How to Grow Potatoes From Potatoes: A Simple Gardener's Guide
How to grow potatoes from potatoes
Learning how to grow potatoes from potatoes starts with choosing spuds that sprout healthy eyes, slicing them carefully into seed pieces, and planting them cut-side down. Potatoes thrive underground in loose, rich soil with ample drainage and consistent sunlight. Master this simple technique, and soon you'll harvest earthy, delicious tubers right from your backyard—read on and I'll show you exactly how.
🥔 Potato Growing Cheatsheet: From Potato to Harvest
📝 Choosing & Prepping Seed Potatoes
- 🥔 Select certified organic potatoes (no sprout inhibitors).
- 🔪 Cut into pieces, each with minimum two eyes.
- ⏳ Let pieces dry indoors 2–3 days to prevent rot.
🌱 Planting Essentials
- ☀️ Full sun location for best yield.
- 🌡️ Plant after frost danger; soil ≥ 45°F (7°C).
- ⬇️ Dig trench 6 in (15 cm) deep; place potato pieces eyes-up.
- ↔️ Space pieces 12–15 in (30–38 cm) apart, rows 3 ft (0.9 m).
- 🟤 Cover with soil, water lightly to settle.
🌦️ Watering & Caring
- 💧 Keep soil evenly moist, ~1–2 in (2.5–5 cm) water weekly.
- 🏔️ Hill soil around stems at 6–8 in (15–20 cm) plant height; repeat twice.
- 🍃 Add straw mulch between rows to retain moisture, suppress weeds.
🐞 Pest & Disease Control
- 👀 Remove beetles manually; spray neem oil if needed.
- 🍃 Rotate crops annually for disease prevention.
- 🌬️ Ensure good airflow, avoid wetting leaves.
📅 Harvesting & Storing
- 🥔 Harvest early potatoes after blossoms appear; mature potatoes after tops yellow and wilt.
- 🧹 Gently brush dirt off; avoid washing.
- 🌑 Cure potatoes 2 weeks at 55–60°F (13–16°C), dark and humid.
- 📦 Store long-term at 40–50°F (4–10°C), well-ventilated space.
🍽️ Health & Self-Sufficiency
- 🌿 Homegrown potatoes offer vitamin C, potassium, fiber.
- 🌍 Boost food independence by reusing potatoes yearly.
- 🥘 Versatile staple for soups, roasts, salads year-round.
Choosing the Perfect Potato for Planting
Every great potato harvest begins with quality seed potatoes. Last spring, I selected firm, organic potatoes from my pantry—those neglected spuds sprouting in the forgotten corners proved ideal.
Seed potatoes are simply mature potatoes ready to sprout. I prefer medium-sized potatoes, each roughly the size of a chicken egg, with multiple visible eyes.
Preparing Your Seed Potatoes
Before planting, I always "chit" my seed potatoes—a fancy gardening term meaning encouraging healthy sprouts. Lay your potatoes in a bright, cool place (around 50°F or 10°C) with their eyes facing up.
Within a couple of weeks, short, sturdy sprouts should appear. Last March, I skipped this step once—and harvested fewer, smaller potatoes—lesson learned.
If your potatoes are large, slice them into smaller chunks, each containing at least two robust sprouts. Allow the cut edges to dry overnight to prevent rot once planted.
Picking the Ideal Spot to Plant Your Potatoes
Potatoes adore a sunny and airy planting area—six hours of sunlight daily is ideal. I plant mine in loose, fertile, and slightly acidic soil (pH between 5.0 and 6.5), enriched with composted leaves and aged manure.
Avoid spots prone to waterlogging. Potatoes despise soggy feet, and too much moisture invites fungal diseases.
Planting Potatoes… from Potatoes!
- Create shallow trenches around 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) deep, spaced roughly 2-3 feet (60-90 cm) apart.
- Place each seed potato or potato chunk sprout-side facing up, spacing them about 12 inches (30 cm) apart along the trench.
- Cover the potatoes gently with loose soil, leaving no sprouts exposed.
Last May, during a particularly wet spell, I sprinkled extra sand and compost around the planting rows to maintain better drainage—potatoes rewarded me handsomely.
Mounding or "Earthing Up" Your Potatoes
The magic happens here. Once potato plants grow around 8 inches (20 cm) tall, mound additional soil around their stems, leaving only the top leaves exposed.
Repeat this process every two weeks, forming hills around 12-18 inches (30-45 cm) high by mid-season. This practice fosters robust tuber growth, prevents greening, and reduces weed problems.
"Earthing up" potatoes increases yield by approximately 25%, a stat I've noticed rings true season after season.
Water, Feed, and Protect Your Spuds
Consistent moisture is key, especially when plants flower. Provide 1-1.5 inches (2.5-4 cm) of water weekly, adjusting for rainfall.
I opt for organic mulch—straw or shredded leaves—to help retain moisture, suppress weeds, and regulate soil temperature. A generous mulch layer also protects potatoes from sunlight, avoiding unpleasant greening.
Watch Out for Pests and Diseases
Potatoes attract certain unwanted visitors—most notoriously, Colorado potato beetles. Inspect plants frequently, manually removing beetles and eggs before they infest your crop.
If blight appears—brown leaf edges or collapsing foliage—promptly remove affected growth. Preventive measures like crop rotation (never plant potatoes where tomatoes or peppers recently grew) help maintain plant health.
Harvesting Your Potatoes
Fresh potatoes taste like nothing else. About 10 weeks after planting, your potatoes produce delicate blossoms—a reliable indicator that early potatoes are ready for harvesting.
I gently dig around plants, carefully extracting smaller, tender "new potatoes" while leaving the plant intact to mature further.
Mature potatoes intended for storage should be harvested after plants naturally yellow and wither—typically about 15-20 weeks post-planting. Use a garden fork to avoid damaging tubers buried beneath the surface.
Home-grown potatoes taste profoundly better—store-bought potatoes pale by comparison.
Curing and Storing Potatoes
After harvesting, allow potatoes to cure in a cool, dark spot, ideally around 50-60°F (10-16°C) with good airflow, for about 10 days. This step helps toughen skins, ensuring longevity.
Once cured, store potatoes in a dark, cool, well-ventilated place—in wooden crates or mesh sacks—to enjoy your home-grown bounty throughout winter months.
Frequently Asked Questions about Growing Potatoes
What type of potatoes should I use for planting?
Select certified seed potatoes or healthy organic potatoes with noticeable sprouts or eyes. Avoid supermarket potatoes treated with growth inhibitors, as these may not sprout effectively.
Should I plant whole potatoes or cut them into pieces?
You can plant either whole or cut potatoes. If cutting, ensure each piece has at least 1–2 eyes. Let the cut pieces cure by drying them in a cool, airy spot for 24–48 hours before planting to prevent rotting.
What's the ideal soil and planting depth for potatoes?
Potatoes grow best in loose, well-draining soil rich in organic matter, with a slightly acidic pH of about 5.0–6.0. Plant potatoes at a depth of about 4 inches (10 cm), spacing them roughly 12–15 inches (30–38 cm) apart in rows spaced approximately 3 feet (90 cm) apart.
How much sunlight do potatoes require?
Potatoes thrive in full sun, meaning at least 6–8 hours of direct sunlight each day. Choose a planting location offering optimal sun exposure to promote vigorous growth and yield.
When and how often should potatoes be watered?
Water potatoes consistently to maintain evenly moist soil, particularly during flowering and tuber formation. Aim for about 1–2 inches (2.5–5 cm) of water per week, adjusting according to rainfall and soil moisture.
When can I harvest my potatoes?
Early potatoes are ready approximately 70–90 days after planting, while maincrop potatoes mature in about 100–120 days. Harvest once foliage yellows and dies back. Carefully dig around plants to prevent bruising or damaging the potatoes.
How should I store freshly harvested potatoes?
After harvesting, allow potatoes to dry briefly in the open air. Store them in a cool, dark, and well-ventilated area, ideally around 45–50°F (7–10°C). Proper storage helps potatoes remain fresh and firm for several months.
Knowing how to grow potatoes from potatoes is timeless gardening wisdom, simple and deeply rewarding. Select quality seed potatoes, prep them gently, and plant them thoughtfully in loose, fertile soil. Give these earthy gems plenty of sunshine, consistent watering, and a little patience. Soon enough, the humble spuds you place in the ground will sprout, flourish, and return the favor with an abundant harvest. The beauty of gardening lies in its simplicity and generosity—potatoes grown from potatoes remind us of that every season.
Find out which plants will thrive in your garden!
Answer a few fun questions and get custom plant recommendations perfect for your space. Let’s grow something amazing together!
start your season