How to Plant Potatoes in the Spring

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By Gail Martin
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Tilling before planting potatoes

Most gardeners in Kansas like to plant potatoes on St. Patrick’s Day or around that time of year. But you need to get the seed potatoes and the ground ready before you plant. Here is the easy way depending on what Mother Nature sends your way.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Step 1

Troy Bilt Rototiller

When the ground has thawed enough to till up nicely, rototill your spot for potatoes. It is best to use a different spot than you did the year before. Rotating your crops is always a good idea so you don't deplete the soil. My husband always uses Troy Bilt tillers, but others will work too.
In Central Kansas, we try to plant on St. Patrick's Day, but if you're further north, probably you must wait longer. If you're further south, you can plant sooner. Check with other gardeners in the area for the best planting time in your region.
Step 2

Decide what kind of potato you want to grow. We have grown many kinds of spuds through the years but we recommend Kennebec for an all-around good white baking potato; Red Pontiac for a small, new potato that tastes so good creamed with fresh peas. Our top favorite for the best tasting potato is the Yukon Gold. It tastes like it is already buttered.
Step 3

Sprouted russet potato

Buy your seed potatoes at a good greenhouse. You may pay more there than at grocery stores that sell seeds, but the extra price will be worth getting the best seed.
Step 4

Use a good, sharp knife

To get the potato ready to plant take a sharp paring knife and cut the potato into chunks with a couple of sprouts or eyes as they are referred to on each chunk. Leaving a lot of potato with the eye, will give the eye food to produce growth of root and plant. Finish cutting the rest of your seed potatoes. Spread them out for a day or two for the cut surface can dry and scab over. This gives the chunk of potato a better chance of resisting soil borne virus.
Step 5

Make a trench or holes for the potatoes

Dig a trench down through your garden or you can just dig holes about a foot and half apart to drop your potato seed into with the eye sprout facing up. Rake the dirt you dug up back over the hole and pat it down with the back of the rake. This method shuts out air pockets that might let the seed rot.
Step 6

Our potato patch

When the potatoes have grown and start to bloom you will notice the Yukon Gold has kind of pinkish color flower. This potato also has pink eyes. As soon as the plant starts blooming, we like to dig down around the outer rim of the plant with our fingers and noodle out some small potatoes and not disturb the rest of the plant, allowing the other potatoes to grow larger. Those first small potatoes taste extra good.

Comments

gahazeleyes said

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on 5/12/2009 Very good. My mom has a garden. Will pass this on to her.

xtraordinary said

on 4/29/2009 I was thinking about planting potatoes this year, but I think I'm too late! 5 stars~

prism said

on 4/8/2009 Great instructions! I missed planting potatoes last year and you've reminded me why I don't want to miss out this year. There's nothing like your own homegrown potatoes through the long winter. Thanks!