How to Plant and Grow Potatoes with a Potato Planter
For the people of the British Isles, the humble potato has become an essential part of our staple diet since it first reached our shores in 1597. This small earth-grown vegetable has become a popular part of many different dishes, appearing in everything from fish and chips, to pasties, crisps and curry dishes such as aloo gobi and sag aloo. Popularity of the potato has risen so much that in 2008 (the ‘International Year of the Potato’) the statistics showed that:
‘…the UK still ranks No. 11 among world potato producing countries, recording a 2007 harvest of 5.6 million tonnes and average yields exceeding 40 tonnes per hectare. With annual per capita potato consumption of 102 kg, demand for potato exceeds domestic supply: in 2005, the UK imported more than 1.2 million tonnes (raw equivalent) of processed potato products.’ (Via http://www.potato2008.org/en/world/europe.html).
As one of the world’s biggest potato producers and consumers, it’s quickly obvious how important the humble spud is to the people of our shores. But a constant rise in demand has led to a dwindling supply and, as a result, the price of buying potatoes from the local supermarket or greengrocers has risen dramatically over the year. This is why growing your own potatoes has become such a common undertaking: not only does growing your own potatoes help to keep your shopping costs down, it also helps give you access to freshly-grown potatoes that can be eaten shortly after being removed from the earth, rather than having to pass through a middleman first.
Growing Your Own Potatoes
For many, growing potatoes is generally seen as a hassle and a lot of hard work. Many are under the misconception that you need lots of room, time and an allotment to grow your own.
But we're going to show you an easy way to get perfect potatoes right on your door step…
Even the majority of modern homes have a small patio, even if there isn’t much space in the garden. A little patio room can be all you need to grow your own potatoes if you have a suitable potato planter:
The Planter - the first step is to find and purchase a suitable potato planter from a reputable garden supplier. You don’t even have to spend the earth here - standard potato planters will only set you back a few pounds sterling. Slightly sturdier planters, like the potato barrel, cost a little bit more but will give you more yield and a more durable, convenient growing platform.
Compost - once you have the potato planter in place – fill it halfway with good quality compost that's bursting with nutrients. If you can, choose a compost with a good mix of mycorrhizal fungi, wormcasts, biochar, seaweed, organic coir and a vegetable-based nutrient blend. This sort of compost is perfect for seed germination and improved potato growth.
Seeded Potatoes - the next step is to find the right seeded potatoes. Choose several potatoes that are nicely seeding and well chitted and mix them nicely into your compost. A tip here is to use fewer potatoes to start with - the less tubers you use, the more potatoes you'll be able to grow and harvest at the end of the process.
The Growth – the great thing about growing your own potatoes is that they really do just want to grow; they need very little maintenance and are an easy vegetable to deal with. Pop the potato tubers in compost and cover them with some more soil, then check the soil every couple of days and water as necessary. Soil should be moist but not too wet.
Check Your Potatoes Every Couple of Days – once your potatoes start growing they’ll naturally try to push their way out of the compost. As that happens, be sure to cover them with a bit more soil. Don’t worry about how you do it because it doesn't really matter if you cover the leaves – just be sure to cover the potatoes. Repeat the process over time until the leaves start to push towards the top of the bag, then you can leave them alone. NOTE – it is essential that you prevent the potatoes from being directly exposed to sunlight. If the potatoes themselves get too much sunlight they can potentially become poisonous and inedible.
Moisten The Soil – when you’re checking and re-covering the potatoes, also take time to ensure that you have moist compost. Not too wet but at least damp enough to encourage growth and feed thirsty plants. Every week, feed your potatoes with a good quality liquid fertiliser to help further encourage growth.
Follow these simple steps and you’ll soon have grown your very own potatoes in your back garden, without having spent the earth. The number of potatoes you successfully grow, as well as their size, flavour and growth rate, will all depend on the variety of potato you’re growing and the time of year. However, it is not uncommon to see a good harvest within as little as 8-10 weeks - even in the very early months of the year.
For a simple look at how to use a potato planter to grow your own harvest, check out the following video: