How To Grow Potatoes!

It is so easy to grow potatoes! Like on the post you can do them in pots and containers if your lucky for the space then a nice large deep bed.

First your need to chit early or main crop potatoes you can chit them by placing them in an old egg box and putting them in a warm dark place for around two weeks.

After two weeks you should see that the tubers have grown roots. When planting them be-careful as the roots are sensitive and could break plant the tubers about 1inch (2.5cm) below surface. How you plant them is entirely up to you. If you want baking potatoes then plant them one foot apart if you want new potatoes then plant them a little bit closer. If your planting in containers you are only looking at new potatoes and don't fill the container right to the top when covering the tubers leave lots of space for earthing-up!
Earthing-up is when the crop sprouts out of the surface you cover it with soil and leave the top most leaves revealed. The tubers will grow from the plant you have buried. Only bury the plant once it reaches 6 inch (15cm)

Keep them well watered during dry periods and make sure they don't get to hot! You don't need to feed the crop they will have enough nutrients from the compact they have. If growing potatoes in containers make sure the frost has cleared best time early summer.

Your crop should be ready given reasonable weather. If your not sure and want to check just brush away the soil and this will give you a much clearer answer if they are ready or not.

Keep an eye out for pest and diseases like slugs and potatoes blight.

Slugs are annoying well all pest are! Slugs can eat your whole crop over night. Easiest way to deal with this is to buy a repellent from the local nursery act fast when you notice.

Potatoes blight Is a disease and can completely kill off this crop in two days! You will notice black leaves and then they shrivel up.
You need to cut back the foliage right to ground level and burn the foliage or put in your bin. You don't want this to affect you potatoes not because you will lose crop but the disease will remain in your soil for 2 years causing you problem though out. As long as you cut them back as soon as you notice it then you should have a problem.

Growing potatoes is great sometimes you get loads sometimes you get a little! But remember that it depends on the weather and if they don't get to dry.

Give it a go and good luck! Let me know how it goes :)

D J Simpson