Growing potatoes at home can be a rewarding and relatively easy process. To maximize your potato harvest with large tubers, you can follow these steps:
Materials you will need:
- Seed potatoes (available at garden centers or online)
- Large containers or potato bags (at least 10-15 gallons in size)
- High-quality potting soil or a mix of compost and garden soil
- A sunny location (potatoes need at least 6-8 hours of sunlight daily)
- Watering can or hose
- Organic fertilizer (optional)
- Mulch (straw or shredded leaves)
Steps:
- Choose the right seed potatoes: Select certified disease-free seed potatoes from a reliable source. You can find various potato varieties to suit your taste.
- Chit the potatoes (optional): Chitting is the process of allowing the seed potatoes to sprout before planting. Place the seed potatoes in a cool, dark, and well-ventilated area for a few weeks before planting. This encourages early growth.
- Prepare the containers: Fill your large containers or potato bags with a few inches of high-quality potting soil or a mix of compost and garden soil. Leave enough space at the top for the potatoes to grow.
- Plant the potatoes: Place the seed potatoes (chitted or not) on top of the soil in the container, spacing them about 12 inches apart. Push them down into the soil slightly, so they are not sitting directly on top.
- Cover with soil: Add more soil on top of the seed potatoes until the container is nearly full. Leave a couple of inches of space at the top.
- Water thoroughly: Water the containers well after planting to settle the soil and ensure good contact with the potatoes. Keep the soil consistently moist throughout the growing season, but avoid waterlogging.
- Fertilize (optional): To encourage larger tubers, you can apply an organic fertilizer or compost to the top of the soil once the plants start growing. Follow the product’s instructions for application.
- Hilling: As the potato plants grow and reach a height of about 6 inches, start “hilling” or mounding soil around the stems. This encourages the development of more potatoes and prevents sunlight from reaching the tubers, which can cause them to turn green.
- Mulch: Once the plants are well-established, add a layer of mulch (straw or shredded leaves) on top of the soil to conserve moisture and regulate soil temperature.
- Harvest: Potatoes are typically ready to harvest when the foliage above ground starts to yellow and die back. This usually occurs about 10-12 weeks after planting. Carefully dig up the potatoes with a garden fork or your hands, being gentle to avoid damaging the tubers.
- Cure and store: Allow the harvested potatoes to cure in a cool, dark place for about two weeks. After curing, store them in a cool, dry, and dark location. Proper storage will help keep them fresh for several months.