Another easy method is to mulch up leaves in the fall and place potatoes on the partially decomposed leaves in the spring. Cover the pile with 1 to 1 1/2 feet of straw, mulching as needed to keep tubers covered.
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My neighbor planted some Red Russets late February. That's the appropriate time for planting potatoes in our region. None have broken through the ground yet.
I always have wrinkly old potatoes left over from my winter "load-up" in the fall. I plant them in the garden, cutting them in pieces and making sure that each piece has one or two "eyes".
To dress up my front porch inexpensively, I take a potato and cut out the sections where "eyes" start growing. I place these in just enough water to keep the bottom of the section wet.
When potato planting time came around, we always saved old newspapers to soak in water the night before to bed the drills before popping the seed potato in and covering with soil.
Since it is gardening season, here is a gardening tip. When you plant potatoes, layer straw on top. The plants will grow through and make potatoes on top of the ground.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I remember an article about planting potatoes in an upright position which allowed you to remove the bands and harvest without digging, but cannot find the article. Can someone help me?
By Marie Behra
I remember reading that you plant the seed potato at "ground level", then, once the foliage is around a foot high, you add a ring (wood, old tire, etc.) and dirt to fill the ring, leaving half the plant exposed. Each time the foliage gets fairly high, you add another ring and more soil, leaving healthy foliage exposed.
My mom plants the seed potato about 4" in the ground, and then as the plant grows she keeps adding straw. The potatoes form in the straw.
I have little space and want to plant potatoes. I have heard they do not go good near other vegetable plants. Which plants are good to plant next to potatoes?
Hardiness Zone: 8a
By Mike from Hampton, VA
Potatoes shouldn't be grown near tomatoes, I think because of risk of blight. They're supposed to do well near beans and corn though. Potatoes do well in tubs (especially early varieties) so you might consider growing them in containers where you could keep them away from other vegetables in the patch if need be.
I might have planted earlier than I should, we've just gotten 2 weeks of rain and cold temps. My plant's leaves have just come up, but are turning purple colored. It's not mold, is this a stress reaction to the cold and wet weather and what can I do to make them stronger? Also will putting manure down raise the pH too much? How can you tell if the pH is too high and what can I do to balance this out?
By Alex
There ARE purple potato plants and there are chartreuse ones. You might have the purple one. Was it chartreuse to begin with?
Can I grow a plant from a potato eye?
Hardiness Zone: 7a
By jim russell from Kitts Hill, OH
You need a piece of potato with that least 2 eyes, after cutting the potato in sections it really should set out and dry a bit or dust it with sulfur, you cannot grow potato plants from just a sprout you really need a piece of potato attached. After planting your potato, once it's about 3 to 4 in. tall start piling dirt up around the stem (I usually dig the hole and slowly fill in as the potato grows.)
Now the sweet potato is a totally different thing you have to wait for them to sprout, once the sprouts are at least 3 in. long carefully snap off put it in small glass with a little bit of water once roots form that's when you plant them.
Our potatoes are growing very long spindly tops and there are very few. There are only a few very small spuds per hill. Would it help to mow the tops off at some point to get more and bigger spuds? Any other suggestions would be helpful.
By Marshall from Beatty, SK, Canada
Can potatoes continue to grow once they have been hit with a freeze while leaves are present?
By Larry L.
What is the best N.P.P. ratio for a good crop of spuds?
By Brian
I would like information for planting seed potatoes, as in depth, distance apart, hilling, etc.
By Jim
Check out these photos.
Instead of throwing away any potatoes that have stared sprouting, try putting 2-4 toothpicks in the side and put the half which is starting to sprout into a small bowl or glass of water.
I saw several articles on how easy it is to grow potatoes so decided to give it a try. These are in about 3 inches of soil and doing super well. I was so happy to see the first signs of them blooming!
This is a page about planting sprouting potatoes. If those potatoes that you forgot about have begun to sprout, try planting them. As long as there is no rot you should be able to harvest a nice crop.
This is a page about harvesting potatoes. Growing your own potatoes can be a fun and rewarding part of your vegetable garden. Once the potatoes are full grown it's time to harvest them.
Save gardening space and grow tons of potatoes by building this stackable potato planter. This page gives you step by step instructions to make a stackable potato planter.
This is a page about picking a potato variety. The variety of potato you choose to grow, will have a major impact on the taste and texture of your potato dishes.
This is a page about growing potatoes in containers. If you have limited garden space or poor soil, try growing potatoes in various types of containers.
