Potatoes are one of the most widely used vegetables in the world. However, potatoes can be susceptible to a number of diseases and viruses. If you want to have a healthy and bountiful crop of potatoes, knowing the proper methods of how to grow potatoes is essential. There are over 500 varieties of potato in the market which you might find difficult to choose just one. Generally, you should choose a variety of potato that is well suited for what you plan on using it for. Common ones are Russet, Yukon Gold, Goldrush, Butte, and All Blue.

Here are the methods on how to grow your own potatoes:

Soil requirements to Grow Potatoes

Potatoes need a well-drained fertile soil to grow and should not be grown in the same place each year. Before planting the potatoes in the same spot, you have to wait at least for three years where they were previously grown. The best pH soils for the potatoes to grow are between pH 5 to 6. Avoid growing your potatoes in the area with dry sands, shales, or heavy clay loam soil. Fertilize your soil with a 5-10-10 fertilizer. Potato scab can happen if you over-fertilize your potatoes.

Cutting and handling potatoes seed

You should only use certified seed potatoes. Try to purchase your seed potatoes 2 to 3 weeks before you planting them so you can “sprout” them first. You can store the potatoes cut pieces for one to seven days before planting to allow the surface to dry and form callus that can decrease the chance of rotting.

How to plant

Potatoes can be planted any time from March until mid June. Before planting, the morning soil temperature should be at least 48 to 50 degrees F at a depth of 4 inches. Seed pieces can be rotten if you plant them early. The potatoes rows should be spaced about 2 to 4 feet apart. Closer rows will allow the plants to shade the soil and prevent high soil temperatures which can destroy the tuber growth. For the seeds, they should be spaced between 6 to 15 inches apart. Allow more space between your seeds if you want larger potatoes and less space for smaller potatoes.

Other planting tips

Till the soil about 6 to 8 inches deep before planting the potatoes. Avoid over-tilling, as it can cause the soil to seal over and lead to seed piece suffocation and death. The rows should be slightly mounded to allow water to drain from the seed pieces and reduce decay. Protect young plants with a temporary covering of newspapers or straw if a late and severe frost is expected.

Given the price of potatoes at the store, growing potatoes is seen by many gardeners as more work than is justified. However, this overlooks the fact that you can get much more variety in the potatoes that you grow in the garden. As many people think, growing potatoes are not as much work as to do. You can start your potatoes 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost. Even though the vines are fairly sensitive to frost, it takes some time for the vines to break above ground. Here are methods and tips on how to grow potatoes.

• Seed potatoes
  

  Avoid using potatoes from store as they might carry diseases. Choose certified seed potatoes that have been treated. In addition, some potatoes in the store have been sprayed with chemicals. The chemicals function is to inhibit the growth of the eyes of the potatoes in the store which is exactly what we want to happen with seed potatoes. What you need is the eye of the potato where the new plant grows from. Cut the seed potatoes instead of planting them as whole if you want to save money,. Make sure that there are 1 to 2 eyes per section of the potatoes cutting. Cut them up a day or more ahead of planting time to let the open surface dry up like a callus. Soil diseases can be built up when there is wet surface on the potatoes cuts. You should plant where the potatoes will get full sun.
  

• Planting potatoes
  

  There are 2 types on how to plant potatoes, either plant them in rows with a plant every 15 inches or so or plant them in mounds of 6 or so plants. The mounds will be 3 to 4 feet across and spaced about 3 feet apart. Often the gardeners will plant them in a trench; you can plant the seed potatoes about 4 to 8 inches deep. You should water the potatoes especially when the tubers are growing about 1 to 1.5 inches of water a week. Provide a soil which is slightly acidic between pH 5 to 6.5, so avoid using lime or ashes where you want to grow them. Potatoes are light feeder, so there is no need to over –fertilize your potatoes. The temperature for the soil is 60 to 65 degrees are best for fertilization.
  

• Mounding potatoes
  

  Mound some dirt up around the stem of the plant about 4 inches up when the plant is about 8 inches tall. This will encourage the growth of larger potatoes. You can continue to hill up more soil about an inch a week especially if you see a new potatoes peeking out of the soil. If the potatoes that grow in sunlight will turn green, it means that the green part have toxins in it. You can harvest potatoes about any time you want. Another reason to grow your own potatoes is the new potatoes that you dig fresh out of the ground cannot be matched at the grocery store. However, you can also to wait to harvest the large tubers. Start any time after about 2 weeks after the plants stop flowering. You can wait after about 2 to 3 weeks after the top foliage dies back and then dig them carefully with a pitchfork for largest potatoes. Let them dry for a couple of days to let the skin mature for best storage. You can store them in a dark and cool dry place around temperature of 4o degrees. The potatoes can last about 3 or more months if stored nicely.