Ready to get your hands dirty and start planting potatoes? I’ll walk you through each step, just like I would with your teenage sibling. We’ll cover everything from “how to plant and grow potatoes” to “when to plant potatoes” and how to care for them as they sprout. Let’s turn you into a potato planting pro!
Choosing Your Potatoes
Start with Seed Potatoes: These are specially prepared for planting and free from diseases. Seed potatoes are organic as well. This means they are not treated with any chemicals to stop them from sprouting. This is why they are the best option if this is your first time planting potatoes.
Selecting Varieties: Consider early, mid, or late-season types depending on when you want to harvest.
Preparing Your Potatoes
Chitting: Start by sprouting your potatoes in a cool, light place to give them a head start. You can read more about this in our other article “Easy Potato Sprouting Tips.”
Cutting Pieces: Larger potatoes can be cut into smaller pieces, each with 1-2 eyes. Each potato piece will sprout a new plant, so it really is a great way of increasing your potato harvest.
Preparing Your Soil
Location: Choose a sunny spot with well-draining soil. Potato plants need a lot of sunlight to thrive. You also do not want waterlogged soil, as this will give diseases the moisture they need to thrive.
Soil Prep: Loosen the soil and enrich it with compost or well-rotted manure for nutrients. We also supplement the soil with bonemeal, as it is a great organic and slow releasing supplement. On-top of that it contains both phosphorus and calcium. The phosphorus is an essential nutrient for the healthy development of roots and tubers (potatoes). While the Calcium in the bonemeal is important form potato cell walls.
Planting Potatoes in the ground
Small potato plants sprouting from the seed potatoes
Planting Potatoes
Timing: “When to plant potatoes?” Generally, plant them about two weeks after the last frost in spring. For more precise times check your region’s potato growing season for more specific times.
How Deep and Apart: Dig trenches about 6 inches deep and plant the potatoes 12 inches apart.
Placing the Potatoes: “ How do I plant potatoes?” Place them eye-side-up in the trench and cover with 3 inches of soil.
Caring for Your Potatoes
Watering: Keep the soil moist, especially during the flowering and tuber-forming stages. This is after the plants started blooming.
Hilling: As plants grow, mound more soil around the base to cover emerging tubers and prevent greening. You need to do this multiple times and keep the tubers covered in soil.
Potatoes in Grow or containers bags: We planted our potatoes in grow bags. In this method of planting potatoes, you plant the potatoes with a few inches of soil and then add more soil as the potato plants reach a certain height. Remember to keep enough leaves above the soil, so the plants can keep growing. You repeat this step until the container or grow bag is full.
FAQs About Planting Potatoes
When is the best time to “sow potatoes”? Usually, 2 weeks after the last spring frost.
How do I know if my potatoes are chitted enough? Look for sprouts about 1 inch long.
What should I do if my potato plants aren’t growing well? Ensure they’re getting enough sun and water and check for pests.
Can I “plant with potatoes” from the store? It’s best to use certified seed potatoes to avoid diseases.
How deep do i plant potatoes About 6 inches (15cm) deep and 12 inches (30cm) apart.
How early can you plant potatoes About 2 weeks after the last spring frost, when the soil is warm enough the potatoes to sprout.
How to get potato seed? Potato plants grow from potatoes. Potatoes form eyes that are small sprouts. For best results you seed potatoes are used. These potatoes are organic and not treated with any chemicals. They are also the best way to avoid introducing potato related diseases that store bought potatoes might be carrying.
Conclusion
Planting potatoes might seem daunting, but with these steps, you’ll feel like a seasoned gardener in no time! Remember, it’s about enjoying the process as much as the harvest. So, don your gloves, and let’s start planting. Before you know it, you’ll be digging up your very own home-grown potatoes!
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Planted your first potato or ran into some sprouting issues? Share your stories or questions below. We’re here to help you grow your green thumb!