How to Plant Red Skin Potatoes in Ohio

Red skin potato varieties, like red Pontiac, do well in Ohio gardens.

Ohio's rich soil and mild climate make the potato a good vegetable for home gardeners to grow in their backyards. Planted in the spring, red skin potatoes in Ohio are harvested in the summer for "new" potatoes or later in the fall for winter storage. Mounding methods of cultivation work well when you plant red skin potatoes in Ohio.

Things You'll Need

• Garden tiller
• Viable seed potatoes
• Basic garden tools
• Plastic sheeting (optional)

Instructions

1. Till or spade the soil in a sunny location of the garden, after the last frost. Choose an area where the soil is rich and has good drainage. Add organic matter or fertilizer to enrich the soil, while you are tilling.

2. Dig an 8-inch deep trench to plant the red skin potatoes. Make the trench 1 foot long per seed potato you plant. For example, if you plant 20 seed potatoes, dig the trench 20 feet long.

3. Cut the seed potatoes into sections so there is at least one "eye" on each section. Plant the potatoes in the trench and cover with 2 to 3 inches of soil. Water the planted seed potatoes. Ohio often has late frosts, so to protect the red skin potatoes, cover with sheets of plastic until the daytime temperatures rise.

4. Pull more soil over the red skin potatoes as they grow. Use straw as an organic cover if you prefer a no-dig method of harvesting. The straw also helps retain moisture in the soil and keeps it cooler. Water the red skin potatoes every week during the growing season.

5. Harvest the red skin potatoes after blooms appear on the plants, for "new" potatoes, or allow the potato vines to die back to harvest for winter storage.

Tips & Warnings

• You can plant red skin potatoes in late July, in Ohio, for more "new" potatoes in the fall.

• Do not plant potatoes where you planted tomatoes the previous year. Both plants are from the nightshade family and require the same nutritional elements. The potatoes won't do well if the soil is already drained of needed nutrients.

References

• United States Department of Agriculture: Briefing Rooms; Potatoes
• Ohio State University: Growing Potatoes in the Home Garden
• The Small Farm Resource: Growing Potatoes