Potatoes are a rewarding crop that can be propagated easily from pieces of the tuber itself. This accessible method allows home gardeners to turn a humble kitchen item into a prolific source of food. Planting potato pieces that contain developing growth points, known as “eyes,” is a sustainable and cost-effective gardening practice. This guide provides the steps for preparing these scraps, planting them correctly, and maintaining the plants through to a successful harvest.
Preparing the Seed Potato Pieces
The first step involves selecting and preparing the pieces you intend to plant. Viable pieces must contain at least one or two intact “eyes,” which are the dormant buds from which the new plant will sprout. Larger potatoes should be cut into chunks approximately 1.5 to 2 inches square, ensuring each piece has growth points. Small potatoes, about the size of a golf ball, can be planted whole without cutting.
Immediately after cutting, the pieces require “curing” or callousing to prevent rotting in the soil. Spread the cut pieces in a single layer in a warm, well-ventilated area, out of direct sunlight, for one to two days. This allows the exposed flesh to dry out and form a tough, protective layer, which is a defense against soil-borne pathogens and excessive moisture after planting.
Planting Techniques and Environment
Potatoes thrive in full sunlight, requiring at least six to eight hours of direct sun exposure daily. The ideal soil is loose, fertile, and well-draining to prevent waterlogging, which can cause the seed pieces to rot. For in-ground planting, dig a trench or hole to a depth of about 4 to 6 inches.
Place the cured seed pieces into the trench with the eyes facing upward, spacing them approximately 10 to 12 inches apart. Cover the pieces with only about 2 to 3 inches of soil initially. For container gardening, select a deep container, at least 16 inches, and fill the bottom with a few inches of potting mix before placing the seed pieces.
Essential Care and Maintenance
Consistent moisture is important for potato growth, particularly during the period when tubers are forming. The plants typically need about one to two inches of water per week, but the soil should never become saturated. Water stress during tuber formation can result in misshapen or hollow potatoes, so monitoring soil moisture is important.
The most distinguishing aspect of potato maintenance is “hilling,” which involves mounding soil or organic material around the stems as the plant grows. Hilling serves two purposes: it protects developing tubers from light exposure, preventing them from turning green and toxic, and it encourages the plant to produce more tubers further up the buried stem. Start hilling when the emerging green shoots reach 6 to 8 inches, pulling soil up around the stems until only the top few inches of foliage remain exposed. Repeat this process every few weeks, or whenever the plants grow another 6 to 8 inches, until the plant begins to flower.
Harvesting the New Crop
Knowing when to harvest depends on whether you seek “new” potatoes or mature tubers intended for storage. New potatoes are small and thin-skinned, ready for harvest approximately two to three weeks after the plants have finished flowering, typically around 7 to 8 weeks after planting. To harvest new potatoes, gently feel around the base of the plant to remove only a few small tubers, leaving the main plant to continue growing.
For mature, full-sized potatoes, wait until the foliage has completely yellowed, wilted, and died back. After the vines have fully died, leave the tubers in the ground for an additional two weeks to allow the potato skins to “set” or thicken. When ready to harvest, carefully dig around the perimeter of the plant using a garden fork to avoid puncturing or bruising the tubers.