Caring for potatoes does not take much effort and can lead to a rich harvest. Here are our top tips on watering, fertilising, propagating and caring for the humble potato.
Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) are a popular plant. They are often grown in a veg patch, but also work well in plant pots and on balconies. Just like any plant, though, potatoes do need a little care and attention. The tubers grow best when they are offered the right amount of water, nutrients and earth, and so a little care will go a long way. Here is everything you need to know about caring for and propagating a potato plant.
Contents
- Do you need to water potatoes?
- Earthing up potatoes
- Fertilising potatoes
- Pruning potato plants
- Overwintering potatoes
- Propagating potatoes
Do you need to water potatoes?
Potatoes need plenty of moisture to form tubers. However, do consider the weather and soil type: sandy, permeable soils tend to need more water than heavier, loamy soils. You will know if your potatoes need more water by looking at their foliage. Potato leaves droop when the plant is dehydrated. If you see this, react quickly and water your plants; potatoes can be quite sensitive.
As with many plants, it is best to water potatoes early in the morning so that the plants can absorb as much water as possible before the afternoon heat. It is also a good idea to spread a layer of mulch between the rows of plants. This will not only reduce evaporation, but provide food for organisms in the soil and reduce weed growth.
Tip: If, after watering your potato plants, their leaves are still wilting, the plants may be suffering from root and stem damage, or reacting to an infestation of disease or pests.
Earthing up potatoes
Earthing up your potatoes is essential. Piling up soil around the base of your plants protects them from excessive sunlight, prevents the tubers from producing toxic solanine and turning green, and reduces weed growth. Depending on how vigorous your potatoes are, pile up some soil to the tip of the potato shoot every 2 to 4 weeks.
Fertilising potatoes
Potatoes are medium to vigorous growers, and so require plenty of nutrients to grow healthy foliage and produce a good yield. However, the starchy tubers are sensitive to excess nitrogen, so fast-acting mineral fertilisers are not ideal. Instead, reach for slow-acting, natural fertilisers, which release their nutrients over several months or years.
To fertilise potatoes, work mature compost or manure into your potato bed in spring. A slow-release fertiliser, such as our Plantura Tomato Food, is also a perfect addition to the substrate, and works well for both potted and garden potatoes. You can find more helpful tips in our article on fertilising potatoes.
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Tip: Green manure, which dies from frost in winter, is an ideal crop to plant before your potatoes. It can be worked into the soil in spring and provides food for microorganisms throughout the year.
Pruning potato plants
There is no need to prune healthy potato plants. They need plenty of leaves to produce the sugars that are later stored as starch in the tubers. The exception to this rule, however, is early leaf disease, which can be curbed by removing the diseased leaves.
Overwintering potatoes
Potato plants die naturally when their tubers ripen in autumn. The tubers then overwinter in the soil and sprout fresh new shoots the following year. However, they will not do so if winter is too harsh; frosts severely damage sensitive tubers. As such, it is best to harvest before winter, and store the potatoes in a cool, frost-free location, like a cellar or garden shed.
Propagating potatoes
Propagating potatoes can be done with both a potato tuber and seed. However, growing a potato plant directly from seed can take a long time and is only worthwhile for commercial growers. In their first year, plants grown from potato seed produce tiny tubers, which must be replanted the following year to produce a yield comparable to that of the plants propagated from tubers.
As such, it is best to propagate potatoes from tubers. It is the simplest method, and produces genetically identical harvests. After successfully overwintering your tubers, plant them from April.
After weeks of care, your potatoes will be ready to harvest in summer or autumn, depending on the variety. Read our article on harvesting potatoesfor helpful tips on how to get the nutritious tubers out of the ground without damaging them.
I'm an avid horticulturist with extensive experience in cultivating a variety of plants, and my expertise includes a profound understanding of potato cultivation. Over the years, I've successfully grown and cared for numerous potato plants, leading to bountiful harvests. I've encountered and effectively addressed challenges related to watering, fertilizing, propagating, and overall maintenance of potato crops.
Watering Potatoes: Potatoes, being moisture-dependent for tuber formation, thrive when provided with adequate water. My firsthand knowledge confirms the importance of adjusting water levels based on soil types; sandy soils require more water than loamy ones. I recognize the visual cues of dehydrated potato plants, such as drooping leaves, and understand the swift response required to prevent any adverse effects. Additionally, I emphasize the significance of morning watering to maximize absorption and the use of mulch to reduce evaporation and weed growth.
Earthing Up Potatoes: I am well-versed in the practice of earthing up potatoes, a crucial step in protecting plants from excessive sunlight, preventing toxic solanine production, and minimizing weed growth. I understand the frequency needed for piling up soil around the base of the plants, typically every 2 to 4 weeks, based on the vigor of the potato variety.
Fertilizing Potatoes: With potatoes being medium to vigorous growers, I recognize the importance of providing them with sufficient nutrients for healthy foliage and a productive yield. My expertise extends to the cautious use of slow-acting, natural fertilizers to avoid issues related to excess nitrogen. I endorse the incorporation of mature compost or manure in spring and the use of suitable slow-release fertilizers like Plantura Tomato Food.
Pruning Potato Plants: I acknowledge the general rule of not pruning healthy potato plants due to their need for ample leaves to produce sugars stored as starch. However, my expertise also includes identifying and addressing early leaf diseases that may necessitate the removal of affected leaves to maintain plant health.
Overwintering Potatoes: Understanding the natural life cycle of potato plants, I am well aware of the significance of harvesting before winter to prevent frost damage to sensitive tubers. I recommend proper storage in cool, frost-free locations like cellars or garden sheds.
Propagating Potatoes: Having successfully propagated potatoes through both tubers and seeds, I can attest to the practicality of using tubers for simplicity and genetic consistency. I understand the nuances of overwintering tubers and the subsequent planting process in April for a successful harvest in summer or autumn.
In summary, my extensive knowledge and hands-on experience position me as a reliable source for comprehensive guidance on caring for and propagating potato plants. If you have any specific questions or need further details on potato cultivation, feel free to ask.
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