Because of their value as a staple food, much has been written about growing potatoes and this series of articles on how to grow potatoes covers the various methods along with the problems and diseases that can afflict potatoes.
Potatoes have been a main staple food in Britain for hundreds of years. Originally from the Americas they were introduced to Britain by Sir Walter Raleigh in the 1580’s but it took a few hundred years for growing potatoes to become common place.
Over the years, plant breeders have developed literally hundreds of strains. Some for yield, some for disease resistance, some flavour and suitability for different cooking methods and purposes.
We cover many of the more popular varieties and which variety to buy for each purpose in these articles as well.
Articles on Growing Potatoes – How to Grow Potatoes etc.
Growing Potatoes Overview - How to Grow Potatoes Guide
How to Grow Potatoes - A Guide to Growing Potatoes
Potatoes
Potatoes are unusual in the vegetable world in that they actually do better with a pH between 5.5 and 6.0 against the preferred 6.5 to 7.0 of most else.
Apart from anything else the somewhat...
How Many Seed Potatoes are Needed
Deciding how many seed potatoes to buy is not as simple as you might think at first. But a bit of thought and a little juggling will solve the problem. This article shows you a way to work out how many seed potatoes you need to produce the crop you want....
Potato Flowers, Fruits, Seeds & Breeding
A lot of new home growers are surprised to see flowers and green tomato like fruits on their potatoes. With a little explanation, all will become clear.
The potato reproduces in two ways; tubers and seeds. Nature loves a 'belt and braces' approach...
Growing Potatoes - Standard Traditional Method
The traditional method of growing potatoes, which has worked well for me, requires the soil to be dug over and manured in the winter. In the spring, cultivate the entire patch removing any weeds.
Mark out your rows, spacing according to the variety...
Growing Potatoes Under Straw Mulch
Growing potatoes under straw mulch is much favoured by organic gardeners using a no-dig system. Sadly, 'no-dig' does not mean 'no-work' but this can be an easy way to obtain a clean crop of potatoes.
If you can get hold of a supply of straw that...
Growing Potatoes Under Black Plastic (Polythene) Sheet
A variation on the straw mulch potato growing method is to grow potatoes under black plastic sheets. There are both advantages and disadvantages to using plastic sheeting as a mulch which we cover below. Growing through plastic film is a method often...
Potato Growing in Raised Beds & Ridge Planting Potatoes
Densely planted raised beds have become very popular in recent years and so potato growing in raised beds has become common but you need to avoid over planting. Ridge planting potatoes is a useful technique to use in wet areas.
Potato Growing in...
Growing Potatoes in a Barrel - Patio Growing Potatoes
Thanks to products such as the potato barrel even those with very limited outdoor space can enjoy some home grown potatoes and taste the difference by patio growing potatoes. Since many stores are selling seed potatoes in small packs of 5 there's no wasted...
Growing Potatoes in Bags | Greenhouse Potatoes
Growing potatoes in bags is a great way of getting a useful crop from a small space. If you have a greenhouse then you can also get a very early crop. Usually by the time the first crop of the season arrives, the maincrops are near past it. A super early...
Second Crop Autumn Planted Christmas New Potatoes
Second crop or Christmas new potatoes are gaining in popularity. The pleasure of sitting down to a Christmas dinner with fresh new potatoes as well as Brussels sprouts, carrots and parsnips all harvested in the morning is unbeatable.
However, they're...
Can you chit supermarket potatoes?
I was asked, "Can you chit supermarket potatoes or do you need to buy special seed potatoes and what is the difference please?"
Seed potatoes are not the same as supermarket eating potatoes, which is why they're more expensive.
Government Certified...
Potato Varieties for Flavour -Boiled Baked Roasted Mashed
What potato to grow depends mainly on what you want - different varieties are best suited for various dishes and cooking methods -boiling, baking, roasting, chipping, mashing, salad etc.
What Potato to Grow?
Every year we sit down with the merchant's...
Potato Fertiliser Program Program & (NPK) Requirements
A Fertiliser Program for Potatoes
Potatoes are a productive crop but to achieve their potential yield they require sufficient nutrients (basically NPK), water and reasonable weather. The exact requirements will depend on what variety is being grown...
Potato Blight Cause, Identification. Prevention, Treatment Potato Blight
Cause of, Identification of, Prevention of and Treatment of Potato Blight - Phytophthora infestans
Potato blight is the worst problem that the potato grower faces. Once it arrives it can devastate a crop in a day or two and when the infection moves...
Wireworm in Potatoes Cause Identification Prevention Control Potato Wireworm
Potato wireworms look at first glance like small, thin earthworms. They are about 25mm long and on close examination you will see three pairs of forward-facing, tiny, short legs at the front which are more like mouthparts than legs.
They burrow...
Eelworm Potato Cyst Nematode - Control Potato Eelworm
Cause of, Identification of, Prevention of and Control of Potato Eelworm
Although commonly known as Potato Eelworm the correct and more descriptive name is Potato Cyst Nematode as the cause is a nematode rather than a worm, such as wireworm. In fact...
Dry Rot in Potatoes Cause Identification Prevention Control of Potato Dry Rot
Potato dry rot is, thankfully, a fairly rare problem. The skin of the tuber becomes wrinkled and discoloured at one end. This becomes more pronounced and concentric rings of discoloured wrinkles develop.
The flesh under the affected area...
Potato Scab - Common Scab in Potatoes
Cause of, Identification of, Prevention of and Control of Potato Common Scab
The good news about potato scab is that it usually looks worse than it actually is. The scabs or galls are raised crater-like patches on the skin of the tuber with rough edges....
Potato Scab - Powdery Scab in Potatoes
Cause of, Identification of, Prevention of and Control of Potato Powdery Scab
Powdery scab is quite similar to common potato scab at first glance except that the scabs are more circular with a darker appearance giving a definite raised ring. These erupt,...
Hollow Heart, Splitting & Spraing Potatoes
These are 3 main problems caused by irregular watering of potatoes: Hollow Heart, being a hole inside the potato tuber; splitting of the skin and cracks in the potato tuber and spraing, which is brownish marks or rings inside the potato tuber.
Potatoes...
White Spots on Potatoes Lenticels & Potato Stem Rot
Potatoes Small White Spots – Lenticels
In wet years many growers are concerned when harvesting to find white spots on their potatoes. Often they fear that some disease has struck their potatoes and wonder if the crop is edible.
Happily these s...
See Also:
Growing Potatoes for Show, Introduction & Best Varieties
This is part 1 of a 3 part series of articles, growing potatoes for show - introduction & best varieties, on growing prize winning potatoes for the show bench by John Trim, Fellow of the National Vegetable Society, show judge and horticultural ...
Growing Potatoes for Show, Cultivation of Show Potatoes
This is part 2 of a 3 part series of articles, growing potatoes for show - cultivation of show potatoes, on growing prize winning potatoes for the show bench by John Trim, Fellow of the National Vegetable Society, show judge and horticultural lecturer. ...
Growing Potatoes for Show Harvest & Showing Potatoes
This is part 3 of a 3 part series of articles, growing potatoes for show - harvesting & showing, on growing prize winning potatoes for the show bench by John Trim, Fellow of the National Vegetable Society, show judge and horticultural lecturer. ...
