A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Food Garden Forum Vegetable Gardening Planting potatoes

I would like to try planting some red potatoes this year. I have a couple that have good eys on them and are sprouting well. Is it too late to plant them now or can I go ahead? I dont know how to do this as i have never grown them before. How deep do I plant them..any good tips on dos and donts for planting/growing potatoes?

Thanks:)
Turtle

You can plant them now..

http://www.thegardenhelper.com/potato.html

Thank you so much:)

One question I have is - do you bury the sprouts or "tendrils" that are growing out of the eyes or put them above ground???

http://www.thegardenhelper.com/potato.html

above is the site that Tamara offered another member.
it will anwer all your questions.

but no, not above ground.

I plant the whole potato 5 to 6 inches deep.

Hi again
Thanks for the info but what do you do with the white sprouts tuck uo them against the potato?? Some of them have what appears to be green leaves sprouting. Thanks again!!!

Tom

just cover the whole thing up---you will make a "mound" by bringing dirt up onto the potato from each side. Once it pops thru the ground, you can once again cover it up. it will pop thru again. then when it is all up you can cover it with say straw to keep the weeds down. I put newspaper & grass clippings in the "ditch" areas betweem each row as well before putting straw on all the rows & between the rows. but some do not.

I have a question, I planted a whole potato,in a pot of soil,3 weeks ago, it was growing large,so I planted it in my small garden, and it is pretty tall now, how will I know if its ready? Ive never planted vegies before? Thanks

I would also like to know when my taters will be ready. Don't you have to wait till after they flower or something? I dunno.

@Washingtonbullet: I just tucked the whole potato sprouts roots and all about 5 or 6 inches deep. The only thing showing was the very tip of the tallest sprout which already had a couple tiny leaves. Now there are many sprouts that have grown up!

I ended up burying the whole thing. Now the plants are huge!!! Mt step daughter has never met a potato she does not like so we are in!! I am also picturing my girls selling potatoes out by the street.

Yes fairy after they flower. I think I read they are ready two weeks after that. I have read that link 50 times and I still keep going back to it. I wish I had planted 5" 6" deep - it would cut down on the mounding

Here's another link you might like to read up on http://www.thegardenhelper.com/potato2.html the last paragraph explains the differece of two weeks after flowering or the two week after dying back

This is really good, thanks ... I've never been able to grow potatoes and I think maybe I don't water enough.