Tips for Growing Healthy Potato Plants
Potatoes are great plants to add to any garden, however, they
often require a little more attention than other vegetables.
Potato plants need a certain type of soil to grow as well as a
strong commitment to pest and disease control.
When
growing potatoes, first make sure you have the right soil for
abundant growth. Your soil needs to be of a sandy loam texture,
organically rich and tilled properly if previously inhabited by
a cover crop such as wheat or rye. You can sometimes improvise
for clay soil by eliminating drainage problems and adding manure
or compost for organic conditioning. Potatoes usually require a
substantial amount of fertilizer and pH balancing for the soil.
Potato Seeds
The potato seed is not an
actual seed, but stem tissue called "tuber". The tuber forms
during mid-season of a potato plant's growth and is inedible. If
growing multiple potato plants, plant your potato tubers at
least four inches deep and twelve inches apart.
5 Quick
Tips for Healthy Potato Plants
After planting your
potato tuber, you'll want to take steps to ensure proper growth
and development.
Here are five tips to help you grow
great potatoes: - Avoid Chemical Weed Control -
Use shallow cultivation to remove weeds around your potato
plants and to avoid cutting or damaging the roots. After your
plant grows at least six inches tall, build a hill of soil at
the base of the plant. Keep adding to the hill of soil as the
plant grows to prevent shallow tubers from greening.
- Controlling Pests - Use only approved insecticides to
protect your potato plants. Maintain your pest control routine
from the time you see the first plants emerging from the ground
until just a few weeks before harvesting time. You'll want to
protect your potato plants at all times because they can be
damaged easily.
- Buying Potato Seed - Always buy
certified potato seed whenever possible. Disease is common in
potato seeds and buying certified seed will help decrease the
potential for disease in your crop.
- Using Round Seed
- Use only round, size-graded potato seeds if possible to
prevent seedpiece breakdown. Although round seed usually costs
more, the advantages often justify the higher costs.
- Determining Potato Maturity - Your potato plants are
mature when the skin is firmly set on the tuber and can't be
rubbed off with your thumb. Harvesting should be done a couple
of weeks after the vines have died down to prevent bruising or
rotting during storage. If you harvest your potatoes in hot
temperatures, place them in a dark, cool area immediately after
picking to prevent rotting.
Potatoes can make a great
addition to your garden if you treat them with special care. Use
the tips above to produce healthy, hearty potatoes.