How to Grow Your Own Red Potatoes

Test your soil to determine the nutrient balance and pH level of the soil. Contact your local extension office for information about its soil testing services. Most provide soil testing for a small fee. This includes instructions for taking the soil sample and a detailed analysis of the soil. Follow the instruction in your soil test results to amend and fertilize the soil. Adjust the pH to between 4.8 and 5.5.

Purchase certified seed potatoes from a reliable source. Because potatoes are reproduced from a section of the tuber, diseases from the parent plant can be carried in the tubers. Planting the tubers of potatoes purchased in the grocery store poses the risk of introducing disease-causing pathogens that may infect both the new crop and the soil. Certified seed potatoes have been inspected at least twice during the growing season and once at harvest to verify that they are disease free.

Dig a furrow to a depth of 4 to 6 inches in the prepared garden site. Allow 2 1/2 to 3 feet between rows for cultivation and hilling.

Cut potato tubers larger than 2 inches in diameter into two or three sections with a sharp knife. Each section should contain at least two eyes to ensure good germination. Small tubers can be planted whole.

Place the cut sections in a paper bag. Roll down the top to close the bag and store it at room temperature for two to three days. Shake the bag of cut potatoes to loosen any pieces that have stuck together and keep at room temperature another two days. This allows the cut surfaces to dry and prevents rotting in cool, damp soil.

Position the potato sections in the furrow with the cut end down, spaced 8 to 12 inches apart. Potatoes grown for new potatoes can be planted closely, while those that are intended to grow to maturity need room for large tubers to form.

Cover the red potatoes with soil. Pack the soil down firmly with your feet or the back of the hoe to ensure the entire section contacts the soil.

Hill red potatoes as soon as the plants are 6 to 8 inches tall. Mound soil at the base of the plants to create a "hill" of soil covering the stalks of the plants. Allow 2 to 4 of the potato plant to extend above the soil. This prevents tubers from growing out of the soil and suffering damage from the sun. Repeat the procedure when potato plants grow another 6 to 8 inches.

Water potatoes whenever the soil feels dry 1 inch below the surface. Consistent watering ensures consistent tuber formation and improves uniformity in tuber size and shape, as well as continued production. Potatoes that are allowed to dry excessively may cease production of tubers.

Harvest baby red potatoes two to three weeks after the plants have bloomed. Dig under the soil with your hands to check the size of the potatoes. Remove those that have reached the desired size while allowing smaller potatoes to continue to grow. Harvest mature red potatoes in the fall once the foliage has died back.