How to Plant Potatoes for Beginners

When I first started gardening, potatoes seemed like a million lightyears away. Now, I grow them for my family! I find it so easy to grow potatoes!

This is a beginner guide for planting potatoes! In no time, you too will be enjoying the fruit of your labor. . . or should I say spuds? 

I will make this daunting task much easier for even the most novice of gardeners!

What month do you plant potatoes?

This is dependent on your area, mostly it is anywhere from February to even May! Some are even planted in the fall. Read the package and go from there or read online on your individual variety!

They take around four months from start to finish. Once the plants die back, it is time to dig around for potatoes! You may need to dig deeper to make sure you get them all or you might have a few volunteer potato plants. 

Can I plant store-bought potatoes?

Yes, many will tell you that you cannot grow store-bought potatoes. There are downsides to doing this:

• Not knowing if the plant is indeterminate or determinate. 
• They might have a potato disease

Overall, this can be a more inexpensive way to grow your own potatoes. 

You will also need to wait for these potatoes to develop eyes to plant. That can make it harder overall to plant. 

Can you plant potatoes straight into the ground?

Potatoes can grow straight into the ground! You will need to till around and amend your soil, however. This can be amended usually with rich compost. 

Something to consider is if your potatoes are indeterminate or determinate before planting. Determinate would do better in looser soil but indeterminate needs to be buried to grow larger and produce more spuds. 

Can I grow potatoes in containers?

Most definitely! Indeterminate work well inside containers because you can fill the soil as the plant grows to help gain height!

Consider purchasing potato grow bags or using old feed sacks to grow your potatoes in! These are all great options to produce your own homegrown potatoes!

Potatoes can grow fantastic in containers, just keep in mind the depth and space needed for your plant.

Conclusion

Potatoes can be a very easy vegetable that you can grow in your own backyard or around the homestead. 

This is because they do not require much more than soil, compost, and water and they will grow. However, depending on the variety, you may need to add more soil as they grow. 

Overall, potatoes are a perfect addition to your backyard garden!

Happy planting!