Growing potatoes
Summary
- A warm sheltered site is best. Avoid frost pockets, which can damage the foliage of early varieties emerging from the soil.
- Potatoes grow well in most soils, but fertile soil that is slightly acidic and rich in nitrogen produces the best results.
- Buy certifled organic, 'disease-free', seed potatoes from nurseries and produce suppliers to minimize the chance of disease and crop failure.
- Hill or mulch deeply to prevent sunlight from reaching the tubers.
- When foliage dies back, potatoes are mature; dig as needed. Store in well-ventilated boxes.
There are over 500 varieties of potato grown worldwide. Most stores only stock five or six varieties. Growing your own potatoes opens up a world of color, shape, taste, and texture that will prompt you to reconsider the culinary potential of this humble vegetable. Follow this guide to start growing pesticide-free organic potatoes.
Before getting started, it’s important to understand the difference between ‘new’ (or ‘early crop’) potatoes and ‘main crop’ potatoes – often wrongly described in grocery stores, where anything small is inclined to be described as ‘new’. New potatoes are harvested before the plant tops die down. They are not necessarily small, but they all have paper-thin skin that rubs off easily. Unlike main crop potatoes, which stay in the soil long enough to develop protective skins, new potatoes don’t store well and need to be eaten immediately.
Choosing a site
- Potatoes grow best in an open sunny position. Avoid areas that are too shady as well as any area where frost pockets routinely develop.
- For a decent crop, potatoes require lots of space. Give careful consideration to how valuable potatoes are to your family’s economy. Under the right conditions, a 2yd (1.8m) x 2yd(1.8m) bed will produce around 165lb (75kg) of main-crop potatoes. This will sustain most small families for around three months.
- If you lack adequate space, consider growing potatoes in containers. For best results, use a large plant pot or purpose-built potato barrel with a side panel for easy access to the tubers.
Soil
- Potatoes grow best in fertile, well-drained, sandy loam soils. They are adaptable to light and heavy soils but good drainage is essential. Although they prefer slightly acidic soil (and are less susceptible to scab when soil pH is between 5.5 and 6.5) they will grow almost as well in nearly every other type of soil.
- Fertile soils that are rich in nitrogen will maximize crop yields. Add plenty of organic matter during autumn. Stop adding fresh manure midway through winter. This will ensure that your potatoes are not planted on freshly manured ground.
Purchasing seed potatoes
- Potatoes are grown from tubers and not from true seeds. Tubers (or seed potatoes) are available from nurseries and garden stores at planting time in spring.
- Select potato varieties suited to your local region and specific growing conditions. Ask friends, family members, and local gardeners which varieties have produced good results.
- Always buy certified organic, disease-free, seed potatoes from trusted nurseries and produce suppliers. This minimizes the chances of disease and crop failure.
Chitting
- If your seed potatoes have more than one ‘eye’, cut them into separate decent-sized chunks, each of which will produce a whole plant.
- Before planting outdoors, place seed potatoes with the seeds’ eyes (the dormant buds on the surface) facing upward on a 1 inch (2.5cm) layer of potting mix in trays or egg cartons. Leave indoors in light warm conditions to encourage the sprouting of small shoots. Within five or six weeks the shoots will have grown to 1 inch (2.5cm), the ideal length to plant.
Planting
- Plant a first crop in spring as soon as the soil is warm enough. Plant a second crop three weeks later, and main-crop varieties – those that can be stored through winter – about three weeks after this.
- Plant seed potatoes in trenches 4-6 inches (10-15cm) deep into well drained soil with 12-16 inches (30-40cm) between the tubers. Keep 18 inches (45cm) between the rows for first earlies and 26-30 inches (65-75cm) for second earlies and main crop varieties.
- Always plant seed potatoes with their “eyes” facing upwards, taking care not to break off the new growth. An alternative to hoeing out the trenches is to plant the potatoes individually using a hand trowel. Once planted fill each trowel hole. Then draw up a little more soil from between the rows to make a slight ridge over the line of planted potatoes.
- When the first shoots appear, draw soil over them with a hoe, increasing the height of the ridge; ‘earthing up’ in this manner will provide protection from late frosts.
Earthing up
- Earthing up is essential if large yields are to be obtained. Apart from providing protection, earthing up prevents sunlight from reaching potatoes. Exposed to light, potato tubers develop green patches that contain the toxic alkaloid solanine.
- Earth up when the foliage is 8 inches (20cm) tall. Hoe up the earth around the foliage until only a small amount of leaf is still showing at the top. Carry out this process again just before the foliage between the rows joins up.
- Cultivate between rows to keep down weeds and gradually hill the plants to form a furrow between the rows. Hilling supports the plants, protects new potatoes from exposure to light and prevents them being attacked by caterpillars of potato moth.
Watering
- Soil moisture is probably the most important factor determining potato yield and quality. Aim to keep the soil uniformly moist until the tubers have reached maturity.
- Water potato plants daily during the early stages of their development. Ease back to every other day once the plants are well established.
Harvesting and storing
- Harvesting varies from one region to another, depending on the prevailing climate. In mild to warm areas, the earliest varieties may be ready in early summer, while in other regions they may not reach maturity until several weeks later.
Early potatoes
- Early potatoes should be ready for gathering about 12 to 15 weeks after planting (towards the end of early summer).
- When flowering finishes, harvest new potatoes by brushing away a little soil from the sides of a ridge and remove any potatoes that have grown to hen’s egg size.
- Early potatoes are not suitable for storing and should be used soon after harvesting.
Main crop potatoes
- Main crop potatoes are left to mature in the soil and take at least 20 weeks to fully mature. They are generally ready for harvest (and storage) in early autumn, 10-14 days after the withered brown foliage has been removed and placed on the compost heap.
- Before lifting the entire crop, test one or two of the potatoes by rubbing the skin with your thumb. If it does not rub off, the crop is ready.
- When listing, dig well outside the plant to ensure you don’t inadvertently put the garden fork through one of your precious potatoes.
- Allow newly dug potatoes to dry for a few hours, away from the sun, before storing them in a basket or box in the dark, preferably covered with a hessian sack.
Pests and diseases
- Colorado potato beetles are the major insect problem. The adults overwinter in the soil and emerge about the same time that potatoes are maturing. They feed on young foliage and can cause extensive defoliation. Maintain healthy soil, rotate crops regularly, and protect plants with row covers.
- Other potato insects include aphids, which transmit viruses and can stress plants by sucking juices, and blister beetles. Physical removal methods are generally sufficient in dealing with these pests.
- Late blight may infect main crop potatoes and can be particularly bad in wet summer months if a spell of warm weather coincides with high humidity. Be on the lookout for brown patches on the leaves. Cut these off to prevent the spores being washed off into the soil to infect the tubers.
Keywords: growing organic potatoes, organic gardening, harvesting potatoes, storing potatoes, organic potato pests, planting and growing potatoes
Advertisement
Food
Better understand how food is grown and the impact our choices have on our health and well-being.
-
Salmon and rice packets with fennel, lemon, and raisins
This recipe, featuring salmon and utilizing brown rice, could have been designed ...more
-
Organic chicken and vegetable rice bowl
The fragrant aromas of ginger and orange in this recipe bring out something ...more
-
How is organic rice produced?
Organic rice production starts with the use of high quality non-GMO seed. This ...more
Lifestyle
-
A fresh look at cotton
When raised according to the ill-founded principles of intensive agriculture, ...more
-
What is skin?
New medical students are frequently surprised to learn that, excluding the digestive ...more
-
Skin type based on surface characteristics
Beauticians and cosmetic consultants will frequently classify an individual’s ...more
People
-
Michael Dimock from Roots of Change
Michael Dimock is the President of Roots of Change (ROC), a collaborative network ...more
-
Alain Gracianette from Marylhurst University
Alain Gracianette is the Chair of Marylhurst University’s MBA Department. ...more
-
Greg Christian from The Organic School Project
Greg Christian is a successful chef, educator, and director. More importantly, ...more