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Preparing your seed potatoes:

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Small seed potatoes about egg-sized are great for planting whole.

 

Bigger seed potatoes should have at least two eyes when purchased.

 

When cutting bigger seed potatoes, use a clean knife, cut your potatoes in sections that contain an eye. let them sit for a day or two before planting; they will skin over. Plant eye up!

 

Use sulfur dust, sprinkle on tubers before planting to help protect against scab and other disease, as well as rot.

 

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Loamy, well-drained soil is ideal. Amend heavy clay with organic matter. Incorporate aged manure, bone meal, and balanced fertilizer before planting.

 

Add 2.5 pounds of gypsum per 50' row for calcium. Avoid lime, as it can cause scabbing.

 

Fertilize every 30 days during the growing season.

 

Loose Soil:

● Well-drained, loamy soil is essential.

 

Maturity:

● Expect harvest in 90-120 days.

 

Sunlight:

● Plant in full sun for optimal growth.

 

Seed:

● 4-5 pounds of seed potatoes per 50' row.

 

Timing:

● Plant from March to May.

 

Spacing:

● 1' between plants in a row, 3' between rows.

 

Depth:

● Plant seed potatoes 5" deep.

 

Germination:

● Expect sprouts in 10-20 days.

 

Best potatoes for pots:

● Yukon Gold & Fingerling

 

Best potatoes for early maturity:

● Cal White (60-80 Days)

 

Growing and Maintenance:

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Plant seed potatoes deep and cover emerging tubers to prevent greening.

 

Mound soil or mulch around plants as they grow to support them.

 

Maintain consistent moisture in well-drained soil, allowing it to dry slightly between waterings.

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Avoid overwatering to decrease the chances of potato scab.

 

 

Harvesting & Storage:

 

Leave potatoes in the ground for 1-2 weeks after the vines die down to allow skin formation.

 

Harvest before hard frost, being careful not to damage the tubers.

 

Store in a cool, dry, and well-ventilated location, never in plastic bags.

 

Discard damaged potatoes to prevent rot.

 

Control weeds with mulch. Bonide Orchard Spray and Captain Jack’s Deadbug can be used in-season for pests and diseases.

 

Happy growing!