Growing Potatoes from Planting to Harvest!

Potatoes are considered cool-season plants and can be planted as soon as the ground has thawed and dried enough to be worked safely. However, allowing the soil to dry adequately is crucial before doing so. If you work the soil while it's still too wet, it will form compacted, hard clumps, leading to misshapen tubers later in the season.

Let's talk about strategies for choosing what to grow for the coming season. Spring can often be a mix of winter and summer days where you never know if it's going to hit the low 60s for months. Select seeds with that in mind and also think about companion plants that you want to start early to prepare for the season.

Here is a great YouTube video. Source: Official 2nd channel of Garden Answer.

Potatoes can grow in most soil types but require good drainage. Choose a sunny location and use a balanced, low-analysis fertilizer to promote growth. Use certified disease-free seed potatoes to start a new planting. Cut them into pieces with at least one healthy bud and plant them 2-3 inches deep, 12 inches apart within the row, and 24-36 inches between rows. New potatoes can be harvested in mid to late summer, while full-size tubers can be harvested in late summer or early fall. Store only the best-quality tubers in dark, cool, and dry conditions for 2 to 9 months, depending on the cultivar.