Planting Potatoes

Potatoes store well over the winter and are an easy food crop to grow. Potatoes need a lot of space, but they can be grown in large containers. They also need open, sunny areas. They are considered a tuber and can be planted on their sides. The sprouts always grow upward. They should be planted in spring from mid-March to May. If temperatures are still in the freezing range at this time, either hold off on planting or protect the newly planted potatoes with straw or hay. The soil needs to be deep and rich.

Row Planting

One option for planting potatoes is to plant them in trenches or holes in long rows. The rows need to be spaced 15 to 20 inches apart. Dig the trenches or holes 3 to 6 inches deep and place the seed potatoes about 11 to 14 inches apart. Cover the potatoes with at least 1 inch of soil. As the plants grow, mount the earth up around the shoots. This helps to control the weeds and prevent sunburned (green) potatoes.

Hill Planting

Another option is to plant the potatoes in hills. The hills are 3 to 4 feet high mounds of soil. The seed potatoes are spaced about 6 inches apart, starting at the center. Bury them 3 to 4 inches deep. As the plants grow, build up the hills with soil, compost or straw. This will give the potatoes plenty of room to grow.

Tire Planting

If space is limited, then plant the potatoes in a vertical patch. Take an old car tire and fill it with soil. Plant the seed potatoes at least 1 inch deep. As the plant grows, add another tire and fill it with soil. Keep adding tires until the stack is four or five tires high. When harvest time comes, just unstack the tires and pick up the potatoes.

References

• Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening; Pauline Pears; 2003