Are you curious about how to plant potatoes in your own home and enjoy fresh and delicious potatoes? Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) can be grown anywhere, whether you are growing in a container, pot, planter, or backyard. Planting potatoes is ideal for beginners and seasonal growers. Knowing how to grow potatoes properly can ensure a healthy and bumper crop.
In this article, you will learn everything about how long potatoes take to grow, from selecting seeds to harvesting the first crop.
When to Potatoes
Potatoes are a cool-season vegetable grown from tubers rather than actual seeds. They are grown before 2-4 weeks of expected frost experienced the previous year. Potatoes take 70 to 120 days to mature, depending on the variety and climatic conditions.
The planting time of garden potatoes depends on the region and varieties. In the Northern U.S., they grow from April to May. In the Southern U.S., the ideal time is February to March. At the same time, March to April is perfect for coastal areas.
How Deep Do You Plant Potatoes
There are different steps to grow potatoes, including.
How to Grow Potatoes in a Container
Garden potatoes are grown in a 15-20 gallon container or growing bag. Pick a large container with a good drainage hole and fill it with soil and compost. Place the potato tubers 3-4 inches deep, covering with soil. Water them regularly to keep them in a moist but not soggy condition.
How to Plant Potatoes in a Pot
Do not worry if you have no space for growing potatoes. You can plant potatoes in a pot, prepare a soil mixture, and fill it with 3 inches of soil. Then, place one or two potato tubers and cover them with soil. Once growing has started, add more potting mix until the level of soil reaches the top and plants attain full size. After 70 to 120 days, you can enjoy fresh pot-grown potatoes at home.
How to Plant Potatoes From Eyes
Planting potatoes from the eyes is a common practice. For this purpose, cut the seed potatoes into two halves that have buds (eyes) on each part. Place them for a few days to cure, and then plant them in well-drained soil, keeping the eyes (buds) upward 4-6 inches deep and 12 inches apart. As plants grow, earth up the soil around them to enhance growth.
Dig V-Shaped Trenches
To plant potatoes, dig 2- to 2.5-foot-deep trenches 12 inches apart. Place a layer of garden compost with chicken manure pellets on the bottom. Place tubers with sprouts facing up, keeping a distance of 12 inches between them, and cover with 3 to 4 inches of soil initially.
Hill Method
If you are growing potatoes in the ground or raised beds, hilling up around the stems is necessary for developing good taste in potatoes. Hill up the soil around stems after 1 to 2 weeks; continue until the hill is 12 inches tall. This method increases the crop yield and lowers greening.
How to Know When Potatoes Are Ready to Harvest
How To Harvest Potatoes
When are potatoes ready to harvest? The ideal time for harvesting young baby potatoes is about 2 to 3 weeks after the flowering of the plants. Dig up gently around the stems of plants and pull up the tubers without disturbing the rest of the plant.
For mature potatoes, the harvesting indication is that the leaves of the plant turn yellow and die back, and flowers start withering. These are signs that your potatoes have matured. Before harvesting the crop, cut back the foliage and dig up the potatoes on a dry day.
Use a garden fork or spade to lift tubers gently. Leave the tubers on the ground for a few hours to dry the skin and get ready to store. Remove the dust from the tubers and cure them in a dark, cool place for 1-2 weeks before storing.
How to Store Potatoes
If you are using fresh potatoes, it’s ok. You can store potatoes for a longer time by providing suitable conditions. Potatoes need 45 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit during storage. They are kept in a dark place with proper ventilation and fresh air. Monitor your potatoes regularly and remove the ones that turn green or start to rot. 80 to 90% humidity is necessary to prevent drying up.
Pests and Diseases of Potatoes
Colorado Potato Beetles
The most common pests of potatoes are Colorado potato beetles and aphids. Colorado potato beetles lay yellow- to orange-colored eggs in patches on the underside of the leaf; larvae and adults chew the leaves and make holes in them. To control beetles, use mulch and rotate crops every three years. If the problem continues, apply any organic pesticide to kill them.
Aphids
The symptoms of aphids are yellowing of leaves, sticky honeydew, and sooty mold or black mold on leaves. To control aphids, grow companion plants around the potatoes, spray them with insecticidal soap, and add native plants to invite the beneficial insects.
Potato Scab
The potato scab is the most common disease of potatoes, which causes brownness or roughness on the surface of potato tubers. It is a bacterial disease. To avoid the scab, it is necessary to keep regular watering and air circulation, especially when tubers are developing. Do not use organic manure. Choose the resistant and certified disease-free potato seeds.
Early and Late Blight
Other dangerous diseases of potatoes are early and late blight; these are both viral diseases. Early blight causes the turning of leaves into yellow, making rings around them, and ultimately death; stems and tubers are more affected.
In late blight, leaves turn from greenish to grey, with water-soaked spots on the leaves that turn brown. Tubers develop reddish-brown and dry. To avoid the blight, choose resistant and certified disease-free varieties. Avoid overwatering. Rotate crops. Destroy the infected plants.
Conclusion
Gaining knowledge on how to plant potatoes gives you the courage to grow one of the most versatile and satisfying crops right in your backyard or at home. Whether in pots, containers, raised beds, or garden beds, with proper care, timing, and a little patience. You will enjoy a bumper crop of homegrown potatoes in a few months.
So get your certified disease-free potato seeds, prepare your soil, and start growing because there is nothing quite like the taste of delicious potatoes from your own home.
FAQs On How to Plant Potatoes
What is the best way to plant potatoes?
Trenching is the easiest method for planting potatoes. Dig a trench 6 to 8 inches deep, place the potato tubers facing up in the bottom, and cover them with a 4-inch layer of compost and soil mixture.
Do potatoes grow best in full sun or shade?
For a healthy and good yield of potatoes, 6-8 hours of direct sunlight are necessary per day.
How long does a potato take to grow?
The time of potato maturity depends on regions, varieties, and the purpose of growing. 70 to 120 days are enough for potatoes to mature.
How many potatoes per plant?
Potato yield depends on varieties and climatic conditions. You can get 3 to 5 pounds of potatoes per plant.
