Growing And Planting Potatoes Guide: How To Plant Potatoes And Grow Them

Click Here To Learn How To Grow Potatoes!

Potato’s are a staple in nearly every culture of the world! The “tubers” which form along the roots being delicious and adaptable to most types of cuisine. This illustration of the plant should visually explain why the farming of this delightful crowd pleaser is best done in a raised “bed”.

Since the edible parts form along the roots, come harvest time, digging to get at them is time consuming, VERY LABOR INTENSIVE, and should you only want to harvest a few at a time, can easily harm the mother plant.

You have a couple of options available. If you have plenty of space, creating a raised bed is a fabulous option. Don’t want to construct a walled bed? Grow those taters in a mound! Very limited, almost NO SPACE? Grow your spuds in a sack!

CREATE A RAISED BED POTATO GARDEN

1) Cultivate your soil in a nice sunny spot. Turn the soil over, with a spade, shovel or rototiller to a depth of around 6 inches.  The area can be any shape your area allows, oblong, square, “L

2) Build the walls that will contain the bed. Kits are available, at around $60, and will contain all you need to complete this step. Honestly though, you can purchase boards and “joins” at any hardware store for around $20.

Purchase, or recycle 4 boards, they should be at least 6 inches wide, at lengths that will fit where you want the bed to be. Ask the hardware retailer for “joins” that will hook the planks together firmly.

Create the walls positioning them over the tilled soil, then fill the area loosely with a topsoil vermiculite mix. (the vermiculite will help the soil drain nicely)

3) Create 6″ deep trenches, about 2 feet apart, and place your seed potato’s in them, also around 2 feet apart from each other. Cover loosely with the same soil, water well. Keep the soil moist, monitor drainage so the tubers will not rot. (the vermiculite should be taking care of this for you)

4) When your plants are about a foot tall, spread straw around the entire bed, so that only the topmost leaves are showing.

Continue waiting. (LOL)

5) When your plants are around 2 months old, you can begin to harvest. Reach into the straw, feel around for the ‘tater, and gauging by size (at this point the may be very small) claim your prize! Harvest will continue well into 4 or 5 months. Some folks LOVE that early crop, and in the stores, these “NEW” potato’s are the priciest.

Try one of these recipes for a tasty option for serving your pride and joy’s, I am sure your family will be DELIGHTED!

Until next time………..  Yogi Angelini Bates

Oh, and by the way, for those of you who are VERY SPACE CHALLENGED, please read my article on “How to grow potato’s in a BAG”

Click Here To Learn How To Grow Potatoes!