Potatoes - the all-purpose food, you can use them with other veggies for mix veg, make “paratha”, samosa and all that. With having multi-use why not start home gardening of potatoes to taste the fresh one. Follow the steps to grow your potatoes garden:
Choose a certified disease-free potato seed.
Sow the seed in acidic and well-drained soil under the full sun. Improve your soil bed with Plantic Potting Mix, which contains all things, which your plants need for better growth than ordinary soil. Then, thoroughly mix Plantic Water Storing Crystals - help reduce water stress in plants.
After plantation, water thoroughly.
Once they grow, hill the potato plants.
Give your plants a weekly dose of Plantic Organic GreenDrop! Liquid Plant Food, enriched with nutrition granules which encourage growth and greening.
Use row covers to protect your plants from pests and disease. You can also use Plantic Total Plant Care 3 in 1 Tri-Action Formula for fungicide, miticide, insecticide.
Once the potatoes achieve their ideal size, harvest them and place in a cool, humid place, like a garage.
Why Choose A Certified Potato Seed?
To start a home gardening, always choose certified disease-free seeds. You can easily find them at farms, garden centres, home improvement centres, and can also order online. Do not pick treated potato seeds because they won’t sprout by shelves.
When to Plant Potatoes?
Potatoes need cool, so plant them during the winter season. Sow the seeds in the spring, 2-4 weeks before the last frost and when the temperature is at least 40° F.
Sow the seeds 2-4 weeks before the last frost in the spring when the soil temperature is at least 40° F. If you live in warm climates, you need to plant potatoes from January to March and harvest between March to June. And if you live in a cool area, then, start plantation from April to June and harvest between July to September. Know more about which time is best for potato plantation in your region from nearby gardening experts.
Where to Plant Potatoes?
Potatoes need full sun, so choose a spot where it gets plenty of light. And also the soil should be well-drained and acidic. It’s better to avoid the same place where you have planted peppers, tomatoes or eggplants previous season as potatoes are susceptible to diseases carried by these plants.
If you find your soil imperfect for potatoes, amend it with fertile, well-drained soil or Plantic Potting Mix. Enriched with aged compost and organic ingredients suitable for all plants and refill the garden bed with all essential nutrients.
Plant Potatoes from Seed Pieces
Potatoes do well if they are grown from seeds instead of bonsai. They grow well in acidic soils with a pH of 4.8 to 5.5. To know your soil pH, take a sample to a nearby gardening centre, or buy a soil kit online to adjust the necessary pH of native soil. Also, you can use Plantic Potting Mix, which contains all organic ingredients in a balanced pH.
How to Plant Potatoes?
Cut the potato seed into 1 to 2-inch squares with two to three eyes per piece. Then, dry them for some days before you start a plantation. Plant them 4 inches deep and 12 to 18 inches apart from one another. Be sure the eye part should face up and cut the side face down. If you are planning to grow potatoes in a container, then, plant them 24 to 36 inches apart in a row for hilling.
How to Water Potatoes?
Potatoes need consistently moist soil but never wants too wet. Give your plants a drink of water once or twice per week. And make sure to water the right amount focusing on their roots, not on the leaves.
If you often forget to water your plants or over and water them, then, make a foundation of Plantic Water Storing Crystals which help reduce water stress in plants and keep the soil moist.
How to Hill Potatoes?
Hilling means making mountain-like structures when the plants are grown. This helps plants thrive in sunlight for tuber development. Once the potatoes plants are about 6-8 inches tall, hill potatoes by piling additional soil or Plantic Potting Mix halfway up around the stems. Repeat the procedure after every three weeks until the plants start to bloom.
How to Feed Potatoes?
After plantation, give your plants a boost of Plantic Organic Seed-Starter Liquid Plant Food, specially formulated for starter plants and seedlings. After one month of plantation start giving them nutrition of Plantic Organic GreenDrop! Liquid Plant Food. It gives your plants a strong foundation for rapid rooting and growth, and helps you get a lot of produces, follows the direction label.
How to Protect Potatoes From Disease?
As we have earlier discussed, potatoes are susceptible to a variety of pests and diseases. Cover the plants with floating row covers to protect plants from flea beetles and Weekly spray Plantic Total Plant Care 3 in 1 solution.
Avoid watering on leaves and provide good airflow and also ensure the soil pH for healthy plant growth.
When to Harvest And Store Potatoes?
Once the plants begin flowering, harvest immature potatoes for eating. Gently remove the soil around the plants and pull out the few small tubers. Then, replace the garden soil so the plants will keep growing. If you want full-size potatoes then, wait until the tops of the plants have died. Be careful while digging the soil with the garden fort, not to bruise or pierce the potatoes. After harvesting, keep them inside and in a dark, cool, humid spot for two weeks so that its skin will thicken and dry for storing.
Now, enjoy these potatoes with your family and share some with your friends or neighbour.
