Growing Potatoes: A Complete Guide to Planting and Harvesting
Potatoes are a versatile vegetable that can be enjoyed in many different ways. Whether you prefer them mashed, fried, or roasted, potatoes are a popular ingredient in many dishes. But have you ever thought about growing your own potatoes? In this episode of Garden With Us, two dudes take on the challenge of planting 200 potatoes for fall.
Jacques and his friend talk about the magical potato, which is one of their favorite vegetables of all time. They discuss different varieties of potatoes and how to grow them. They even unbox some German Butterball potatoes and explain how to cut them up into pieces for planting.
When it comes to planting potatoes, the most critical factor is spacing. Potatoes grow underground, and some varieties set heavier than others. If you want to avoid a lower yield, it’s important to understand the varieties and space them accordingly. Heavy setters should be planted about 15 to 18 inches apart, while others can be planted just a foot apart.
If you’re interested in growing potatoes, you can start by ordering seed potatoes from a reputable supplier like Wood Prairie Farms, a small family farm in Maine that grows delicious potatoes. When you receive your seed potatoes, you’ll want to choose ones that are about the size of a large egg. While it’s optional to cut them up into little pieces, doing so can result in a better yield since they won’t crowd as much.
Potatoes have eyes on them, which are little indentations where the initial shoots come out of as the potatoes sprout. You’ll want to choose seed potatoes with two to three eyes per section. If you’re using small potatoes, you can just plant the whole potato without having to cut it open.
Once you’ve chosen your seed potatoes and prepared them for planting, it’s time to start digging. Potatoes prefer loose, well-draining soil, so make sure to work the soil before planting. Plant the seed potatoes about 4 inches deep with the eyes facing up, and cover them with soil.
Potatoes require consistent moisture to grow properly, so make sure to water them regularly. As the plants grow, you’ll need to hill them, which means mounding soil around the base of the plant. This helps to protect the developing potatoes from sunlight and pests, and also promotes better drainage.
When it’s time to harvest your potatoes, you’ll want to wait until the plants have died back. This usually occurs in late summer or early fall, depending on your climate. Carefully dig up the potatoes and allow them to dry in the sun for a few days before storing them in a cool, dark place.
In conclusion, growing potatoes can be a fun and rewarding experience. With a little bit of preparation and care, you can enjoy a bountiful harvest of fresh, delicious potatoes that you’ve grown yourself. Happy gardening!
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For warmer-climate growers, now is the best time to get your potatoes in the ground to grow over the mild winter and wake up to a beautiful spring harvest. If you’re in a cold climate, follow along for instructions for spring!
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TIMESTAMP
00:00 – Intro
00:25 – Varieties
01:25 – How Do They Grow
03:10 – Planting & Spacing
08:42 – Planting Potato In Raised Beds
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Blue potatoes are from Chiloe Island in Chile
I was pleasantly surprised when potatoes grew fine in my horrible Virginia clay, though the size and quantity suffered from the sheer physical restriction. Breaking up the soil structure and adding a few buckets of creek mud per row, predictably, offered an incredible advantage. It's funny how delighted one can be by an unsurprising result.
I don't deal with grubs. I have a millipede issue. I've always heard they were good. But these are eating my plant roots and killing them. Have you heard of this? I can't find much on the subject.
Chitting is when we leave our potatoes in an egg carton or wherever before planting so they start sprouting, then we know to put them in the ground 🙂 chitting is the process!
Thanks for the tips!
2nd year now, growing the Purple Peruvian Potato (All deep purple throughout) you are really going to enjoy them. I make a garlic smashed potato with the blue, and another batch with Red Thumb. nice presentation
my favorite thing about potatoes is that digging them up is like christmas. you never know what you're going to get.
Yes, please do a video on getting rid of grubs!
Are all your potatoes determinate? If so, they don’t need hilling. If you’ve got indeterminate, then hilling will give you a better harvest.
I grew All Blue this year and they are very good. Smooth flesh when boiled or roasted. If boiled they lose theirs color and turn the water green
I love potatoes but we have a mole problem. 🙁
Edit…RAISED BEDS!! Okay, I’m doing this!
Can you mulch them with leaves? I have a lot of leaves is why I am asking.
Weirdly I haven’t had any luck growing from purchased seed potatoes so far. I’ve only had decent yields from grocery store potatoes that start sprouting on me.
You mentioned that they need a lot of water. I grew some potatoes this year, and I didn't notice them wilting at all even though I hardly ever watered them. Most of them were less productive than I expected, but I'm not sure if that's due to the relatively high clay content of the soil, or if it was because of the low watering. I'm thinking the clay in the soil may have held onto water longer than other soil would and kept the potatoes hydrated longer. How do you know when potatoes need watering, or do you just give them plenty of water?
Sarpo Mera potatoes are popular with English gardeners apparently. Enjoy!
I applied all 3 spectrums of nematodes from Arbico and followed the directions. They did nothing. I had to dig the grubs out by hand.
You guys should check out "Cultivariable". It's an online store run by an awesome guy who breeds exotic Andean potatoes.
You should copyright Taties
This was easily one of my top 5 favourite potato unboxing videos. Thank you for that.
They are frost sensitive so good luck with that. The first frost where I live is in a month from now but I am further North than you.
Looking forward to grow potatoes next spring. Had some really good weather for November, it was awesome to be in double digits. But now a cold front is coming and it sucks. Did get some raspberries from my bush. Zone 5b out here.
Great video. I noticed you had irrigation pipes on the raised bed. Do potates need a lot of water, how often do you water them and how much if not on the irrigation system.