Planting and Growing Potatoes

Seed potatoes look like baby potatoes. Instead of planting it whole, you can cut it up in pieces. Look at the potato and notice the little nubby spots. These are the eyes, where the potato is going to sprout. It's important that each piece of potato that you cut has at least two or three of these eyes.

It's a good idea to let your potatoes cure for about 24 hours to allow the newly cut surface to callous over. While they're curing, prepare the site. Potatoes grow well in a sunny location, so pick a spot that gets at least six to eight hours of sunshine every day. The soil should be very loose. If you have heavy clay soils, you need to add something to add texture. Sandy, loamy soils are really the best. You can amend the soil by tilling in some compost and manure. The next step is to dig a trench, anywhere from 12 to 18 inches deep. Because potatoes like acidic soil, you may want to add a fine layer of pine needles at the bottom of the trench.

Another important thing is to keep the potatoes watered consistently. Otherwise, you'll end up with knobby potatoes. Also, fertilize once a month with a 10-10-10 fertilizer. If you follow these tips, by the end of the summer you should have delicious-tasting potatoes.