How to plant, grow, and harvest potatoes
By Jodi Torpey
Just about every gardener I know can’t wait to turn the calendar page to March. Not only does the month signal the end to winter and the official start to spring, it means planting time is just around the corner.
If you think the weather in March is still too unpredictable for planting, think again. There are many hardy vegetables that like to be planted while it’s still cool.
Onions garlic bulbs, shallots, and even artichokes can be planted from four to six weeks before the last frost date for our area.
I think potatoes are one of the most rewarding crops to plant in early spring. Potatoes are easy to grow, you can plant them in just about any space, and the taste of home-grown potatoes is incredible. It’s like the difference between the flavor of a home-grown tomato compared to one from the grocery store.
If you’re short on garden space, you can grow potatoes in a container. There are potato grow bags and grow boxes you can buy, or you can plant potatoes in a trash can or stack of old tires.
Here are the keys to growing a great potato crop:
Buy good-quality seed potatoes from the garden center. Choose early season or mid-season maturing varieties, and the kinds of potatoes you like to use in your cooking (baking, frying, boiling, etc.). Don’t use store-bought potatoes for planting.
Plant small-sized potatoes or cut larger potatoes into several pieces. Make sure each piece has at least one eye or sprout. If you cut potatoes, wait a day before planting to allow the cut to dry.
Dig a trench in the garden about four inches deep or fill a container with loose, well-drained soil. Dig in a good-quality compost as a soil amendment.
Plant potatoes with the eye “looking” up. Push potatoes into the soil about ½-inch deep and about 10-12 inches apart with rows about 30 inches apart.
Cover with about 6 inches of soil or clean straw (not hay). The straw is an alternative planting method that protects the potatoes from sunlight, helps keep the soil moist and encourages healthy plants.
When the seeds start to sprout and grow, cover with another 6 inches of soil or straw.
Keep plants watered, but not overwatered. Soil/straw should be kept moist but not soaking wet.
Harvest while vines are green. In late summer, while the vines are still growing, you’ll be able to start harvesting a few fresh potatoes as you need them. Keep the rest of the crop covered with straw.
After fall frosts and the vines start to wither, let potatoes sit in place for a week or more to allow the skin to harden. Then harvest your potato crop and store them in a cool, dark place for up to 3 months.
