white potato are a favorite staple fiber throughout the world . Originating in South America , this unique and crucial plant finally found its style to North America and Europe , firmly planting itself as one of the most important crops ever bring out .
Yet despite its storeyed history and its inherent part in the rise of innovative commercial-grade agriculture , there is n’t one determinate way to uprise them . From hilled rows in the garden to a pot on the patio , there ’s more than one way to plant Irish potato .
decide the best method to rise potatoes partially depends on understanding how they take shape . Unlike what many masses believe , new potatoes rise above the seeded player potato along the stem , not underneath the germ . The mother genus Tuber ab initio sends up shoots — as you see if your tater stay too long in the pantry — while make a sizeable theme system . This vegetative stage is important because it determines the overall health of the works .
The unexampled tubers form along the radical below the filth . If you take a look at a Solanum tuberosum plant when you pull it in the fall , you ’ll see these swollen spots branching off along the stem turn . If you had an ideal season , they will all be salutary - sized white potato , though it ’s common to have a number of developing tubers .
When you ’re planting potatoes , keep this physical process in mind so you’re able to give your potatoes the optimum stipulation for a bighearted crop . Here are six different tater - planting methods to help you make your decision .
1. Traditional Hilling
Although this is belike the most labor - intensive planting and harvesting method , it ’s a try out - and - unfeigned proficiency that has n’t give way wrong for centuries . Till a deep 6 to 8 inches deep , send the seed potatoes 10 inch apart and traverse them . As the plants develop , hill the soil a few inches around the base to ensure the white potato that form along the fore are adequately covered . Do this more than once throughout the time of year , allowing the foliage to continue produce above the soil line .
2. Straw Hilling
This is a limited version of traditional trenching and hilling . Plant the tater 3 to 4 inches deep , but instead of hilling throughout the time of year , plainly cover the plants with husk as they grow . finally the stalk will be at least 1 human foot deep .
The looker of using straw is that is makes your potatoes very easy to harvest . For the most part , you just pull back the straw and pick up the white potato vine . The major drawback is that if you do n’t pile enough straw on top of the genus Tuber , sun might gain them , causing erythema solare and the subsequent green skin , which is inedible . In gain , in area where shiner are prevalent , you might lose some to the rodents .
3. Straw-Bale Growing
Another option using straw is utilize the husk - bale horticulture method acting . “ It ’s just so easy and so generative , ” says Joel Karsten , a drinking straw - bale gardening guru in Minnesota . “ Once the bale is conditioned , it ’s as simple as constitute three mess in the Basel . ”
Karsten says to make the holes nearly to the bottom of the bale , close to 18 inch deep . order your seed white potato , sprout stop up , in the bottom of this burrow . “ It raise up and out of the hole , ” he says . When it attain the top of the Basel , simply push the straw around the stem . To harvest , once the industrial plant has died , cut the strings and the potatoes fall out .
One benefit of stalk - Basle horticulture is that you’re able to implant sooner than in the soil . The potatoes grow well in the straw , which becomes very promiscuous as it breaks down throughout the summertime . The one considerateness is you do n’t need to rationalize corners on the former conditioning process : It needs to be done properly for the organization to work its best .
4. Grow Bags and Other Containers
You do n’t have to have a large garden to grow potatoes . They do equally well in container , include the fabric container often refer to as “ get bags . ” The heavy landscape - fabric containers work well because you do n’t take chances overwatering , as you do with a solid pot .
If you do n’t wish to buy a grow grip , you could use anything from a large , decorative container to a 5 - gal pail . Marcia Bundi , a level-3 Master Gardener , reminds gardeners to make holes in the bottom of any solid container to allow for drainage .
“ You need a mates of inch of good garden soil in the bottom , ” she says . Place one to three seed potatoes , depending on the size of the container . A 5 - gallon bucketful might only take two pieces , while a container 24 inch in diameter could easily adapt three .
Cover the while with 4 to 5 inches of soil , and as they go on to grow , append soil until the root word are covered up to 18 inches deep .
“ It does n’t do any good to cover up that foliage stem , ” Bundi notes . “ You want the foliage because that ’s the energy manufactory . ”
She read to irrigate the potatoes daily to provide consistent wet , and fertilize with a water - soluble fertiliser . To harvest , simply dump out the potato , or reach into the container to gather the new tubers .
5. Potato Towers
These wooden structures are a combining of a raised bed and container . Using wooden slats to make up the sides , you increase the height of the walls as the potatoes turn . They are typically 2 - by-2 invertebrate foot and rough the same elevation .
Place a couple of the slat on the wall , and satisfy the bottom with 3 to 4 inch of garden soil . Place three seed white potato on the soil , and cover with a few inch of grunge . As the potatoes grow , summate more circuit board to the side and soil to stay within a twosome of inches of the foliage top . Some mass even lend another bed of Solanum tuberosum . you may do this until the bottom potatoes are under 18 inches of soil .
Keep the towboat fertilized and water throughout the time of year . To reap early , unscrew a bottom board and rob a few Irish potato . To reap at the final stage of the season , just take aside the walls .
The drawback to this method is the cost of the boards ( unless you’re able to use recycle materials ) , as well as the amount of ground you ’ll need .
6. Square-Foot Gardening
If you ’re looking for a way to raise without much infinite , soil or cause , the Square - Foot Gardening method acting , developed by writer and withdraw civic engineer Mel Bartholomew intimately 40 years ago , match the bill . In a distinctive SFG bed , 6 - inch - wide boards are used to produce a 4 - by-4 - foot boxful filled with a admixture of adequate portion of vermiculite , peat moss and compost . The bottom is then divided into 12 - in blocks .
“ Potatoes and magnanimous carrots are the only elision to the 6 in of soil we use , ” say Belinda Jensen , head of operation at SquareFootGardening.com , who loves to grow her favorite raw material using this technique . To plant potatoes in the bed , she utilizes a 12 - inch - tall “ top hat ” placed on top of the 12 - inch squares to extend the develop blank space .
“ you’re able to invest four seed potatoes in a 12 - inch public square , ” Jensen says . “ you could add another top chapeau , if you desire . And once you see the sprouting , append more grease . ”
To reap , you only remove the top - hat extensions and gather the potatoes .
With lashings of Irish potato varieties , there ’s nothing like develop your own . as luck would have it , with so many different way to advance a bountiful crop , anyone can savor their dearie .
