The Complete Guide to Growing Potatoes
Potatoes need slightly acidic soil, a lot of sunlight and a lot of water to thrive in your garden. The plants are annuals usually grown in zones 1 through 7. Along with growing potatoes in the ground, outdoors, many gardeners are able to successfully grow a crop of potatoes in a container or indoors.
|
Difficulty |
Pretty easy |
|
Type of Plant |
Vegetable |
|
Sunlight |
Full sunlight |
|
Soil Type & pH |
Sandy soil, acidic pH |
|
Hardiness Zones |
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
|
You’ll Need |
seeds, soil, trellises, pruners, pots. |
| Quick Tip: When planting potatoes, the eyes matter! Make sure you plant them with the eyes facing upward toward the surface. | |
SOIL REQUIREMENTS
Since the part of the potato that you eat grows underground, the quality of the soil you plant potatoes in is particularly important. Potatoes are actually an acidic soil loving plant and will grow best in soil that has a pH of less than 5.5, according to Cornell University. The more acidic the soil, the better able the plants are to resist diseases such as scab.
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Along with being slightly acidic, the soil you plant potatoes in should be well-drained and loose. If the soil is heavy or dense, it is difficult for the tubers (the part of the potato you eat) to grow. You’ll end up with small or oddly shaped potatoes.
Although potatoes prefer acidic soil, you can get away with growing them in more neutral conditions. A pH of up to 7.0 can be tolerated, but you’ll want to choose the variety of potato carefully. Since there’s a high risk for disease the less acidic the soil is, look for varieties that can resist scab and other potato problems.
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