Growing Potatoes: Soil, Planting & Care Guide

Potatoes are rewarding root crops for home gardens. Success requires specific conditions and techniques.

Soil & Preparation

Soil: Loose, loamy, slightly acidic (pH 5.8–6.5). Early spring planting.

Seed Potatoes: Use certified disease-free seed potatoes, not grocery store tubers. Pre-sprout ("chit") 1 week at 60°F+ in light.

Cutting: Day before planting, cut into 1.5–2 oz pieces, each with ≥1 eye. Cure cut surfaces briefly.

Planting & Hilling

Rows 3 ft apart, plants 1 ft apart, 3 inches deep. Sprouts emerge in ~3 weeks. At 8-inch height, hill 4 inches soil. Repeat weekly (1–2 inches) to keep tubers covered—light exposure turns them green/toxic.

Water & Harvest

Consistent moisture during flowering/tuber formation. Water early morning. Container growing works for small spaces—use large pots, quality mix, and same hilling principle.