How To Grow Potatoes

T(caps)he history of potato started around 350 million years ago, when they started to evolve from the poisonous ancestor of the plant nightshade. Potato slowly evolved into its current form in the South American Andean highlands between Peru and Bolivia. Human settlers reached that part of our world around 15 thousand years ago, and managed to domesticate wild potato around 8 millennia BC.  Potato slowly started its journey across the continent, but it received great attention in the 1500s when first Spanish conquistadors started exploring beyond the coasts of South America, especially after 1530s when they searched for gold in Peru. Among their numerous discoveries, potato received a very notable attention, and they brought that plant to Europe between the years of 1570 and 1593 . In 20th century, potato became across entire world as one of the most beloved and produced food sources, effectively becoming the most essential crop of Europe. Its high caloric value and wide variety of types enabled it to appear in every cuisine in the world. Today, it’s difficult to imagine a diet without potatoes. They have somehow become one of the most popular and recognized foods on the planet. Potato lovers and even those who don’t like them, will be equally delighted to know that potatoes have nutritional components that go far beyond carbohydrates and calories, and they can be an extremely beneficial addition to any dietary plan. Potatoes are one of the most common and important food sources on the planet, and they contain a wealth of health benefits that make them all the more essential as a staple dietary item for much of the world’s population. These health benefits include their ability to improve digestion, reduce cholesterol levels, boost heart health, protect from polyps, prevent cancer, and manage diabetes. They strengthen the immune system, reduce signs of aging, protect the skin, increase circulation, reduce blood pressure, maintain fluid balance, reduce insomnia, and aid in eye care.

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Potatoes are relatively inexpensive to purchase, but freshly dug potatoes have a flavor all their own and you have hundreds of different varieties to choose from. There are actually over 1,000 different varieties of potatoes available for growing. Store-bought potatoes are often treated to reduce sprouting, or are not the best varieties for all parts of the country. For these reasons, it is very important to start with “certified seed potatoes” which are disease-free. Interesting varieties can be found online, but the best varieties for your area are usually sold at the right season to plant at area garden centers. Potatoes are a great investment in space and time that will give every gardener a tasty reward that can be stored for months.

 How to Grow Potatoes 

Chitting Potatoes

When you receive your seed potatoes, set them out in a cool, dry and bright position to allow them to start sprouting (this process is called chitting). Aim to start chitting your potatoes 6 weeks before you plan to plant them.

From late January/ February, chit your seed potatoes by setting them out in seed trays, shallow boxes or empty egg cartons in a cool, bright, frost free position (10C/ 50F) to allow them to sprout. You will notice that the immature 'chits' are all at one end (called the rose end). Place the rose end upwards. Sturdy 'chits' will form and should attain up to 25mm (1") in length.

Seed potatoes, benefit from 'chitting' prior to being planted. This will cause the eyes of the seed potato to start sprouting. The sprouts should be small, knobbly, and green/purple in colour. If you end up with long, white coloured sprouts, it means there’s not enough light, or you’re sprouting shop bought potatoes. This process encourages strong shoots to sprout over several weeks to encourage faster growth and heavier crops once they in the ground.

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Once each of your seed potatoes have got 2-3 good sized ‘chits’ or sprouts on them, it’s time to plant them out in soil, whether you grow them in the ground or in containers. If any tubers have more than 3 chits/sprouts on them, rub the excess off. This is to ensure a better harvest, as there will be less underground shoots to share the goodness sent underground by the plant, so you might get less tubers, but the ones you get will be bigger.

Watch How to Chit Potatoes Video

Preparing The Soil to Plant Potatoes

Potatoes always do best in full sun. They are aggressively rooting plants, and i find that they will produce the best crop when planted in a light, loose, well-drained soil. Potatoes prefer a slightly acid soil with a PH of 5.0 to 7.0. Fortunately potatoes are very adaptable and will almost always produce a respectable crop, even when the soil conditions and growing seasons are less than perfect. Potatoes need plenty of sunshine and loose, loamy soil. With a garden fork, work some compost or other garden conditioner into the garden bed. Adding organic matter (composted green waste, composted manure, cover crops or leaves) is a good way to improve the soil before growing potatoes. Prepare the soil well by digging to a depth of 12-18 inches and working in organic matter. Potatoes like a well-drained sandy loam soil.

Adding Organic Chicken Manure to The Garden Soil Video

There's nothing like the taste of fresh, home-grown potatoes and they're so easy to grow whatever the size of your garden. You can grow them in the ground, on your patio or even grow them on your balcony! They're also packed with nutrients , a great source of vitamin C, B6, and Potassium to name just a few. Potatoes are easily the most versatile vegetable around, proven by their abilities to be mashed, fried, baked, boiled, and more. So, why not skip the produce section and grow these resourceful vegetables in your own garden? All you need is a sunny space to grow, a steady supply of water, and seed potatoes!

 Planting Potatoes 

Potatoes are one of the most rewarding vegetables to grow in a vegetable garden. They are fairly easy to grow and produce many delicious tubers that can be prepared in a limitless amount of dishes. Growing potatoes takes just a bit of preparation, a little bit of work, and some fun digging at harvest time.

If you'd like to plant your potatoes in the ground, then simply break up the soil with a garden fork and dig in some organic matter such as compost  or well rotted manure. Plant your 'chitted' potatoes 30cm (1') apart for first and second Earlie's and 45cm apart for main crop types. Rows should be set out 60cm (2') apart. Plant your potatoes with the sprouts upright, at a depth of about 10-15cm (3-6 inches). Cover the potatoes with soil and water them in. It is so important to earth up potato crops as the shoots emerge above ground, to protect them from frosts which blacken the shoots and delay production. Simply draw some soil over the top of the shoots to cover them again.

Once the plants are 25cm (10 inches) tall, draw up the soil around them about half way up the stem. This is called 'earthing up' and prevents potatoes near the surface from turning green and inedible. It is so important to earth up potato crops as the shoots emerge above ground, to protect them from frosts which blacken the shoots and delay production. Simply draw some soil over the top of the shoots to cover them again.

Let the plants start to grow and then continue to fill in the trench and even mound the soil around the plants as they continue to grow. Keep your potato vines well watered throughout the summer. Potatoes are thirsty plants when developing so make sure to keep the soil consistently moist until the plant begins to bloom, especially during the period when the plants are flowering and immediately following the flowering stage. During this flowering period the plants are creating their tubers and a steady water supply is crucial to good crop outcome. Potatoes do well with 1-2 inches of water or rain per week. When the foliage turns yellow and begins to die back, discontinue watering. This will help start curing the potatoes for harvest time.

 Planting Potatoes In Bags  

Not everyone has space for planting potatoes, in fact not everyone has a garden. However, just about everyone can enjoy harvesting a few of their home grown potatoes in summer using old plastic compost bags, plastic bags or you can purchase Potato Planter Bags from Here. The potato is a favorite and versatile food that proves easy and inexpensive to grow. Home gardeners traditionally hill potatoes to encourage them to produce lots of roots and hence lots of tubers. This method takes some space and there is a high probability that you won’t get all the spuds out of the earth when you harvest.

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Grow bags for potatoes are an excellent solution for patio or small space gardeners. The  bag lets the plant spread out its roots and you can still add layers of soil. The reason for layering is the same as hilling. Potato tubers send out roots at the eyes, which branch out in soil. The more you cover the top of the root zone, the more roots they send out. More roots equal more potatoes.

• Prepare potatoes by letting them sprout several days before planting. 
• Place the  bag in a sunny place in your garden, patio or other growing spot.
• Roll down the sides of the  bag.
• Make holes in the bottom of the bag for drainage.
• Fill the bottom of the bag with good organic soil mix.
• Plant potatoes about 2-3” deep in little hills with sprouts facing up.
• Cover potatoes with soil mix and water.
• Keep plants watered, but not wet.
• When the leafy shoots are about 6-7” tall, roll the trash bag up a bit and add soil mix to cover all but the top few leaves. As the plants grow, repeat this process, keeping the potatoes buried and mulched.
• Keep soil watered, but not soggy.
• When the leaves on the plants turn yellow and the foliage starts to dry, stop watering so the potato skins can dry.
• To harvest potatoes, carefully cut the side of the trash bag and remove potatoes.

Watch How to Plant Potatoes in Containers

  🛒 Best Growing Bags For Vegetables 🛒

Common Potatoes Problems 

.Potato blackleg

Potato blackleg is a common bacterial disease which causes black rotting at the stem base. Initial infections cause stunted growth and yellowing stems. If tubers form, the flesh may be grey or brown and rotten.
Remove and destroy infected plants. Rotate crops. Buy resistant varieties such as Charlotte, Pixie and Saxon.

. Potato rot

Potato tuber rots are a frequent cause of losses prior to, or after, lifting. Significant problems often follow a wet growing season, particularly if the tubers are then lifted from wet soil.
Use good quality, resistant certified seed tubers when planting and harvest when the soil is neither wet nor very hard and dry. Store in cool, dry conditions.

. Potato Scab

Common Scab leaves corky lesions on the skins of potatoes and limits their storage potential. Whilst this disease does not affect the taste and can easily be peeled off, it does make potatoes less visually appealing. It is caused by a bacteria that is often present in manures and is exacerbated in limy and sandy soils, and under dry conditions.
Common Scab on potatoes is best controlled by improving poor soil conditions with the addition of organic matter and by keeping potato crops well watered throughout the growing season. Use any infected tubers first and do not store them.

. Slugs

Slugs cause damage to both the foliage and to the developing potato tubers. Damage is fairly obvious as the culprits are easily identified by the silvery slime trails that are left around the plant foliage and on the soil surface.
There are a multitude of ways to kill slugs and snails including homemade remedies such as beer traps.

Harvesting Potatoes 

On average, potatoes mature in about 70 or 100-plus days. One clue that the potatoes are almost ready to harvest is that the leaves will yellow and the foliage will die back. It’s best to leave them in the ground for two or three weeks after this point so that their skins toughen up. Gently dig around the plants to remove potatoes for fresh eating, being careful not to be too intrusive. Try to remove the biggest new potatoes and leave the smaller ones in place so they can continue to grow. Only take what you need for immediate eating. Homegrown new potatoes are a luxury and should be used the same day that they are dug.
 Start to harvest first earlies as 'new potatoes' when the plants begin to flower, approximately 10 weeks from planting. Tubers will generally become larger the longer their growing period. Main crop varieties are usually left for at least two weeks after the leaves and haulms (stems) have withered, to allow the skins to set. Cut down the stems with secateurs to just above soil level as the leaves wither and yellow, or if they show signs of blight. 

 Storing Potatoes 

After harvesting, set the tubers out in a dry, well ventilated position for a few hours to dry and cure the skin. Once dry store them in paper or hessian potato sacks in a dark, cool but frost free place. Avoid storing in polythene bags as potatoes will 'sweat' and rot.

The taste and texture of fresh potatoes are very different than those you buy from the store. Enjoy the Rewards of Growing Your Own Potatoes!

🛒 Organic US Grown Potato Medley Mix - 10 Seed Potatoes Mixed Colors Red, Purple  and Yellow from Easy to Grow Bulbs! 🛒

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