Growing Potatoes

Growing Potatoes are fun and unique because they grow underground and develop out of our sight. I call it 'mysterious harvest crop' because there is no way to know how they are doing, how much they develop or if they are failed in the underground.  I will not know how they are doing until digging up for harvest.  There are actually over thousand different varieties of potatoes available for growing. My way of show how to Grow Potatoes is generic. Please feel free to modify based on your soil condition and weather.

How to get seed potatoes: In your pantry, you can use them to plant if you notice potatoes sitting for too long and producing shoots in the potato eyes. That’s how you started. You can buy them as Seed potatoes--this is a bit expensive.


1. Seed potatoes can be planted whole or cut into pieces—make sure that each piece contain at least an eye or two (three or more will be fine). I am looking for a size of golf ball.


2. Heal the wounds allowing the cut pieces to callus over—This is to prevent potatoes rot if the soil is too cool or wet. I waited by leaving them exposed overnight.


How to Plant: Choose a sunny spot with well draining, loose soil, so that the roots and tubers can develop.  We need to prepare Potato bed and plant seed potatoes using either whole or cut into pieces, but make sure that each piece contains at least an eye or two.

Two Seed Potatoes in the trench

Maintenance: Potatoes don’t like a particularly rich soil. If you have some organic matter and the pH is good, the potatoes should be happy. What they do rely on is a steady water supply. Water them at least inch a week.  Now, waiting time for you with TLC (tender, love, and care).

Happy Potato plants