By Esther E. McGinnis, Horticulturist, NDSU Extension
Dakota Gardener: Spuds, superstitions and springtime soil
The Good Friday planting tradition is part of the potato’s rich and complicated cultural history. (Pixabay photo)
One of my students posed the question, “Why does tradition suggest that we should plant our seed potatoes on Good Friday?” Yes, my student stumped me and motivated me to research the origins of this advice.
The answer lies in the global history of food crops. Native to the mountains of Peru, the potato was grown by ancient peoples predating the Inca. Spanish conquistadors arrived in South America i…