Want to learn how to grow potatoes? If you do, you have to make sure that you stick to the necessary things that are essential to its growth and maturity.
Take a look at the important points below to help you learn how to grow potatoes at home.
First: Take Note of the Location Where it Grows Well.
Potatoes are known to grow better in alkaline soil or well-drained soil with lots of potassium and phosphorus, and less nitrogen content.
Typically, potatoes are commonly grown in the central states.
But, wherever you are in the globe, you can plant them almost anywhere you desire in your home like in your porch or yard.
However, you have to check if the location you choose would provide full sun to your potatoes to help them grow.
But then, you also have to keep them well-covered as they grow because there is a tendency for the exposed tubers to develop a toxic substance known as solanine.
Second: Learn When to Plant Potatoes.
A more preferable time for planting these would be in the months of February to March especially if you’re located somewhere in USDA zone 6.
If your location is far south, you may plant your potatoes at the end of the month of September.
Third: Soil Preparation is Important.
To ensure a good growth period for the potatoes, you may have to take note of how you prepare the soil for growing them in.
To do this, there should be about twelve inches of depth in the soil that you have to dig for planting the potatoes. It would also be wise for you to keep it clean from any rock, dirt, or other debris.
If you don’t remove these things before planting the potatoes, those things on or in the soil may obstruct the growth of your potatoes.
Aside from that, you have to make sure that you also add a lot of compost to the soil.
But do not add manure or your potatoes may have a particular plant disease that is known as a scab.
Fourth: Bear the Other Pertinent Factors Involved in Growing Potatoes.
If you have smaller-sized potatoes about two inches in diameter, plant them whole.
If you have larger versions of the potatoes to grow, it would be easier to grow them if you cut these into small portions bearing around two or three eyes on each piece.
In planting them, be sure that you put them in the soil cut side down.
For spacing measurements, you have to space them about twelve inches far from each other, and around seven to about eight inches deep in the soil.
Mulch them with dried leaves at the sides around the stems when your potatoes grow to around six inches to eight inches in height.
Continue this as your plant develops and grows.
Around seven to eight weeks since the first time you planted them in the ground would be the timeframe for harvesting your potatoes.
Another indicator of harvest time is before the hard frost arrives or when you notice that the tops of the potatoes have died.
Learning how to grow potatoes may seem like a lot of work.
But, it’s actually a very engaging and enjoyable task especially if you are hoping to enjoy lots of potatoes without having to purchase them in grocery stores.
