How to Plant Potatoes in 5 Easy steps

Jessica Kelly
Aug 3, 2023
7 min read

I love that potatoes have so many varieties to pick from. Each variety is uniquely different with it’s own distinct flavor and texture. Each year I find myself trying new varieties. It’s more of an adventure than some of my recurring tried and true veggies, boring! I love tasting the new varieties for the first time, curious to see what my labors have surprised me with.

Potatoes are easy to plant as long as you know the steps that need to be taken to ensure they are happy growers. Preparation is the key. Plan ahead of your planting window so you have the seed potatoes on hand and all the materials you need.

Step 1: Pick your potato variety and order your seed potatoes

Compared to what we see in the grocery stores, surprisingly, there are over 100 varieties of potatoes to choose from [

]. There are several main varieties that are well-known and well-liked. Here is a diverse list of these popular potato varieties to help you get started:

1. Russet: A classic baking potato with a rough, earthy skin and fluffy, starchy flesh, perfect for crispy oven-baked creations.

2. Yukon Gold: Boasting a golden-yellow hue and buttery texture, ideal for creamy mashed potatoes and versatile in various cooking methods.

3. Red Bliss: Known for its rosy skin and waxy texture, a delightful choice for salads, roasting, and vibrant presentation.

4. White Rose: A pale-skinned potato with a smooth, creamy texture, offering a subtle flavor to complement diverse recipes.

5. Blue Adirondack: Stand out with this unique variety, featuring striking blue skin and a mild, nutty taste, perfect for adding a touch of flair to dishes.

6. Fingerling: Delicate and elongated, these potatoes offer a buttery flavor, delicious when roasted or sautéed.

7. Sweet Potato: Embrace the nutritious and vibrant orange flesh of this variety, lending itself to both savory and sweet dishes. Murasaki sweet potatoes are our family favorite.

8. Purple Majesty: A regal choice with deep purple skin and a rich, sweet flavor, perfect for mashing and roasting.

9. German Butterball: Enjoy the golden skin and creamy, buttery taste of this heirloom variety, ideal for boiling or steaming.

10. Kennebec: A versatile all-purpose potato with smooth skin and a delicate flavor, suitable for various cooking methods.

Source your potatoes

Understanding how to source your potatoes is an essential step in planning your potato garden. I often hear, “I had no idea I have to buy seed potatoes for my garden.” This is a little known truth that isn’t well understood. I’ve seen several social media posts showing store bought potatoes producing roots in the dark cupboard and then being planted in home gardens. You may already know that you can grow a potato from another potato, so why not just purchase potatoes from the store and plant them? While this can work, it’s not the best strategy in preventing disease and other issues in your garden.

Store bought potatoes are produced for eating and are not treated the same as potatoes grown as a seed potatoes. Seed potatoes, an integral element in potato cultivation, are the certified disease-free tubers utilized for planting, ensuring consistent and healthy crop development. To order seed potatoes, you can find reputable sources such as agricultural supply stores, certified seed potato dealers, and online platforms specializing in horticultural products. By purchasing seed potatoes from these trusted channels, you are increasing your chance for a successful, healthy potato crop.

Step 2: Sprouting your potatoes

Sprouting seed potatoes (also know as chitting), is a pre-planting practice to optimize crop development. With a keen eye for selecting certified disease-free tubers, I arrange them in a single layer within a well-lit, cool, and well-ventilated space. Ensuring that the “eyes” face upward, I allow the potatoes to develop sprouts, typically over a period of two to four weeks. This chitting process encourages the growth of strong and vigorous shoots, enhancing the potatoes’ ability to establish themselves [

]. You are looking for stout, stocky, green sprouts, instead of those long pale sprouts you find when potatoes are left in the dark cupboard. This step is optional but increases your chances for a successful harvest. If your planting season is upon you and you don’t have time to wait up to a month, this step can be skipped.

Step 3: Cut Your Potatoes

Step 4: Choose the right spot to plant & prepare your soil

A well-chosen location and proper soil preparation are very important before planting. You can plant your potatoes 2-4 weeks before your last frost date, but ensure the soil temperature is reaching 55 degrees during the day and 45 degrees during the night [

]. If this is not your first potato harvest, potatoes should be planted in a location that has had 3-4 years of rest since the last potato plantings. Rotating crops is essential for a disease free, nutrient rich soil. There are up to 7 ways to plant a potato including hilled rows, straw mulch, raised beds, wood boxes, wire cylinders, grow bags and garbage bags. They are also a pot friendly plant. I touch on 3 methods in this article: hilled rows, raised beds, and pots.

When planting my potatoes, I opt for a sunny site with at least six hours of sunlight daily, as potatoes thrive with lots of sun. Adequate drainage is crucial, so I steer clear of waterlogged areas. To prepare the soil when planting in rows or in boxes, I begin by removing any weeds and rocks, ensuring the planting site remains clear of competition for nutrients and space. I then till the soil to a depth of 6-8 inches, amending it with organic matter like compost to enhance fertility and moisture retention. I highly recommend planting and amending with Espoma Organic Biotone Starter. Potatoes like slightly acidic soil with soil temperatures between 60-70 so check your soil with a soil ph monitor and thermometer. At 80 degrees the potatoes will likely stop growing altogether. Good soil preparation is key to a successful harvest with any garden vegetable, and this goes for potatoes as well.

Step 5: Plant your potatoes

Potatoes should be sown directly into your garden and planted in the early spring. They are a cool season crop and cannot tolerate high heat. In some climates with a long growing season, they can be planted in late summer, early fall as well. Germination typically takes place between 1-3 weeks [5].

When planting potatoes in rows, garden boxes, or containers, precise techniques and spacing considerations are essential. I create furrows in the soil, maintaining row spacing of 3-4 feet apart to allow ample room for growth and ease of maintenance. In these furrows, I place the seed potatoes approximately 10-12 inches apart, ensuring each tuber’s “eyes” face upwards. The depth of planting should be 4-6 inches to provide adequate coverage without hindering sprouting. For raised beds or boxes, potatoes should be planted 12 inches apart staggering each row. In pots, I allocate each seed potato with a space of at least 8 inches apart to accommodate their growth. This doesn’t allow for as much growth and the potatoes will likely be smaller. When planting in rows or in garden boxes, it is best practice to hill your potatoes as they grow. When your stems are 6-8 inches long, take dirt and mound up the stem until just the leaves are showing. Two weeks later, mound up the stem again and repeat until harvest. Tuber formation happens along the buried stem, so mounding (or hilling) will increase your yield. This can also be done with straw, making harvest time even easier [6].

Caring for your potatoes

Care

]. Watering will go up in the heat of summer in hotter climates. To encourage healthy growth and prevent weed competition, I weed the potato patch. Additionally, I gradually mound soil around the base of the plants as they grow, fostering additional tuber formation.

Pests

Throughout the growing season, I Inspect my potatoes for any signs of pests that can jeopardize my potatoes health and yield. The Colorado potato beetle, a notorious foe, can be mitigated through manual removal or organic insecticides. I also remain watchful for aphids and use insecticidal soaps to curb their population. The infamous potato blight is also a problem to watch out for. Potato blight is caused by a fungus, usually in damp, warm conditions. Watch for signs of blight on the leaves and take action to remove leaves when any signs are noted. More action must be taken if more than 25 percent of your crop are showing signs of blight. Practicing crop rotation and maintaining a clean garden environment helps reduce the risk of pest infestations.

Harvesting

Potatoes will be ready for harvest 10-20 weeks after planting depending on their variety, typically in late summer, early fall. When potato leaves begin to dry, wither, and yellow toward the end of the growing season, this is a sign that it’s time to harvest. However, when you harvest at first signs these potatoes must be consumed soon because they cannot store as long. When harvesting potatoes for storage, leave potatoes underground for 2 weeks after leaves wither and yellow to allow adequate time for potatoes skin to harden [

]. Simply dig up your potatoes and remove the stems. Wipe off the dirt but do not wash your potatoes right away. Washing will shorten their life. Pack your dry potatoes into a breathable sack or cardboard box and place in a cool (40 degrees), dark area for up to 2 weeks. This allows for the skin to cure and keep even longer. Also ensure it is stored in a relatively humid environment. Potatoes are up to 80% water, so if they are stored in a dry place, they will lose their water and wither.

Next steps

Potatoes have been a favorite of mine since childhood. Does it have anything to do with my rich Irish heritage? Potatoes baked, boiled, fried, gratin, we love it all! Not to mention the nutritional benefits of potatoes and their skins, especially sweet potatoes. They are an excellent source of carbohydrates, providing sustained energy for daily activities. Potatoes contain essential vitamins such as vitamin C, which boosts the immune system, and vitamin B6, vital for brain function. Minerals like potassium aid in maintaining healthy blood pressure levels. I’ve grown and eaten several different varieties of sweet potatoes and have found them to be my favorite of all the varieties. I started my kids young, and now they love them too! Although there are a few steps involved, once you’ve planted potatoes a few times it gets easier year after year.