Growing potatoes
If you have never grown potatoes, you will be surprised at the large variety of types to plant.
Originally from South America, potatoes are the world’s favorite root crop.
Growing potatoes offers home gardeners everything they could want – easy to cultivate and long storage.
If you don’t have many garden spaces then try growing potatoes in barrels or other large containers.
The first potatoes are ready to be harvested by the middle of July. They are called the first earlies. In August the second earlies are harvested. Earlies are small potatoes often called ‘new’ potatoes. The main crops are ready in September.
Only certified disease-resistant seed potatoes have been treated. Don’t use potatoes for planting from the store as they may be carriers of diseases.
Potato tubers are left to sprout before they are planted. This is called chitting, and it helps the tubers grow faster and make a bigger crop. If they are not left to sprout they will grow slowly when they are planted.
Potatoes grow well in sunny sites. So pick a spot that gets at least six to eight hours of sunshine every day. The soil should be very loose. If you have heavy clay soil, add texture to it. Sandy, loamy soils are the best. You can amend the soil by tilling in some compost and manure. The next step is to dig a trench, anywhere from 12 to 18 inches deep. Because potatoes like acidic soil, you may want to add a fine layer of pine needles at the bottom of the trench.
Because they are aggressively rooting plants, they will produce the best crop when planted in a light, loose, and well-drained but moisture retentive loam.
Planting
The potato bed should be a trench about 4-6 inches deep and you place the potato into the trench and cover with soil so that good peak is formed.
Always make sure the eyes are facing upwards and planted at a depth of between 4-6″ (10-15cm).
First earlies are planted 12″ (30cm) apart with 24″ (60cm) between each row.
Second earlies and maincrop must be planted 15″ (37.5cm) apart in row widths of 28″ (70cm).
When to Plant
If your going to grow potato in climates with short springs and hot summers, plant the early and midseason varieties three to four weeks before last spring frost date.
In climates with long springs and hot summers, plant early and midseason varieties three to four weeks before your last spring frost date; plant late-maturing varieties in early summer so they will mature in the cooler fall.
In climates with cool summers, plant early, midseason and late varieties two to three weeks before your last spring frost date.
