Potato Garden - Simple Steps to a Thriving Crop
by John Yazo
Potatoes are a a crop that is relatively easy to grow in your home garden. Container gardens, raised beds and the traditional row method of farming, this crop can have rewarding harvests. The potato plant is also a great to include into your edible landscape.
Even though potatoes are a root crop, they still require full sun and will grow best in a soil that is slightly acidic, with a ph range of 4.5 to 6.0, and a good healthy organic soil structure. Having an acid soil will not only provide good growing conditions, it will also reduce the chances of scab. They are a root crop that grows underground and prefer a soft or loose soil to produce the best results.
Plant your potato crop in the early spring, once the soil can be worked and reaches a temperature of about 45 degrees Fahrenheit. The soil can not be too wet when you plant your seed potatoes, or you face the risk that they will rot before they sprout. A good healthy soil structure that retains moisture and nutrients well, along with having the ability to drain well is very important.
Choosing your seed potatoes from a reliable source is another thing that is very important to have a healthy,disease free, and thriving crop. Chitting or pre-sprouting your potatoes before planting is another procedure that can greatly benefit the yield of your crops harvest. Just place them in an empty egg carton a week or two before planting and in a well lighted location to let them start sprouting. Once they have sprouted, the day before you are planning to plant, using a knife to cud or cut the large sprouted seed potatoes into smaller seeds. Make sure that each seed contains at least one eye, two is better.
Potatoes can be planted in a variety of ways, containers, raised beds or the traditional row method of gardening.Whatever way you choose, make sure that they get full sun and that there is enough room around the plants for good air circulation. This will help keep the plants dry and reduce the risk of disease and insect problems. The seeds should be covered with about three inches of good healthy soil and in about two weeks you should see sprout. Once these sprouts start to emerge, cover them with another three to four inches of good healthy soil. Continue this procedure until your plants start to bloom. Other methods that some prefer are called dirtless methods, or hilling your crop with a source of mulch, like straw. This allows for easy harvesting of of young new potatoes when the tubers are small and keeps the crop clean. Be sure that the potatoes are covered and not exposed to light. Exposure to light will cause potatoes to turn green, this green part has the potential to be toxic.
Water frequently, especially when the plants are flowering. Once the plants begin to produce new tubers is when watering is very important. It is best to water potatoes early in the morning so they are not exposed to excessive moisture overnight, leaving them less susceptible to diseases.
Potatoes are ready for harvest about two to three weeks after they have finished flowering. The one benefit you get from growing your own potato crop is that it allows you to harvest some potatoes early while they are small and leave others to keep growing to full maturity. When storing your potatoes they should be kept in a dark, well ventilated location at about 40 degrees Fahrenheit and can be stored for up to about six months.
Crop rotation, along with keeping your gardens soil healthy is important when growing potatoes and having a trouble free season.
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