If you're new to growing potatoes or just want a larger crop, it's a good idea to suck them up before planting them.You have to hit potatoes to force them to grow.This gives you a bigger harvest.Allow seed potatoes to sit in a cool, light place for a few weeks.You can plant them in warm soil after they have sprouted.
Step 1: When to peel the potatoes.
It will take 4 to 6 weeks for the potatoes to be ready to plant.This will give them a chance to grow.You can plant the potatoes in warm soil at this point.When soil temperature's reach 50 degrees F (10 degrees C) in March or April, most people plant their potatoes in January or February.If you want to know when the soil will be warm enough for potatoes to be planted, ask an expert at your local nursery.
Step 2: Buy seeds for potatoes.
Rather than cooking and eating, seed potatoes are sold for planting.You can buy them from a nursery or online.Unlike grocery store potatoes, seed potatoes aren't sprayed with chemicals and are guaranteed to be free of viruses.If you want to sell organic potatoes or potatoes from a farmer's market, keep in mind that these may carry viruses that will prevent your potato from growing well.
Step 3: You can gather potatoes from your last crop.
If you have potatoes left over from last year, you can use them for this season's crop.If you don't have potatoes left over, set aside a bin full of this season's potatoes to use next year.
Step 4: The potatoes are placed in an upright position.
Put one seed potato in each hole of the carton.The potato should be sitting in the carton with the eyes facing the top.The narrow end of the potato was cut from the vine.If you don't have an empty egg carton, you can use any container that has a divider.It's important to let the air out of the potatoes.
Step 5: The carton of potatoes can be kept in a cool room.
The container of seed potatoes should be placed in a space with plenty of light.The seed potatoes will grow if the space is around 50 degrees F (10 degrees C).You could put the seed potatoes on a porch or garage that gets a lot of light.If you store the seed potatoes in a dark space, they will not sprout.
Step 6: Wait at least 4 to 6 weeks for the potatoes to grow.
The seeds of the potatoes should be given a chance to grow.After 4 to 6 weeks, you should see green shoots on the potatoes.The seed potatoes are ready to be planted once the shoots are about 2 to 3 centimeters long.The potatoes should have sprout coming from them.
Step 7: The potatoes have excess shoots.
If you want to grow large potatoes, rub off most of the shoots with a seed potato.3 or 4 of the strongest shoots should be left.These will be large potatoes.You don't need to rub off the excess shoots if you prefer smaller potatoes.
Step 8: The seeds are shoot-side up.
You can plant the seed potatoes if the soil is consistently 50 degrees F.You can cut the seed potatoes into pieces or plant them whole.Shoot each potato about 1 to 3 inches deep with the shoot facing up.The spacing should be between 12 to 18 inches.If you want to space the potatoes out in your garden, you should cut them into pieces.This will increase your coverage.