How to Plant Potatoes

Co-authored by Olivia Choong

Last Updated: April 19, 2024 Approved

Potatoes are a staple of several ethnic diets. The process of growing potatoes is simple.– Just move down to Step 1 to get started.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Picking the Right Potato

Download Article

1
Pick potatoes according to their growth period. Potatoes are classified according to the length of time they take to mature, which can be influenced by weather. ^{[1]
X
Research source}
- Early seed potatoes mature in 60-110 days. Planted towards the end of March, they are typically ready for lifting from late June or early July. A few varieties of new potatoes include Pentland Javelin, Arran Pilot, and Dunluce. ^{[2]
  X
  Research source}
- Maincrop seed potatoes mature in 125–140 days and if planted in late April can be harvested by mid-August, and this can continue through to October. These varieties are higher yielding and usually have larger tubers, which can be used fresh or stored for winter use. King Edward, Kerrs Pink, and Harmony are all good examples of this variety. ^{[3]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  Royal Horticultural Society
  Leading gardening charity in the U.K. providing resources for identifying, growing and caring for flowers and other plants
  Go to source}
2
Obtain the seed potatoes of your choice. You can purchase a seed potatoes through the mail or at your local garden shop, or you can use leftover potatoes you purchased from the supermarket. These however, will not be certified as disease free, which can create a perpetual problem if you plan to raise potatoes in the same place again, as many diseases can be carried in the soil year by year. ^{[4]
X
Research source}
- Try to always use certified seeded stock. This is to control and reduce the risk of potato diseases and viruses. You can get certified potato stock from good garden centre, or online quite cheaply. Potatoes come in different growing times for example.
Advertisement
3
Prepare the potatoes for planting. With a sharp, non-serrated knife, slice the potatoes roughly into quarters, making sure each piece has no more than three "eyes," which are the small pits or indents on the surface. Place in the sun and let it sit for a day or two, or until you begin to notice the eyes growing sprouts. ^{[5]
X
Research source}
- Don't soak your potatoes, as some might suggest. Potatoes have no tough shell to need softened by soaking as some seeds do and they have all the moisture they need for sprouting in the flesh of the potato itself. Soaking creates more risk of rotting than anything it might accomplish! You want the cut sides to "heal"- form a dry "skin" over the area to discourage rotting.
Some potato varieties will grow small, highly-toxic green fruits above the ground that each contain up to 300 "true" potato seeds. Chop the fruit finely and put the pieces in a dish of water; after about a day, the seeds will separate and sink to the bottom.
5
Spout your potato tubers in a greenhouse or windowsill. You can use empty egg boxes or you can use empty seed trays to place them upright in. Once the shoots start growing about one half-inch, they're ready to plant.
- Only leave 2 - 3 shoots on each potatoes, removing the rest.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Planting Potatoes

Download Article

1
Prepare the soil. You can plant your potatoes in a patch of land, or you can put them in a planter on your patio. Large pots, a stack of tires and old chimney pots all work well. The most important thing is making sure your soil is as weed-free as possible. Additionally, you might want to till some compost or manure into the soil to make it nutrient-rich.
- Prepare the ground with well rotted compost add a potato fertiliser high in potash.
- Be sure to spade or loosen the soil extremely well. Potatoes will not grow in hard or compact soil.
Niki Jabbour, Award-Winning Gardener

Potatoes grow best in loose, fertile soil enriched with compost or aged manure. Space seed potatoes 12-16 inches apart in rows or hills. Plant pieces 2-4 inches deep with the eyes facing up. As plants emerge, gradually mound soil against stems, keeping just the top leaves exposed.
Time your planting so that it falls a week or two before the last frost of the season for your area. The colder nights will kill potential pests, and your potatoes will need more sunshine as the days get longer. ^{[6]
X
Research source} For example, in coastal Virginia, potatoes planted on St. Patrick's day in March are harvested in July.
3
Pick an appropriate spot in the garden. Pick a loose and sunny part of your garden, because potatoes need high heat and lots of sunlight to grow properly. ^{[7]
X
Research source} Never plant potatoes in the shaded areas of your garden.
- Be sure to plant potatoes in a different part of your garden each year, so that soil can "rest" a season and replenish the nitrogen. Either that or replenish the soil with plenty of liquid fertilizer (05-10-10) during growing season and after your potatoes are harvested.
- Potatoes can also be panted in potato bags or large pots. Carefully plunge a single chitted (sprouting) tuber into the compost with the shoots pointing upwards, to a depth of 12cm (5") from the soil surface. Gently cover the tubers with compost. All they require is water and a bright, frost free position to grow in.
4
Put your seed potatoes about four inches deep. Potatoes should be planted in rows about 12 inches apart and at a depth of about 4 inches. Build up the soil along the rows, forming a mound. Potatoes should be far enough apart that they shouldn't run into each other underground as they grow. ^{[8]
X
Research source}
- Another way to plant potatoes is to cut them into chunks so that each chunk has at least 1 or better 2 sprouts shooting up. Carefully dust the potato chunks with agricultural sulfur taking care not to break off the sprouts if at all possible as this slows down growth. Plant the potato chunks with the cut side of your chunk facing down into the soil and the sprout or "eyes" pointing up and about 3-4" below the soil level in your mounds.
- As the leaves start to push themselves above the soil, keep earthing up the soil around the plants to prevent any of the potatoes showing. Otherwise, these will turn green and be inedible, as well as poisonous.
- Once the plants are well established and are in flower can give them a liquid feed. Once the plants start to die back that is normally the time to start lifting and harvesting.
5
Care for the plant. Nurturing your potato as it grows will ensure a healthy, edible product come harvest. ^{[9]
X
Research source}
- Pull any weeds around your potato plant.
- If you notice holes or yellowing in your potato plant's leaves, you might have pests. If you don't want to use a pesticide on your potatoes, ask the employees at your local garden shop for tips on how to get rid of pests naturally.
6
Water the potatoes sparingly. Potatoes like the soil to be not only loose but very well drained so only water them when they are getting dry, do not keep them moist once the tubers have formed. Be sure to plant them in soil that has been "hilled" or in mounds so the potato is at the top of the mound and water will run off easier. If you plant on level ground they will not thrive. ^{[10]
X
Research source}
- Once a week should be fine during summertime, as long as it is a thorough watering, but do it more often if necessary. If the leaves of the plant look like they're wilting, then your potatoes need more water. Be careful not to over water, though, or you'll end up with black potatoes.
7
Harvest your potatoes. When it is near the first frost, harvest and eat. You can harvest potatoes in stages - "young" or "early" potatoes should be ready about 7-8 weeks after planting (when the flowers first appear). Take a few without pulling up the stems, and leave others to continue growing into full-sized potatoes. You will know when your potatoes are ready to harvest when the vine leaves turn yellow and wither. ^{[11]
X
Research source}
- Store your harvested potatoes in a well-ventilated container (like a basket, crate, paper bag, or net) in a cool, dark, and dry place. Don't put the potatoes in the fridge—this turns the starch to sugars, which alters the flavor and potentially forms acrylamide, a cancer risk chemical. ^{[12]
  X
  Research source}

Community Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Question

How far apart should the hills be?

Community Answer

Around 12 inches apart, depending slightly on what variety you're planting (bigger tubers like Russet will tend to intertwine and choke off potential yield if less than a foot between, whereas fingerling potatoes won't require as much room.) It is a good practice to leave ample space no matter what genus you're investing in.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 13 Helpful 36
Question

Is it bad to just cut the potatoes in half?

Sander1

Community Answer

No, that's OK. There is only one requirement: Make sure every single part of the potato you plant has at least one eye bud (this is where they start to germinate).

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 20 Helpful 51
Question

What do I do if my plants are too tall and fell over?

Community Answer

Get a support stick, which is available at gardening shops, and tie the stem to the stick for support. Twine is very durable.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 14 Helpful 34

See more answers

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Tips

If you want to plant potatoes from a seed company or garden supply center, make sure that they are from a disease-free strain.

Thanks
Helpful 168 Not Helpful 64
If you leave any potatoes in the ground, they'll pop up again next year. While this may seem an easy thing, it is not a good idea to grow potatoes in the same soil the following year as this increases the likelihood of diseases through soil depletion. The ideal garden should be rotating crops of all vegetables, including potatoes.

Thanks
Helpful 10 Not Helpful 1
You can get two crops per year; one in the summer if you plant in spring and another in early winter if you plant in fall.

Thanks
Helpful 52 Not Helpful 28

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Name

Please provide your name and last initial

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Warnings

Stony ground leads to oddly shaped potatoes, so carefully remove all stones from your patch if you want uniform produce.

Thanks
Helpful 93 Not Helpful 37
Do not eat green potatoes or green parts of potatoes - these are poisonous in large quantities. ^{[13]
X
Research source}

Thanks
Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

[1]

[2]

[3]

Trustworthy Source

Go to source

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

Log in

How to Plant Potatoes

Steps

Picking the Right Potato

Planting Potatoes

Community Q&A

Tips

Warnings

You Might Also Like

References

About This Article

Reader Success Stories

Did this article help you?

Quizzes

You Might Also Like

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Featured Articles

Featured Articles

Watch Articles

Trending Articles

Quizzes

Explore Categories