Growing and Storing Potatoes in the Southwest

Test the soil’s pH. Potatoes do best when soil is acidic, below 6.0. If your soil measures higher, combine 4 ounces of organic sulfur into each square yard of planting area.

Improve soil texture and fertility by adding organic materials, such as compost, soybean meal or fallen leaves. Cover the soil’s surface with about 2 inches of these or other organic materials, and then dig it in at least 10 inches deep.

Cut seed potatoes into two or three pieces, ensuring that each piece has a minimum of two eyes. Set them in a dark, well-ventilated area for about two days, allowing the cut edges to cure before planting.

Prepare planting furrows about 4 inches deep and 12 inches apart. Drop one cut potato piece every 12 inches, and then fill the furrow about half full with additional amended soil.

Fill the planted furrows to the top after your potatoes start growing. Wait until the foliage is about 3 inches tall before adding more amended soil filling the furrows.

Harvest the potatoes after the aboveground foliage wilts and yellows. Place the potatoes in a single layer indoors with a damp towel covering them for two days. Store them in a cool, dark, well-ventilated area where the temperature is between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit.