# Potatoes, how to grow them?



## mollysgarden (Jul 7, 2013)

Hi, this is my second garden season and I would like to try growing potatoes for the first time. I wanted some feedback on how to plant them from some of the long time gardeners. I have a few potatoes that I did not get to before they started sprouting eyes. The eyes look pretty good and I have read I can cut the potatoes up with 2 or 3 eyes on each chunk, let the skin scab over for a day or two, then plant them eyes up.
My main question is, is this a good way to grow potatoes or should I buy seed potatoes? These potatoes are not organic but if I grew them organically would they become organic? Not sure how that would work.
Also what ways have you had the best growing success? Just in rows or stacking tires or something like that to make a potato tower?

Thanks so much!!


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## stephanie (Jun 21, 2012)

If you got them at the grocery store then don't bother planting them they will do poorly because they where sprayed with a growth inhibitor.
It is best to buy seed potatoes. here goes potatoes do best in well drained sandy loam make sure it is hill-ed up then place the potato on the top of the hill then cover a couple inches of dirt then with straw adding more straw as the potato leaves show themselves and are about 6 inches or so tall. try not to over water them as they will rot or become hallow moist is ok wet not so good. once they bloom and start to die off you can begin harvesting them. a tower or tires work well too it just depends on how much you plant. there are lots of how to build potato towers on you tube. all day direct sun and planting as early as mid april is ok


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## mollysgarden (Jul 7, 2013)

Thanks! Good to know! I bought some seed potatoes and am prepping the soil! Can't wait to garden!!!


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## stephanie (Jun 21, 2012)

be prepared to dig deep in the fall come harvest time up to 2 feet down. I always miss a half dozen or so potatoes during harvest and they sprout the next year. so make sure where you grow them is where you plan on keeping potatoes or you will have them cropping up every where.


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## mollysgarden (Jul 7, 2013)

Oh wow! Nice to know! I'll be sure to recruit my husband for some digging help


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