HOW TO:

[huntsman]

Is there a decent How To (plant and grow) potatoes out there?

Thanks!

[svalli]

I think that the internet is full of advice of how to grow potatoes and the method depends on climate, soil quality and acreage you have available for planting.

My hardiness zone is about 4, but I am so close to the Arctic Circle, that day length during summer is much longer and summers are much cooler than what you have in zone 9 and close to the Tropic of Capricorn, so I have no idea, which methods work for you. I have now discovered that growing under black plastic as mulch works for me, but I think that you would bake your potatoes, if grown that way.

I think that this article has quite good advice how to grow potatoes in home garden with many different ways:
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/hom...grow-potatoes/

Do you get any frost during winter? Could you grow potatoes as winter or early spring crop? We usually plant couple of weeks before our last spring frost, so that there should not be anymore frosts when the leaves have emerged. Sometimes we can have frosts even in late June, but usually potatoes recover, even if some leaves die off due to frost.


Sari

[huntsman]

Thank you for the reply.

We do get some frost, but it's fairly light. I live in South Africa, and the heat might be more of an issue...

[AlittleSalt]

This is the first time I have seen this thread. I just looked up Johannesburg, South Africa's weather for next 8 days https://www.google.com/search?ei=qcm...iz.S8I3oDhhXpc It's actually very close to the weather forecast for Dallas, Texas, USA. However, that's about the only thing in common.

Just guessing by this https://www.holiday-weather.com/johannesburg/averages/ I would plant potatoes in June there.

That is roughly 14,677 km or 9119.865 miles away.

[huntsman]

Just around the corner...

[ContainerTed]

Huntsman, when I asked all of my family elders, they told me to cut up the potatoes so that each piece has at least two eyes on it. Then, plant them with the eyes up at least 4 inches down with well tilled soil below that level. Soil with a goodly amount of sandiness to it is best.

Now, I'm in growing area 6a, but the methods can't be all that different. In your climate, I might look at shading the soil where you plant them.

I've thought about doing a season using the old tires method. This is where you stack old automobile tires up one at a time and adding soil as you add a tire, filling up the space inside of the tires and planting the potato sets in that big hole in the middle. When the above ground plant is large enough, you add another tire and this allows the potatoes to grow deep. Pictures I've seen usually stop when the stack gets to about 10 or so. And, those same pictures show the tops of the stacks have wooden frames that provide shade for each stack. Harvest time consists of taking the tires off the stack one at a time and looking for tomatoes while you do that.

But, the "growing potatoes" basics are to cut seed potatoes to allow multiple eyes on each piece and enough potato to support the seedlings to get above the soil level. Then, mounding up the row to allow the new tomato tubers to get larger and taking care that no part of the potato is above the soil level.

Lots of work in a potato garden with a good garden hoe.

[imp]

Originally Posted by ContainerTed

Huntsman, when I asked all of my family elders, they told me to cut up the potatoes so that each piece has at least two eyes on it. Then, plant them with the eyes up at least 4 inches down with well tilled soil below that level. Soil with a goodly amount of sandiness to it is best.

Now, I'm in growing area 6a, but the methods can't be all that different. In your climate, I might look at shading the soil where you plant them.

I've thought about doing a season using the old tires method. This is where you stack old automobile tires up one at a time and adding soil as you add a tire, filling up the space inside of the tires and planting the potato sets in that big hole in the middle. When the above ground plant is large enough, you add another tire and this allows the potatoes to grow deep. Pictures I've seen usually stop when the stack gets to about 10 or so. And, those same pictures show the tops of the stacks have wooden frames that provide shade for each stack. Harvest time consists of taking the tires off the stack one at a time and looking for tomatoes while you do that.

But, the "growing potatoes" basics are to cut seed potatoes to allow multiple eyes on each piece and enough potato to support the seedlings to get above the soil level. Then, mounding up the row to allow the new tomato tubers to get larger and taking care that no part of the potato is above the soil level.

Lots of work in a potato garden with a good garden hoe.

???

[AlittleSalt]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

That is roughly 14,677 km or 9119.865 miles away.

Originally Posted by huntsman

Just around the corner...

Hey neighbor

I'm doing a little research online. My first step is to find growing information for your area. I'm not sure if this is exactly where you are farming?
https://www.gardenate.com/zones/Sout...2Bsub-tropical

From that, I found this information about growing potatoes -
https://www.gardenate.com/plant/Potato If you are growing in ground, I personally would suggest 15 to 18cm deep from my experiences.

The manure part is not necessary, but it can help. Fertilization is however it is done locally for you or try different things if you see fit. Potatoes are unlike many vegetables - they like to grow in acidic soil with a PH level of 4.8 to 6.0. I have grown them many times in soil that is 6.7 PH, but they did not produce large potatoes. Other than that, don't water them too much or too little, and keep the pests away. You should get rewarded with some potatoes.

[huntsman]

Thanks Ted and AlittleSalt -

Having checked, I see that the land I had in mind has a large percentage of clay. Is this a problem, or do I have to add compost, etc in bigger amounts?