Potatoes are a comparatively soft flora to grow , specially if you live in a warm and gay area . Because of their size and the fact that they ’re a root word veggie , it ’s important to moot the depth they ’re planted to check that they get the nutrient they need to thrive . But how deeply should they be planted ? We ’ve researched the best deepness to plant life potatoes , and in this post , we will resolve this question for you .

Potato plants uprise best when they ’re planted at least 6 to 8 inches beneath their soil . Though these plants are low maintenance , planting them at the right depth can make the remainder between plants that develop to be respectable and large and those industrial plant whose growth become stunt from malnourishment . It ’s also essential to place the potato plants at least 12 to 15 inches apart from one another to have sufficient room to emit as they mature .

Are you Modern to planting Solanum tuberosum ? Unsure how to worry for them once they ’re in the ground ? If so , keep reading to hear more about how to plant and run to these crop .

close-up partial view of farmer holding ripe organic potatoes in field, How Deep To Plant Potatoes

Potato Planting Depth

While they are in their early growth stages , potato plants need to be completely covered with soil to receive alimentation . It ’s authoritative for the territory in which they are grow to be loose and well - oxygenize . heavyset soil can make it hard for the potato plants to have water supply and nutrient through their roots adequately .

It also make the plant life extremely unmanageable to harvest once they ’re ready . If you plant the plant in a shallow deep , keep in mind that you may always add soil and mulch as needed , however . Also , if you have seminal fluid potatoes , you may plant the trenches as shallow as 4 to 6 inch deep to serve them produce faster . These plants should be about 8 to 12 inch apart , however .

As the plants grow , it ’s best to mound the surrounding mound around them until the plant is covered . But what is mound ? And how do you do it ? allow ’s talk over .

Harvesting potatoes on field, farm workers picking and transporting to the warehouse

Hilling Potatoes

One of the most important matter to stay on top of when develop potatoes at home is the health of their tubers . murphy Tuber can become dry and eventually give out from receiving too much sun for too long . They can also turn a greenish hue and start to produce solanine . Solanine is a toxic chemical compound that makes the potatoes very bitter and inedible . To preclude this , raiser will typically hill ( aka " mound " ) the potato at least 3 to 4 time during the growing season .

Hilling potatoes involve pulling up the surrounding soil at the base of the flora stem and bringing it up to cover the plant adequately . This is usually done in the morning before the sunlight rise to preclude the plant from being bring out to direct sunlight during the day . This way , the new tubers are protected from the sunlight and can make more tubers before the harvesting .

The best time to hill potato plants is approximately three weeks from when they are embed . A good sign to shape when they are quick to be take is when the baby sprouts begin pushing up through the grime . Once you notice this , be sure to hill the loose turd around the plants and any compost , straw , leaves , and mulch . Make trusted that the sprout are totally covered . The next clock time the plant life should be hilled is when it grows an extra 6 to 8 inches taller .

Article image

Watering Potato Plants

Sometimes the Solanum tuberosum works may need extra pee right after they have been mounded . One quick fashion to decide if this is ask is by grabbing a smattering of soil to see its wet stage . The stain should feel somewhat damp and loose . If it is dry , be sure to water it as need . If it feels too wet , give it is a few days to drain before watering again .

If a potato plant ' soil is overwatered , the plants will be susceptible to various disease . It ’s always best to water potato plants in the morning so that they can have clock time to dry out during the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. while expose to sunlight . This forbid them from over - dry out .

Weeding Potato Plants

Weeding your white potato vine plant is another essential step to farm a full harvest . off weeds helps preserve the water and nutrients rigorously for the potato industrial plant , as weeds can easily suck the victuals from the plant . It ’s essential to have a reliable hoe when cultivate the sphere around the plants to keep them free of food - sucking locoweed and plants .

memorize more about this garden hoe on ; k.

What month do you plant potatoes?

Potato plants opt cooler atmospheric condition to grow . The just clock time to found them is around mid - April or five to seven weeks before the last Robert Frost appointment . Potato plant prefer stain temperature of anywhere from 45 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit . This is especially important for baby white potato plant life if they are more vulnerable to plant disease and environmental factors .

Be sure to check the temperature of the soil before planting your potatoes to ensure that all of the frost is gone . Though the plants can handle a bit of light frost , heavy layer of frost within the soil will surely damage them very quickly .

Learn more about this garden thermometer on Amazon .

Article image

Do you need to cut seed potatoes before planting?

It bet on the sizing of the seed . If the seed murphy is anywhere from 11/2 to 2 Panthera uncia , you do n’t need to cut it . However , if the seminal fluid is over a couple of ounces , you ’ll require to rationalise it into small piece . The goal is to have at least two eyes on the seed . However , one will answer as well .

When cutting the white potato vine , it does n’t matter which way you edit it , but void cutting the eyes if possible . Also , be certain that the knife you use to cut your potatoes is acuate and clean . It helps to douce it in alcohol to avoid transferring any bacteria or dirt from other plants to the tater .

Check out this garden tongue on Amazon .

Article image

Do you plant seed potatoes with eyes up or down?

It ’s good to plant seeded player potatoes with the middle face up . You ’ll usually find that seed potatoes will have at least one centre . If the seed potatoes have two , attempt to plant them so that either of them or the bombastic one faces up .

Can you plant potatoes too deep?

It ’s not best to do this . Why ? Because potato plants need enough room for reproduction . Planting them too profoundly can cause the plants to rot before they have a prospect to burgeon forth . Also , it makes harvest home the plant very unmanageable during the terminal of the season because the ascendant veg is swallow so deeply into the soil . This can make for a physically wearying harvesting session .

Instead of planting potatoes too deeply , gardeners use mound to keep the plants cover in filth and accessible for piss and nutrients . you may even mound the white potato vine every 3 to 4 weeks if need . If you do n’t have a hoe , you could also use a small shovel to quickly comprehend up the dirt around the root and cover the plant on top . Be certain that at least some of the plant is visible so that it ’ll keep growing .

How many potatoes will grow from one potato?

On average , a single potato plant can acquire a lower limit of 3 to 4 pounds of potatoes . Seed potatoes , however , can produce about 4 - 6 potato industrial plant .

What’s the difference between seed potatoes and regular potatoes?

seeded player potatoes are potatoes that have been drawn and replanted to produce a new craw . This is how most potatoes are made uncommitted to agriculturist and farmers .

One of the benefits of grow sweet potatoes is that they are disease and computer virus - free . They are typically made from different microtubules and microfilaments , and many are produced in labs to control their caliber .

Technically seeds are actually genus Tuber . The tubers will be genetically identical to their parent plant , and they are typically only produce a limited number of times to ensure vigor . For example , if you economize your own come potatoes and use them more than a few time , you ’ll find that subsequent harvest home may not be as successful as the initial plants– especially if you go so far as sixth and seventh - contemporaries plants .

Article image

" unconstipated potatoes " are in the main believe store - bought potatoes . These potatoes are grown for consumption as defend to plant . And can though they ’re inspected for disease , as most crops are , they are n’t put through the same testing as seed potatoes . steady potatoes are usually produce in the ground as contradict to microtubules .

Can I grow potatoes from store-bought potatoes?

Yes . you could and grow potatoes from store - buy potatoes . If the potatoes are take up to sprout , you could implant them in the ground to develop fresh potato plants .

Wrapping Things Up

The deepness at which you plant potatoes makes a considerable difference in their power to grow fully and offer a utter harvest . Always be sure that your deep are at least 7 inches in the ground and space at least 12 inches apart so that they do n’t make impinging with conterminous plants as they grow .

Before you go , be sure to check out our other posts :

Should You Allow Potatoes To Flower ?

close-up partial view of farmer holding ripe organic potatoes in field, How Deep To Plant Potatoes

8 Of The Best Fertilizers For white potato

Article image

Article image

A man planting potatoes in his farm, What’s The Best Soil For Growing Potatoes?

Fields planted with potatoes in bloom