Growing Potatoes

Plant Your Sprouting Potatoes

Spring is upon us and the potatoes under the sink or in the pantry are sprouting. If used soon, they may still be edible, but if they have gone soft or have too many sprouts, why not plant them? The easiest way is just to bury the whole potato about four inches deep.

As they grow, there will be a green plant that lets you know where the main steam is. After a while you may start to see potatoes coming to the surface. Cover these with more soil or straw. Keep covering any potatoes you see with more soil. Do not pick or eat green potatoes.

After a month, loosely turn soil of the largest green stalk and see how your potatoes are doing. You can harvest them at any size as long as they are not green. If they aren't big enough, push them back in the ground and cover.

I have had the best results with red and yukon gold but russets have done OK. I've gotten a few pounds of potatoes with almost no work and its great fun to grow something from what others would consider garbage.

While you're at it, throw any rotten tomatoes in the ground. The grape and cherry always grow in my garden.

By Maureen1010 from IL

Plant Old Winter Potatoes

I always have wrinkly old potatoes left over from my winter "load-up" in the fall. I plant them in the garden, cutting them in pieces and making sure that each piece has one or two "eyes". I plant them 6 inches deep with the eyes facing up. I always get results without wasting any of the potatoes. It works for me.

By Anne from Green Bay, WI

Plant Sprouting Potatoes

My neighbor planted some Red Russets late February. That's the appropriate time for planting potatoes in our region. None have broken through the ground yet. That's a good thing because our official last frost date is April 15. We probably wont have any more frost this season, but Mother Nature knows best and she will decide when the potatoes should poke their foliage through the soil.

I, on the other hand, like to experiment. I bought two 5 lb bags of White Russets. They started to sprout before I could cook them all. I said 'What the heck, I'll cut off some sprouts and plant them indoors, just to see what happens'.

Well, my neighbor's spuds aren't up yet, but mine are. About a foot, actually. I think we've seen our last frost, but I believe it's still cold enough to hurt the foliage, if I were to I put them out now.

I'm going to send the local Ag Agent a picture of my potatoes and ask him how they should be treated at this time; wait a while, plant now, plant now with protection against cold? etc.

Everyone should know their local Ag Agent. Your taxes pays their salary. They are there to help you with gardening questions and there's no charge for their services. I haven't met one yet who wasn't very nice and very anxious to answer my questions.

PS: I planted several containers of Yukon Gold as well, and under the same conditions. None have sprouted. I assume they had been treated to prevent sprouting. Oh, well, guess I'll have to buy a bag of Yukon Gold seed potatoes. It'll be worth it. They arethe best potato I've ever tasted.

By likekinds

Plant Potatoes With Wet Newspaper

I was brought up in Wales UK. in the late 40's, so everything was scarce or 'on ration'. When potato planting time came around, we always saved old newspapers to soak in water the night before to bed the drills before popping the seed potato in and covering with soil. Sure enough, we always had a bumper crop.

By Jeta from Cumbria, UK

Easy Grow Potatoes In Boxes

Want to grow potatoes? Lacking the gumption to dig them up? Here's the answer: Boxes. Pick a spot in your yard where you'd like to improve the soil a bit and set out your boxes (at least the size of a 5 gallon bucket).

Fill the boxes with dirt and plant your potatoes, remember to water and weed. When it comes time, either break, tear, or dump the dirt from the boxes and pick up the 'taters!

Potatoes in Tires

We just had our first frost last week and I dug up my potatoes grown in a tire stack. I was disappointed to find only 6 potatoes. I planted 3 seed potatoes in the initial tire, and partially covered the greens, as they appeared to a final height of 5 tires. Any suggestions as to what went wrong. It would be helpful for next years attempt. Thanks.

Hardiness Zone: 3a

Guy from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

Put Straw on Top of Your Potatoes

Since it is gardening season, here is a gardening tip. When you plant potatoes, layer straw on top. The plants will grow through and make potatoes on top of the ground. Layer straw about 2 feet deep as it will shrink down during the summer.

The potatoes are easy to find, and are huge. This is the only way I can grow potatoes, that my husband likes to dig them. The straw doesn't blow away and we live in KS where there is wind from 0-50 mph all in one day some days.

By Glenita

Growing: Potatoes

Botanical Name:

Solanum tuberosum

Description:

The potato is a perennial plant from the nightshade family, grown for its starchy tuber.

Planting Time:

fall, winter or spring depending on zone

Exposure:

full sun

Soil:

light, well worked, well-drained soil with a pH of 5.0 to 6.8, that is rich in potassium and phosphorus. Avoid using lime which raises soil pH that can result in potato scab.

Planting:

Cut large potatoes into pieces for planting or use whole seed potatoes egg-size or smaller. Leave at least 3 eyes (buds) on each piece. Cure pieces for 1 to 2 days until they harden before planting. The most common planting method is to dig trenches 4 to 6 inches deep spaced 3 feet apart. Place potato pieces 10 to 15 inches apart at the bottoms of trenches and cover them with compost and soil.

Another easy method is to mulch up leaves in the fall and place potatoes on the partially decomposed leaves in the spring. Cover the pile with 1 to 1 1/2 feet of straw, mulching as needed to keep tubers covered.

Watering:

Keep soil evenly moist (not wet).

Maintenance:

Hill up dirt around plants as needed to prevent light from reaching the tubers.

Harvesting & Storage:

Most potatoes need 90 to 120 days to reach maturity. You can begin to harvest as soon as the plants flower. These tubers will be small, thin-skinned and good for boiling. Dying foliage indicates that potatoes have reached maturity. Dig up tubers or store them in the ground for several weeks during cool, dry weather. If you planted your potatoes on a mulch mound, simply removed the straw and harvest your potatoes. Store potatoes in a dark, humid place at 30º to 40ºF for long-term (4 to 5 months) storage.

Diseases and Pests:

Potatoes can suffer from several serious fungal and bacterial diseases. Minimize potential problems by selecting disease resistant varieties and practicing crop rotation.

By Ellen Brown