How to Grow a Potato from a Potato: Best Planting & Harvesting Tips

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The right soil conditions & planting techniques for a big, tasty harvest
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The only thing better than one potato is two! Potatoes are tasty, multifunctional, and relatively easy to grow. All you have to do is plant a seeding potato with sprouts on it in a sunny patch in your yard or in a large pot on your back deck and wait roughly five months for the potatoes to mature. Once they’ve grown, dig up, eat up, and enjoy! In this article, we’ll show you exactly how to prep your potatoes for planting, the growing conditions they need to thrive, and how to harvest and store your tubers for a months-long supply. Read on to get started!

Planting Potatoes from Potatoes

  1. Let seed potatoes sprout on the counter for 1 week.
  2. Cut the potatoes into 2-inch pieces with 1–2 sprouts each.
  3. Plant the pieces in 4-inch-deep holes, 12 inches apart with sprouts facing up.
  4. Cover with soil and provide 1–2 inches of water per week.
  5. Hill the soil around the plants as they grow so only a few inches show above ground.
  6. Harvest the potatoes after 70–100 days when the leaves turn yellow and die back.
Section 1 of 6:

What kind of potatoes are good for growing?

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  1. The best way to grow potatoes is from potatoes, but not just any potato will do: they have to be specially-grown seed potatoes from a garden supply store (potatoes that aren’t treated to prevent sprouting). [1] Regular potatoes from a grocery store are often treated with pesticides which can spread disease through your whole crop and anti-sprouting chemicals to keep them fresh, so either order your seeding potatoes from a catalog or hit the garden store. [2]
    • Seed potatoes come in every variation—russet, Yukon, fingerling, you name it. Your garden supply store will have options for you to choose from, and they can order you any type of potato they don’t already have in the store.
    • Some grocery store potatoes may eventually sprout and be plantable, but you’ll often have to wait several weeks after purchase for this to happen.
    • Note that sprouted sweet potatoes can’t be used for growing as easily as other potatoes. Sprouted sections need to grow roots in water for several weeks first. [3]
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Section 2 of 6:

When to Plant Potatoes

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  1. The exact timing for this depends on the climate where you live. If you live somewhere with cold winters (like Minnesota), this might be in early April, whereas if you live somewhere warm or temperature year-round (like Georgia), it could be as early as February. [4] Potatoes grow best when the soil is above 45°F (7°C) and daytime temperatures are consistently 65–80°F (18–27°C). [5]
    • Expert gardeners recommend planting potatoes around the time of last expected frost, but that time can vary based on where you live.
Section 3 of 6:

Best Sun & Soil Conditions for Potatoes

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  1. Potatoes grow best with 8 hours of sunlight a day, but they don’t do well with too much heat. Pick a spot in your garden where the plants will be exposed to sunlight but not baking in the heat. They prefer summer temperatures of roughly 70 °F (21 °C), but can handle hotter temperatures as long as they’re not exposed to direct sunlight for more than 6–8 hours a day. [6]
  2. Potatoes are hardy and can grow in a wide variety of soils, but they do best in sandy, loamy soil or loose soil that has good drainage. They prefer slightly acidic soil (around pH 6.0)—anything higher and your odds of developing potato scab disease. [7]
    • To test the pH of your soil, contact an Extension office at your nearest university to perform the test, or do it yourself with a pH test strip , digital meter , or soil testing kit .
    • If your soil is super sandy, you’ll probably have to water your potatoes more frequently to keep the soil adequately moist. If it’s very fine or high in silts and clays, the drainage may be poor and cause poorly shaped potatoes.
    • Do not plant potatoes in soil that has been treated with lime or manure within the same growing season since this can also increase the risk of potato scab disease.
    • To increase soil drainage, spade, aerate, or till the soil to break up clumps and incorporate organic matter like compost. [8]
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Section 4 of 6:

Planting Potatoes in Your Yard or Garden

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  1. Unlike most grocery store potatoes, seed potatoes grow little protuberances called sprouts. These sprouts, once planted, form the buds of new potato plants—they are essential to the growing process! Place your seed potatoes in any warm, dry spot (a bowl on your kitchen counter where the sun shines will do) and leave them for about a week. [9]
    • One week is ample time for your sprouts to grow between 1 ⁄ 4  in (0.64 cm) and 1 ⁄ 2  in (1.3 cm) in length. That means they’re almost ready to be planted.
  2. Tiny potatoes (under 3 oz or 85 g) are fine to be planted whole, but any spud larger than a golf ball should be cut into chunks about 2 inches (5.1 cm) wide, each with at least 1–2 sprouts. [10] Usually just cutting the potatoes in halves or quarters will do.
    • Then, return the cut potatoes to the warm spot where they’ve been sitting for the past week, and leave them an additional 2-3 days before planting. This allows the cuts to cure and become hardier once planted. [11]
  3. Using a garden fork, rake compost or a 12‐12‐12 (N‐P‐K) fertilizer into your chosen plant-site and work out any clumps until the dirt is airy and breathable. If you’re using fertilizer, work in about 1 pound (454 g) of it for every 25 feet (7.6 m) of row. [12] Top your fertilizer or compost with at least 2 inches (5 cm) of soil or it could damage your potato roots. [13]
    • If you don’t have compost or fertilizer, try substituting superphosphate or bonemeal, all available at the garden supply store.
    • A balanced fertilizer can help improve the pH of your soil and make it more suitable for potatoes.
  4. Place your halved potatoes cut-side down in 4 in (10 cm)-deep holes with the eye, or sprout, pointing up toward the sun. Cover with soil and water well. [14]
  5. Potatoes prefer their soil moist, but not waterlogged. A good rule of thumb is to wait until the top 1 or 2 inches (2.5 or 5 cm) of soil is dry, then give your potatoes a good soak. You should generally give your potatoes 1–2 in (2.5–5.1 cm) of water per week, including rainfall. [15]
    • Aim for closer to 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water per week unless you live in a drier climate or have sandy soil. Then, 2 inches (5 cm) per week may be better.
  6. To “hill” your potatoes , pile soil up around the stems to create a 1 foot (0.30 m) incline on either side. This will force new potatoes to grow above previously-planted ones. [16] You can cover the entire plant with soil, or choose to leave the leaves exposed (this may be helpful later, as their changing color can signal the potatoes’ growth). [17]
    • Continue hilling about once a week as the plants grow taller. It will protect baby potatoes from being exposed to direct sunlight and provide dark, damp growing conditions for all your tubers.
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Section 5 of 6:

Planting Potatoes in a Pot or Grow Bag

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  1. Just like if you’re planting outdoors, allow your seed potatoes to sprout before planting. If they’re small (about the size of a golf ball), you can plant them whole. If they’re larger, cut them into pieces about 2 in (5.1 cm) big, making sure there are 1–2 sprouts per piece. [18]
    • Let any cut pieces dry and cure for 2–3 days to let the exposed potato flesh toughen up and become more resistant to rot.
  2. The bigger the pot, the better (potatoes need lots of room to grow), but at a minimum it should be 10 US gal (38 L) for 4–6 seed potatoes. If you plan to grow more than 6 seed potatoes, go for a barrel-sized pot. [19]
    • When pot planting potatoes, you’ll also need to contain a sizable drainage hole. Black reusable plastic pots from the garden store work well for growing potatoes, as the black color holds in warmth and the bottoms have built-in drainage.
  3. Your potatoes should not be touching each other or the edge of the pot or their growth will be stunted. Once planted, cover them with 6 in (15 cm) of potting soil. Water until the liquid begins to drain from the bottom. Leave the pot in a sunny, temperate spot on your front or back deck where it will be exposed to 6–8 hours of sunlight per day. [20]
    • Don’t overcrowd the pot. 6 in (15 cm) is the minimum amount of space in which your potato can still grow.
  4. The dryness of the soil will depend on the weather where you live, so test if it’s time to water by sticking one finger into the top of the soil. If it feels dry, it’s time to water again. Keep going until water begins to drain from the bottom of the pot. [21]
    • If you live in a hotter climate, your soil will get drier quicker and will need to be watered more often. Check twice a day.
  5. Only about 6 inches (15 cm) of the sprout should be exposed at any point in the growing process, so continue to add soil periodically. Mix your soil with fertilizer (a 5-10-10 commercial mixture from the garden store will do) for healthy, fast-growing plants. [22]
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Section 6 of 6:

Harvesting & Storing Your Potatoes

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  1. Somewhere around five months after their plant date, your potatoes will begin to show signs that they’ve matured. The leaves will turn yellow and the foliage will die back, meaning it’s almost time to harvest them. Leave them in the soil for an additional 2–3 weeks, then carefully dig them up with a pitchfork or spade and gather them with your hands. [23]
    • Many species of potatoes will grow into tubers large enough to eat after 10 weeks, but leaving them in the ground longer will yield the largest crop.
    • Check the skin of each potato for white, mushy spots—these could signify fungus, in which case the potatoes are not safe to eat. They should be uniform in color with tight, firm skins.
  2. Don’t wash your potatoes right after you dig them up. Instead, just knock off the loose dirt and store them in a cool (50–60°F or 10–15°C) area with high humidity for 10–14 days. This helps heal over any cuts or wounds that might be on the potatoes and dries out the skins for long term storage. [24]
    • Store potatoes for 6–8 months in a cool, moist place like a basement. Keep them in a ventilated bag or box away from light sources (light causes potatoes to turn green, which makes them toxic to eat).
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      Tips

      • Make sure the potatoes get 6-8 hours of sunlight per day whether they're outside or inside.
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      • You can also grow potatoes without burying the seed potatoes. Place them on top of the soil, then cover with 6 inches of loose hay.
      • Only indeterminate varieties will grow more potatoes as you bury the stems. Determinate varieties just grow potatoes on the roots.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-potatoes
      2. ↑ https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2020/03/what-best-way-grow-potatoes-containers
      3. ↑ https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/clean-and-green/green-home-and-community/clean-and-green-blog/re-grow-sweet-potatoes-from-the-supermarket
      4. ↑ https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-potatoes
      5. ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/uploads/files/growingpotatoes.pdf
      6. ↑ https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-potatoes
      7. ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/uploads/files/growingpotatoes.pdf
      8. ↑ https://water.unl.edu/article/lawns-gardens-landscapes/manage-soils-improve-drainage-and-prevent-compaction
      9. ↑ https://www.gov.mb.ca/inr/pdf/pubs/mafri-potatoe.pdf
      1. ↑ https://www.gov.mb.ca/inr/pdf/pubs/mafri-potatoe.pdf
      2. ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/uploads/files/growingpotatoes.pdf
      3. ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/uploads/files/growingpotatoes.pdf
      4. ↑ https://garden.org/learn/articles/view/565/Fertilizing-Potatoes/
      5. ↑ https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/lawn-and-garden/potatoes-home-garden/
      6. ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/uploads/files/growingpotatoes.pdf
      7. ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/uploads/files/growingpotatoes.pdf
      8. ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/uploads/files/growingpotatoes.pdf
      9. ↑ https://www.gov.mb.ca/inr/pdf/pubs/mafri-potatoe.pdf
      10. ↑ https://www.rhs.org.uk/vegetables/potatoes/grow-your-own
      11. ↑ https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2020/03/what-best-way-grow-potatoes-containers
      12. ↑ https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2020/03/what-best-way-grow-potatoes-containers
      13. ↑ https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2020/03/what-best-way-grow-potatoes-containers
      14. ↑ https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/lawn-and-garden/potatoes-home-garden/
      15. ↑ https://extension.umd.edu/resource/growing-potatoes-home-garden/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      You can grow potatoes from other potatoes in a pot right at home. First, fill a 10-gallon (40-liter) or bigger pot that has drainage holes one-third of the way with potting soil. Plant potatoes 6 inches (15 cm) apart and cover them with 6 inches (15 cm) of soil. Water the potatoes until the pot drains, then place them in a spot that gets full sun. Continue watering them whenever the top 2 inches (5 cm) of soil is dry. Once the potatoes sprout and start growing above the soil, continue to add potting soil to the pot so no more than 1 inch (2 ½ cm) of the sprouts are exposed at any time. Harvest your potatoes in 18-20 weeks once the leaves turn yellow.

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        Jul 27, 2023

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