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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
- Let seed potatoes sprout on the counter for 1 week.
- Cut the potatoes into 2-inch pieces with 1–2 sprouts each.
- Plant the pieces in 4-inch-deep holes, 12 inches apart with sprouts facing up.
- Cover with soil and provide 1–2 inches of water per week.
- Hill the soil around the plants as they grow so only a few inches show above ground.
- Harvest the potatoes after 70–100 days when the leaves turn yellow and die back.
Steps
Section 4 of 6:
Planting Potatoes in Your Yard or Garden
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Let sprouts grow on your seed potatoes for 1 week before planting. 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] X Research source
- 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.
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Cut the potatoes into 2 in (5 cm) pieces and dry them for 2–3 days. 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] X Research source 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] X Research source
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Loosen the soil and prep it with compost or a balanced fertilizer. 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] X Research source Top your fertilizer or compost with at least 2 inches (5 cm) of soil or it could damage your potato roots. [13] X Research source
- 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.
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Plant the potatoes in holes 12 in (30 cm) apart. 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] X Research source
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Give your potatoes 1–2 in (2.5–5.1 cm) of water per week. 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] X Research source
- 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.
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Hill the potatoes after 5 weeks when plants are 8–12 in (20–30 cm) high. 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] X Research source 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] X Research source
- 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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Let seed potatoes sprout for 1 week, then cut them into small pieces. 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] X Research source
- 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.
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Fill 1/3 of a large, deep pot with potting soil. 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] 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
- 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.
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Plant seed potatoes 6 in (15 cm) apart with sprouts face up. 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] X Research source
- Don’t overcrowd the pot. 6 in (15 cm) is the minimum amount of space in which your potato can still grow.
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Water your potatoes whenever the top 2 in (5.1 cm) of soil is dry. 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] X Research source
- 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.
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Add potting soil as your potato sprouts shoot out of the soil. 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] X Research source
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Tips
- Make sure the potatoes get 6-8 hours of sunlight per day whether they're outside or inside.Thanks
Tips from our Readers
The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
- 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
- ↑ https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-potatoes
- ↑ https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2020/03/what-best-way-grow-potatoes-containers
- ↑ https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/clean-and-green/green-home-and-community/clean-and-green-blog/re-grow-sweet-potatoes-from-the-supermarket
- ↑ https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-potatoes
- ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/uploads/files/growingpotatoes.pdf
- ↑ https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-potatoes
- ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/uploads/files/growingpotatoes.pdf
- ↑ https://water.unl.edu/article/lawns-gardens-landscapes/manage-soils-improve-drainage-and-prevent-compaction
- ↑ https://www.gov.mb.ca/inr/pdf/pubs/mafri-potatoe.pdf
- ↑ https://www.gov.mb.ca/inr/pdf/pubs/mafri-potatoe.pdf
- ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/uploads/files/growingpotatoes.pdf
- ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/uploads/files/growingpotatoes.pdf
- ↑ https://garden.org/learn/articles/view/565/Fertilizing-Potatoes/
- ↑ https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/lawn-and-garden/potatoes-home-garden/
- ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/uploads/files/growingpotatoes.pdf
- ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/uploads/files/growingpotatoes.pdf
- ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/uploads/files/growingpotatoes.pdf
- ↑ https://www.gov.mb.ca/inr/pdf/pubs/mafri-potatoe.pdf
- ↑ https://www.rhs.org.uk/vegetables/potatoes/grow-your-own
- ↑ https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2020/03/what-best-way-grow-potatoes-containers
- ↑ https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2020/03/what-best-way-grow-potatoes-containers
- ↑ https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2020/03/what-best-way-grow-potatoes-containers
- ↑ https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/lawn-and-garden/potatoes-home-garden/
- ↑ https://extension.umd.edu/resource/growing-potatoes-home-garden/
About This Article
Article Summary
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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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Reader Success Stories
- "Not sure if a success story yet. Had some potatoes that were sending out roots (I guess that is what you would call them). Didn't know if and when I could plant them. Thank you for your information." ..." more
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"Not sure if a success story yet. Had some potatoes that were sending out roots (I guess that is what you would call them). Didn't know if and when I could plant them. Thank you for your information."
..."
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"I've grown potatoes successfully for decades. First time I've ever seen anything about leaving 1" of plant above soil level. I'm going to hill them up this year and watch. Thanks."
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"Indeterminate potatoes that grow like a vine need to be hilled, determinate potatoes do not. There are no instructions for growing determinate potatoes. Thanks."
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"I've never done this before but your article gave me all the info I need from start to end, brilliant, Thank you."
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