You can buy potatoes cheaply, but potatoes freshly harvested from your own garden have a very unique taste. Now is the time to plant your own potatoes if you have considered doing so in the past. But before you start, you should think about the best strategy for growing in your garden. Potatoes are not grown from seeds, but rather from seed potatoes that sprout underground and produce tastier tubers than would be possible with seeds alone. We'll tell you how to plant and care for potatoes below!
When and how to grow potatoes
Potatoes are planted between late March/early April and early May. Buy seed potatoes that are proven to be disease-free. It is a risky venture to grow potatoes bought from the supermarket. Aside from the disease problem, the potatoes are often treated with a growth inhibitor to prevent them from sprouting in retail stores.
Seed potatoes should not be planted in a place where tomatoes or eggplants were already planted the previous year.Potatoes and various other plantsbelong to the nightshade family, which means they are susceptible to the same pests and other problems.
Ditch and mound method – mound the plants
The traditional method forPlantof potatoes is called “piling up.” A shallow trench about 15 cm deep is dug and theSeed potatoes are made with eyesplaced upwards in the ditch. Afterwards, a few centimeters of soil are placed on top of the seed potatoes to hide them. The soil is then constantly churned up around the edges of the potato plants. This helps keep the soil around the growing tubers flexible and protects the above-ground tubers from being exposed to sunlight, which would cause them to turn green and potentially be poisonous. When the plants have reached a height of 10 to 15 cm, it is time to add more soil to the mound. When the plants start to bloom, you can stop hilling the soil.
Planting and caring for potatoes – applying mulch
You can place the seed potatoes directly on the ground and then cover them with mulch. As the plants mature, you can continue to apply new layers of mulch. If you have a problem with rodents, you should usually consider other options instead of using this method.
Planting and caring for potatoes – instructions
It is important to know that seed potatoes are often planted in the ground, but they can alsoin large pots, pots or plant bags. Use certified seedlings that are disease resistant and have eyes (seeding heads) that protrude from the soil.
- Large potatoes should be cut into golf ball-sized pieces, each with one to two eyes, using a clean, sharp paring knife a day or two before planting. This period of time allows the pieces to heal or form a protective layer over the cut surface, improving both the pieces' ability to retain moisture and their resistance to rot. Do not cut the seed potatoes if they are smaller than an egg, plant them whole.
- The optimal conditions for growing potatoes are rows 70 to 90 cm apart. Use a hoe or round-tip shovel to create a trench about 6 inches deep. Lay out old manure, compost and/or leaves and mix them in.
- Place a piece of seed potato cut side down in each trench 30 to 35 cm apart and then fill it with some soil. After the first shoots have developed, as already mentioned, you can start piling up. Use mulch in the areas between rows to prevent water loss, suppress weed growth and keep the soil cool.
Proper potato care
- Licht
Planting potatoes in a location that receives adequate sun will promote vigorous surface growth, which in turn promotes healthy root development. They can tolerate some shade, but the lush growth at the top of the plant is the basis for nutrition for the tubers below. For optimal health, exposure to the sun for at least six to eight hours a day is recommended.
- The ideal floor
The ideal soil for growing potatoes has a pH between 5.0 and 6.0 and is acidic. It appears that seed potatoes grown in soil with a higher pH are more susceptible to scab, which causes them to develop rough patches. Potato plants do not thrive in extremely nutrient-rich soil. It is important that the soil has good drainage.
- Water
The plants need a constant supply of water. Make sure to provide them with 2 – 3 cm of water weekly. During the flowering period, which is the most important phase for the formation of potato tubers, they are particularly vulnerable to the effects of drought.
- Fertilizers
When you first plant your potatoes, you can fertilize them with an organic fertilizer that has a long-term effect. They should be fed every few weeks with a solution of diluted liquid fertilizer or fish emulsion.
