How to Amend Soil for Potatoes

Americans grow a lot of potatoes. In fact, according to the United States Potato Board, over 1 million acres of U.S. soil is planted in potatoes every year. Americans eat, per capita, 126 pounds of potatoes. Not only are potatoes good tasting, versatile and healthy, they are simple to grow. The most important aspect of growing potatoes at home is to prepare the planting site. Avoid potato diseases by choosing a site in which you've not grown tomatoes or potatoes for at least one year. Rid the area of weeds, loosen the soil and add amendments and you are well on your way to growing spuds, right in your own backyard.

Rototiller
Coarse sand
Rake
Garden fork
pH testing kit
15-15-15 fertilizer

Instructions

- 1
  Rototill a large potato plot to a depth of 8 inches, breaking up large dirt clods and removing any debris that turns up. Lightly till the soil, as over-tilling it may cause it to compact after a heavy rain.
- 2
  Pour 4 inches of coarse sand on the planting bed and spread it over the entire bed with a rake.
- 3
  Use a rototiller or garden fork to mix the sand into the top 8 inches of soil. Amend the planting bed with 4 inches of coarse sand, mixed to a depth of 8 inches.
- 4
  Test the amended soil's pH. Home testing kits are available at nurseries, gardening centers and online retailers. Soil analysis and advice is also available from the county cooperative extension offices. The test kit instructions offer advice on what amendments to use to get the soil to the appropriate pH level. Potatoes do best in acidic soil, with a pH of 6.5. If you've had problems with potato scab in the past, adjust the soil's pH to between 5.2 and 5.8.
- 5
  Add the recommended amendment to adjust the pH and fertilizer. Oregon State University specialists suggest 15 pounds of 15-15-15 fertilizer per 1,000 square feet of soil. Mix the amendments and fertilizer, with a rototiller or rake, to a depth of 3 inches.
- 6
  Rake the soil until it is smooth and level. Mound up 6-inch tall hills of soil, 24 inches in diameter and 6 inches apart, in which to plant the potato seeds.

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