How To Plant Potatoes At Home
Did you know that growing potatoes at home is possible? Potatoes are one of the most widely produced and easy-to-grow foods in the world. This is due to its unique flavor, the wide variety of recipes that can be prepared and the amount of vitamins that exist in the product.
Without a doubt, it is a food that should be present in healthy diets. Therefore, today we bring a small step-by-step tutorial so that you can enjoy this tuber from your home garden. After all, everything tastes better when it’s fresh and just harvested.
Materials needed to grow potatoes at home
For this task you will need the following:
- A pot or container in which you can plant the potatoes, which is at least two feet in diameter.
- Compost or a universal substrate that serves as a compost.
- Papas.
The potato is a food native to the mountains of Peru, so it needs a cold climate and, like almost all plants, sunlight. Therefore, make sure to place them in a sunny space where they receive natural light for at least 6 hours during the day.
Of course, this is not a mandatory requirement, however, you can use it to obtain better results, especially if you live in an urban area.
Step by step to plant potatoes at home
- The first step you should take is choosing a variety of potatoes. There are more than 400 types (yellow, parel, creole, among many others). To be able to harvest at home it is better that you choose only one. So the process will be the same.
- If it is your first garden at home, it is ideal that you start with local products that can adapt to the climatic conditions. Remember that there are several factors that can affect your crop; Therefore, it is better that you advise yourself on which is the ideal variety for you to harvest and what is the best time to sow.
- Now, to start planting your potatoes at home you should keep in mind that they are a tuber. Therefore, they do not have seeds like other fruits and vegetables that are part of our diet. When sowing potatoes at home you should choose the best tubers (the largest potatoes, since they will germinate better) and divide them into 4 equal pieces.
- Make sure to leave each of these pieces in the sun for a minimum of 1-2 days. Do not add water or liquids! The potato itself has some moisture that will allow it to begin the germination process.
- After these two days you will be able to observe small shoots and roots on the potato. It means that it is ready to plant in the garden. You must remove the shoots and leave only 2 or 3 for the planting to be successful.
- At the time of sowing you should leave 10 centimeters deep and position the potato so that the sprouts are facing up.
- Prepare the soil with the substrate that acts as compost. For this you must add a layer whose thickness is at least 15 centimeters.
- As the plant grows, you will continue to add the substrate and compost periodically. This will help it to generate more roots.
Should I water the potatoes I plant?
Like any other plant, the potato requires care. In addition to leaving it in exposure to sunlight, as we have already mentioned, you should water periodically so that the substrate and compost remain slightly damp.
You must be very careful when watering, since an excess of water can generate fungi and other problems to deal with, such as the total loss of your crop.
To avoid these excesses, you can pad the pot in which you will be sowing with straw, foam or other absorbent material. This will ensure that the substrate remains moist without completely puddling, avoiding permanent damage to the planting.
When can I harvest the potatoes?
The best way to be sure the potato is ready is when the plant is in flower. If you start to see the lilac flowers that this tuber usually produces, it means that harvest time is near.
This should happen 8-10 weeks after sowing. When entering flower you must stop the watering of the potato and cut the stems of the plant.
Wait 10-15 days and you’re done. You can harvest potatoes to enjoy a delicious puree or the recipe of your choice, fresh and straight from the garden.
Dare to plant potatoes at home
If at the end of the harvest you want to sow potatoes at home again, you will have to renew the soil. Always help yourself with organic substrates and fertilizers.
The tubers should not be exposed. If they do show up, cover them with compost. Otherwise, you could lose all your work and harvest. Don’t grow in the shade either. Potatoes prefer sunlight. If you notice green leaves, remove them immediately.
As you can see, planting and harvesting potatoes is something simple that you can do at home without the help of an expert or exclusive gardening materials. What are you waiting for to start your sustainable home garden now?
