It’s worth experimenting with some of the many varieties of potatoes available. There is a wide range of traditional and new disease-resistant varieties, each characterized by their unique taste, texture (waxy or floury), size, color and suitability for different growing conditions and culinary applications. One of the biggest advantages of growing your own potatoes is the abundance of varieties available, meaning you can find potatoes to suit every taste. Would you also like to know how to plant potatoes correctly?
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Regardless of the variety, the humble potato remains one of the country’s most popular vegetables. If you are a potato lover, you can grow a variety of interesting varieties that you will not find in stores. Even if you don’t have a garden, you can grow many of these plants in large containers on a patio or balcony.
When should you plant potatoes? The right planting time
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Plant your garden potatoes two to four weeks before the usual last frost date. Soil temperatures should be 13 degrees Celsius during the day and 7 degrees Celsius at night. However, when choosing when to plant, pay more attention to the soil than to the calendar. But you can start growing at the beginning of April (or even March). The exact date depends on your region.
Planting potatoes correctly – tips
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Seed potatoes, sometimes delivered in bags or nets, are potatoes intended for planting. Choose seed potatoes with prominent eyes (buds) that have been rated as disease resistant. Do not confuse seed potatoes with potato seeds or regular potatoes.
After receiving the potatoes, carefully separate them from the packaging, spread them out on a tray made from an old egg carton and place them in a well-lit, frost-free place to grow, for example a windowsill.
Although it’s not strictly necessary, chopping the potatoes will help them ripen faster and take root eagerly when planted. If you cut the potatoes in half, you can get additional planting material for free. If they have multiple “eyes” or small dimples from which the sprouts grow, you can do this. It is therefore best to place the potatoes with most of the eyes facing upwards.
At least two days before planting, cut large potatoes into golf ball-sized pieces with 1 to 2 eyes each using a clean, sharp paring knife. The pieces may grow together during this time or form a protective coating over the cut surface, improving its ability to retain moisture and fight rot.
Prepare planting site
To prepare the outdoor planting site, simply sprinkle compost over the surface to a depth of about 3 inches. Since potatoes are quite voracious plants, providing them with additional nutrients ensures healthy soil and a bountiful harvest.
How deep to grow, spacing, etc.
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Many people use a hilling method to grow potatoes. The seed potatoes are buried deeply, and as the plant grows, the stems are gradually buried by hilling up the soil around them. Dig a trench 4 to 6 inches deep. Space the potatoes 30 to 35 cm apart and plant them cut side down with the eyes facing upwards. A row spacing of at least 70 – 80 cm is recommended. After the seedlings germinate, cover the soil with mulch to keep it moist, prevent weeds and reduce the soil temperature.
When the plant has reached a height of around 15 – 20 cm, you can pile it up. Continue adding mounds of soil around the plants as they develop. The goal is to put a third of the plant underground. The submerged stems increase potato yields. In theory, you can keep piling on the potatoes until they are completely tender. But if you don’t surround the hills with stones or bricks, they will be eroded by wind and rain. Keep piling up the potato plants until they bloom and reach a height of at least 12 inches above the ground.
Pay attention to watering
Even moisture is ideal for potatoes. Give the plants 1-2 inches of water every week. Misshapen tubers can be caused by irregular watering. Reduce watering once the leaves begin to wilt and wither.
When are the potatoes ripe?
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Depending on the variety, potatoes need between 70 and 90 days until they are ripe and can be harvested. After the leaves wither, the tubers are prepared for harvesting. Pick only the potatoes you plan to eat immediately and dig carefully around the plant.
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