Growing Potatoes

Did you know one of the most popular kitchen staples is also one of the easiest to grow? You can plant potatoes in a garden bed, on your balcony or patio – practically anywhere with natural light!

How to Plant

Get a head start! For better yields and earlier harvest, you can ‘chit’ potatoes. Place tubers at room temperature in a window sill or other naturally lit area, 2-4 weeks prior to planting (we typically plant outdoors in Alberta mid-April to late May). The green sprouts that form will give you an early boost in planting.

In the Ground

Dig a trench about 4″-6” deep in the soil and space the seed potatoes in the trench with the main sprouts facing up. Refer to the spacing directions found on the packaging. Cover seed potatoes with 2″-3″ of lightly packed soil and give the newly planted potatoes some water.

For Container

Fill container about half full with a good quality all purpose potting soil. Lay seed potatoes on top of the soil, with sprouts facing up, about 8″-10″ apart. Cover seed potatoes with 2″-3″ of lightly packed soil and give the newly planted potatoes some water.

Hill the Potatoes

Hilling potatoes creates the perfect amount of space for tubers to grow, and increases your harvest. The potatoes should be hilled when plants are about 4″-6″ tall. Using your hands, rake or a shovel, add about 4″-6″ of soil around the plants (avoid covering all the leaves). During the growing season, continue to hill as needed to cover exposed potatoes. For containers, continue adding soil as the plant grows until you have reached the top of the container.

Greenland carries many varieties of seed potatoes, here are some we suggest – for our complete selection, visit us in store in April/May.

(S = Scab Resistant)

Norland (S)

White flesh, red skin. Early yielding potato with medium to large potatoes, adapts well to poor soils, stores well.

Pontiac

White flesh, deep red skin. Early to mid-season tubers are great for baby potatoes. Does well in clay.

Sangre

White flesh, dark red skin. Mid-season with good yields and great storability.

Pacific Russet (S)

High yielding russet potato with white flesh, excellent for boiling, baking and frying.>

Russet Burbank (S)

White flesh russet skin. Late producers, good for boiling and baking. Stores well.

Satina (S)

Yellow flesh, yellow skin. Early to mid tubers good for baking, boiling, great for storage.

Yukon Gold

Mid season potato with yellow flesh and yellow skin.

Kennebec

White flesh tan skin. Mid to large sized tubers in midlate summer. Good baker, boiler and fryer, great storage.

Warba

White flesh and skin, produces early tubers for boiling and baking.

Potato Scab

A bacterial disease, causing raised scabs on tubers. Disease overwinters on infected tubers left in the ground.

Prevention

Purchase clean seed stock, choose scab resistant varieties
Rotate planting spot every 4 years
Disease thrives in high pH, reduce pH by placing garden sulphur in planting hole
Ensure adequate moisture at time of tuber development (when plants are flowering).

Insect Pests

Wireworm – Water in newly planted tubers with beneficial nematodes.
Flea Beetle – Potato rows can be planted with row cover to deter egg laying – remove when plants bloom.
Potato Beetle – Handpick beetles or treat foliage with Doktor Doom House and Garden or Diatomaceous Earth.