Potato Growing Guide

Once you’ve planned out which potatoes you want to grow in your garden, it’s time to prepare your seed potatoes for planting.  Potatoes are unique in that they are not actual “seeds” in the traditional sense of the word. While potatoes do, in fact, produce seeds, they are actually propagated through what is known as seed potatoes.  Seed potatoes are tubers from previous crops that will mimic the parent plant exactly from harvest to harvest. This is the most popular way to grow potatoes because growers can predict the characteristics of the crops year after year. Before planting, cut the potatoes into pieces, making sure to leave 1-3 eyes per piece. Let the pieces dry out thoroughly so little to no moisture is present to keep them from rotting in the ground and being more prone to damage from insects. When it is time to plant, be sure and plant with the sprout facing directly up.

In-Ground Planting

Row Spacing – 3 to 4 feet
Plant Spacing – 6 to 12 inches
Planting Depth – 3 to 6 inches

Raised Bed Planting

Row Spacing – 2 feet
Plant Spacing – 6 to 12 inches
Planting Depth – 3 to 6 inches

As potato plants grow, they will need special maintenance throughout the season. Every 1″-2″ that potatoes grow, they are going to need extra support by mounding up dirt loosely around the base. This process is called hilling and is really vital in the growth cycle and root development. Hilling helps greatly with weed suppression, plant support, and frost protection as well as keeping potatoes out of the sunlight, which will cause them to turn green and be inedible. Because of their upward growth habit, you will find that indeterminate potato varieties are going to require hilling more than the outward habit of determinate varieties. If you have planted your potatoes in rows, use the Hoss High Arch Wheel Hoe or Double Wheel Hoe with the plow attachments oriented for hilling to make quick work of getting your potato plants properly hilled. 

Potatoes are very well suited to grow in containers and make an excellent choice for small space gardens. While the process of growing potatoes in containers is similar to that of in-ground or raised bed planting, there are some differences in the process. Depending on the size of your container, fill it with 4 to 6 inches of prepared soil and place it in full sun. Your seed potatoes need a good bit of room to grow so be sure and get the correct plant spacing. For example, our 15 Gallon Root Pouch can comfortably grow 4 potato plants and give the root structure plenty of room for a big harvest. The same way that in-ground and raised bed planting requires hilling, container planted potatoes require the same treatment, called layering. As the plant grows, you will continually add soil to the top of the plant to cover the new stems at the bottom until the container is full of soil. 

Potatoes can be harvested at different times throughout the growing season based on what you want. Scratching is a term used in gardening, meaning digging up a few of your potatoes before the ten-week maturity date.  New potatoes refer to a fresh crop of potatoes that have just recently come out of the ground. You can harvest new potatoes but allow the rest of the plant to keep maturing. Simply dig up the potatoes you want, being very careful not to damage the ones still in the ground, bury the plant again, and water thoroughly.  When at least 50% of the tops of the potato vines begin to die off and any flowers have begun to drop off, it’s a good indication that your potatoes are ready to harvest. Once temperatures warm up and the weather is expected to be dry, digging up your potatoes can be a fun family event. 

Much like onions, potatoes need to be cured after being harvested. It helps the skin thicken and let any slight damage heal and prevents bacteria from rotting the potato.  Arrange your potatoes in a single layer in a well-ventilated area that is out of direct sunlight for a week to 10 days. Potatoes ideally should be stored around 55ºF and will last in storage for months on end. Warm temperatures will bring the potatoes out of dormancy and cause them to start sprouting. Sunlight will turn the potatoes green and should immediately be discarded. The green color comes from an excess of solamine and if eaten, can cause severe sickness.