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Managing weeds between vegetable beds remains an on-going issue for vegetable growers, both organic and conventional. It is common practice for vegetable growers to transplant crops into beds covered with black plastic mulch. This strategy provides excellent weed control in the planted row but leaves soil between beds exposed and vulnerable to erosion, compaction, and weed growth. Conventional growers often use herbicides for weed control, but herbicides applied at crop establishment do not provide season long control. Organic growers can mow or use tillage to control weeds, but this can be difficult between beds with plastic mulch and the soil is continuously disturbed decreasing soil health over time. Planting cover crops to protect and improve soil health is not new and the potential benefits of cover crops are well known.
2021 Potato Variety Trial
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
2020 Potato Variety Trial
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Managing Wireworms in Root Crops
Teresa Rusinek, Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
2019 Potato Variety Trial Results
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
2018 CCE ENYCHP Potato Variety Trial Results
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
The CCE ENYCHP evaluated 34 fresh market potato varieties in 2018 for yield, quality and other characteristics. There was a wide range of skin and flesh colors making for a very colorful trial.
Approved Potato Desiccants in NYS
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Insecticides Labeled for Colorado Potato Beetle
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Best Practices for Seed Potato Handling
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
| How you handle your seed potato can impact yield, disease severity, and emergence timing. Get the most out of your potato crop by following these best practices for handling and cutting seed potatoes. |
2017 Potato Variety Trial
2018 Eastern New York Fruit & Vegetable Conference Vegetable Presentations
Presentations from the 2018 ENYCHP Eastern New York Fruit & Vegetable Conference held February 20th and 21st for the vegetable sections.
Winter Storage Keys to Success - Vegetable Crops
Key topics covered:
- Growing a healthy Crop and keeping it that way in storage
- Storage conditions
- Construction of coolers
- Controls and Thermostats
- Monitoring and more advanced controls
2017 NYS Certified Seed Potato Crop Directory
The 2017 NYS Certified Seed Potato Crop Directory is now available. There is a wealth of information on NYS potato seed certification, as well as on the varieties grown for certification in 2017.
Potato Leaf Hopper Managment
2016 Conventional Potato Variety Trial Results
Anne Mills, Field Technician
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
View this slideshow for user friendly data and photos from the conventional potato variety trial held in Schoharie County, NY.
Control of Colorado Potato Beetle & Insecticide Resistance Management
Carol MacNeil, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program
The CPB is known for its ability to quickly develop resistance to insecticides. There are alternatives to insecticides for managing CPB, but for growers with large fields and a limited ability to rotate fields, insecticides remain key.
O-zone Injury on Vegetables
Crystal Stewart-Courtens, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Hot, humid weather with stagnant air masses may lead to ozone damage on crops. Ozone warnings were recently issued for much of New York. These warnings are intended for people with respiratory problems and let them know they should limit their outdoor activity and try to stay as much as possible in air-conditioned locations. These warning are also a good indicator that ozone damage may occur in plants.
Nightshade Management Reduces Crop Loss
Julie Kikkert, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program
Depending on the crop, nightshade can reduce crop yields, harbor diseases, and cause crops to be rejected by processors. Learn about the species of nightshades in NY, physiological differences between them, emergence and growth information, and control strategies.
Buckwheat Strips to Attract Beneficial Insects in Potato Production
Robert Hadad, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program
Download a report of field plot strategies for using buckwheat strips to attract beneficial insects for the control of Colorado potato beetle in potato production (2009/2010). This project was funded by the Organic Farming Research Federation.
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Upcoming Events
New York State Agritourism Conference
November 10 - November 11, 2025 : New York State Agritourism Conference
Saratoga Springs, NY
The first-ever New York State Agritourism Conference, hosted by the CCE Agritourism Program Work Team, is designed to support farms in growing successful visitor experiences. This statewide gathering will feature expert-led sessions, peer networking, and practical tools to help farms expand direct sales, education, hospitality, and entertainment offerings.
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ASL 104sp Seleccion y organizacion del personal (Staffing and Organizing Your Team) taught in Spanish
November 12, 2025 : ASL 104sp Selección y organización del personal (Staffing and Organizing Your Team) in Spanish
ASL104-SP: Selección y organización del personal (Staffing and Organizing Your Team - impartido en español) ¡Inscripciones abiertas!
En este curso identificamos cómo escribir descripciones de puestos disponibles en el trabajo para atraer a los mejores candidatos. Aprenderá a encontrar empleados con un perfil deseado, cómo entrevistar y seleccionar a las personas adecuadas. Descubrirá cómo completar la documentación de nuevos empleados, la autorización de empleo y la contratación de personal (on-boarding): es decir, cómo efectivamente incorporar nuevos empleados al rancho en una manera exitosa y productiva.
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Inicio del curso: miércoles, 12 de noviembre de 2025
Discusiones en vivo por Zoom: Cada martes 18 de noviembre - 23 de diciembre, de 1:00 a 2:00 p.m. (hora del Este)
ASL 105 Employee Development and Training
November 17, 2025 : ASL 105: Employment Development and Training
ASL105: Employee Development and Training
Three leadership practices are essential for supervisors: setting clear expectations, employee training and development, and providing performance feedback.
In Employee Development and Training you will learn best practices to plan and conduct training that engages employees, supports retention, and helps ensure great quality work. You will also learn how to create a culture of continuous learning and performance improvement through employee development, coaching, and career planning. This is a 6-week online course, taught in English.
Topics include:
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Course begins: Wednesday, November 12 Live Zoom discussions: Tuesdays, 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM ET beginning November 18 through December 23.
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