How to Root a Potato

Potatoes are a staple food in many homes worldwide. In many countries, such as the United States, it is common to purchase potatoes from the local grocery store. However, you can grow them in your own garden. Potatoes from garden centers are best to use because they are certified free of disease and viruses. Tubers from the grocery store might carry potato diseases and may not sprout if they have been treated with anti-sprouting products. Prepare to plant potatoes in March or April.

Knife
Shovel
Fertilizer

Instructions

- 1
  Find an appropriate planting site. Make sure the soil is well drained and loose with a soil pH of 5.0 to 6.0 Fertilize it with the nutrients that it needs so it is at a balanced level for growing potatoes. Send a sample to a professional laboratory for testing if you are not sure what the soil needs.
- 2
  Place the seed potato in a lit area at room temperature for a few days and check at intervals for sprouts from one of the "eyes" on the skin. The potato is ready to plant when sprouts appear.
- 3
  Cut the potato into 1 1/2 to 2 oz. pieces or as small as an egg. Make sure each piece has an eye.
- 4
  Dig furrows in the soil that are 36 inches apart and up to 3 inches deep. Place the potato pieces 10 to 12 inches apart in the furrow with the cut side down. Cover them with soil.
- 5
  Add 3 inches of soil to the top of the soil when the sprouts appear to protect them from the sun. Apply fertilizer five inches away from the plant on either side and about 2 inches deep. Apply enough water to keep the soil moist as the plants grow.
- 6
  Harvest the plants approximately 115 days after planting. Dig up the tubers carefully to avoid damage.

How to Ripen Squash

My Vegetables Die Before They Ripen

Vegetable Garden