How to Avoid 7 Common Potato Growing Mistakes for a Bountiful Harvest

If you are planning to grow potatoes, there are some common mistakes that you should avoid to get the best yield. In this article, we will discuss the seven mistakes that you should avoid to grow the best potatoes of your life.

Mistake #1: Not Planting Potatoes in the Right Time of the Year Potatoes are a cool-weather crop, and they don't like temperatures that are too hot or too cold. The best time to plant potatoes in the spring is a week before your last frost date, up to three weeks after your last frost date. If you are in the southern hemisphere, it's September or October. If you are planting your potatoes in the fall, you must blanch your potatoes at least three months before your first frost date.

Mistake #2: Not Choosing the Right Seed Potato Tubers Make sure that you use the right seed potato for planting. The size of the potato should be about two ounces, which is the size of a large egg. If you are planting cut potatoes, make sure they are completely healed and scarred over before planting; otherwise, they can harbor disease and fungus.

Mistake #3: Not Preparing Soil Properly Potatoes like loose soil, at least up to 12 inches. You can either firm up the soil to plant your potatoes or use some sort of raised beds or wooden boxes. Use a growing medium that includes 50% native soil, 40% compost, and 10% coconut coir.

Mistake #4: Not Using the Right Fertilizers Use the proper fertilizers for your potatoes. Use organic 4-4-2 fertilizer when you first plant your potatoes. Once your potatoes have been growing for about a month, cut down on the nitrogen and use fertilizers that are 16-8-16 or 24-10-10.

Mistake #5: Not Having the Proper pH Level of Your Soil Potatoes love slightly acidic soil, with a pH of around 5.5. You can add sulfur in your soil to lower the pH level of your soil if your soil is too alkaline.

Mistake #6: Not Hilling or Backfilling Regardless of whether your potatoes are determinate or indeterminate, you should always be hilling or filling back your potatoes. This will prevent them from turning green and becoming susceptible to disease.

Mistake #7: Harvesting Potatoes too Early Wait until half of the plant has completely died back before harvesting your potatoes. This will ensure that the potatoes form thicker skin and are cured properly.

In conclusion, by avoiding these seven common mistakes, you can grow the best potatoes of your life. Good luck with your potato growing adventure!