How to Pick Potatoes by Hand

Potatoes can be grown successfully by the home gardener, provided the soil is prepared beforehand. As potatoes are planted in early spring, most varieties are ready for harvest before hot summer days arrive. Potato farmers in modern times use large harvesting machines to harvest potatoes, as digging up large crops of potatoes is time-consuming and labor-intensive. As a home gardener with a much smaller crop, you'll be harvesting your potatoes the old-fashioned way.

Garden gloves
Long-handled garden fork
Garden hand-spade
Baskets

Instructions

- 1
  Wait until the potato vines have died before picking the potatoes. Put on garden gloves to protect your hands; otherwise, if you have a lot of potatoes to dig, you may get blisters on your hands from wielding the garden tools.
- 2
  Penetrate the soil around the first hill of potato plants with a long-handled garden fork to loosen the soil and lift the potatoes. You'll need to dig down to move under the potatoes, usually at least 6 inches deep.
- 3
  Kneel down and lift the potatoes with your hands. Use a hand-held garden spade to clear away more dirt, if necessary. Inspect the potatoes to ensure they're truly ready to be harvested. Potatoes ready for harvest will have a well-developed, thick skin that cannot be easily removed.
- 4
  Continue with the harvest once you've established the potatoes are ready, using the same method of loosening the soil first with the fork, and then removing the potatoes from the soil by hand. Place as many potatoes in one basket as you can comfortably carry, and then switch to a new, empty basket when necessary.

Pressure-Treated Lumber for a Raised Garden

How to Grow White Sweet Potatoes at Home

Vegetable Garden