Status: 04/03/2023 2:28 p.m
You can easily grow potatoes yourself, even in a bucket. From April, early varieties can be planted in the ground. How are potatoes planted and at what distance? When is the right time for harvest?
Potatoes are one of the most popular foods and are very healthy. They taste particularly delicious when they are grown in-house. If you don’t have a garden or only little space, you can plant potatoes in a pot on the balcony instead of in the bed. A raised bed is also very suitable: good yields can be achieved in just one square meter of space.
When to plant potatoes?
The right time to plant has come when the soil temperature is at least seven degrees. The bed can be covered with garden fleece as support. In this way, the heat is stored better in the ground.
Special seed potatoes available in specialist shops are used for cultivation. Alternatively, organic potatoes are suitable; in contrast to conventional goods, they are not treated with a germ-stopping agent. Since potatoes are among the heavy consumers and need a lot of nutrients to grow, the soil should be enriched with manure – preferably in autumn. Alternatively when planting in spring compost or other incorporate organic fertilizer into the soil.
Drive potatoes from the end of February for an early harvest
With potatoes, it is worth promoting early varieties such as “Glorietta” and “Paroli” from the end of February. The harvest then takes place earlier, the susceptibility to diseases decreases and the yield is higher.
A box filled with soil is ideal for promoting early potato varieties.
For example, take egg cardboard and fill the depressions with potting soil. Alternatively, a wooden box can also be used. Plant the seed potatoes halfway into the ground. Then place the potatoes in a warm place between 10 and 15 degrees for 10 to 14 days. It is important that the new potatoes get plenty of light, for example on the window sill of a basement window or in the greenhouse. They need a sandy and nutrient-rich soil.
Further information
Plant sprouted potatoes in April
Depending on the soil temperature, the potatoes can be transplanted into the bed around the beginning of April. If the weather is right, early varieties can be planted as early as March. A small cultivation area is recommended for early potatoes, as the tubers are not particularly storable and are more suitable for everyday use. Potatoes for the winter supply can be planted later – whether it’s a red-skinned one like “Laura” or the small “Bamberger Hörnchen” – there’s a large selection here.
Planting potatoes: distance and depth
The sprouted potatoes are about ten centimeters deep in the ground.
Potatoes should only grow in the same spot in the bed every four years. This reduces the risk of diseases. Plant at a distance of 30 to 35 centimetres. The row spacing in the weed-free bed should be about 70 to 80 centimeters. With the eyes or the shoots pointing upwards, the potatoes are about ten centimeters deep in the ground. Tip: never put potatoes next to each other plant tomatoes. The Late blight, a fungal disease, can spread from potatoes to tomatoes.
Mound potatoes regularly for a rich harvest
A planting ditch is not necessarily common in potato cultivation. With the early varieties, however, it is advisable because the furrow can still be filled with compost. This gives the potatoes enough nutrients. If the earth is heaped up after planting, there is a larger surface and more heat from the sun can be stored.
At the latest when the first shoots are about 20 centimeters high, potatoes should be regularly heaped with soil. This also prevents daughter tubers from growing out of the ground and becoming green and inedible through photosynthesis. When piling up – about every two to three weeks – be sure to remove weeds as well.
Growing potatoes in a pot on the balcony
Potatoes can also be grown on the balcony or terrace, namely in large garden tubs, buckets or planting bags. To do this, fill a plastic bucket that is as high and large as possible, ten centimeters high, with gravel or expanded clay. It is important to have holes in the bottom so that excess water can drain away. Then follows a 15 centimeter high layer of potting soil. Place four seed potatoes on the prepared layer of soil. When, after a short time, with an even water supply, shoots about ten centimeters long have grown, pile up more soil until only the tips of the leaves are sticking out.
Repeat the process until the planter is completely full. After about 100 days, the harvest can begin. The same layering principle can also be used in raised beds. Varieties such as “Rosa Tannenspitzen”, the waxy “La Ratte” or the mealy variety “Golden Wonder” are well suited.
Identify the right time to harvest
A digging fork is ideal for harvesting potatoes without damaging them.
About three months after planting, you can start harvesting the potatoes. Then their dormant phase begins, which is reflected in the yellow-brownish and withered plant parts above ground. To test, dig up a potato plant. If the tubers come off easily and the skin cannot be rubbed off with your fingers, it is time to harvest, for example with a digging fork. If you like, you can then remove any leftovers from the potato plants and grow another vegetable.
Further information
