Quote:
Originally Posted by Old Mechanic
Remember the Irish potato famine, when it was cold enough to kill the potatos which grow underground.
|
Just plain wrong. The Irish Potato Famine was caused by a disease
Phytophthora infestans - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia which in fact requires fairly warm temperatures (and humidity) to spread.
PS: And in case you've never grown potatos, or seen them growing, the plant part does grow above ground. (And is poisonous.) It's quite tender, and will be killed by a sharp frost, but on the other hand it doesn't grow well in high temperatures. For me the aboveground plant usually dies off in August.
The potatos we eat are enlarged roots, or tubers. These can survive cold winters underground. Most gardeners will have noticed "volunteer" potato plants coming up where last year's crop grew. (It's advisable not to plant potatos in the same spot every year, as this can lead to buildup of soil diseases.)