Grow Your Own - Potatoes
- Naomi Naughton
- Feb 12, 2019
- 3 min read
The cost of healthy living does not have to be expensive, trust me. I know how expensive it can be buying a basket full of fruit and veg as apposed to a basket full of crisps and snacks. One way to eat healthy at minimal cost, is to have your own home grown fruit and veg. There is something so special about growing your food. It is such a rewarding process, from planting that seed, and seeing the first sprout, to battles with the bugs and the birds and then that final feeling when harvesting the first batch. I don't know why, but it just taste sooo good! Perhaps because you have grown it with alot of love and little pesticides? Who knows... but what better way is there to ensure the food you are eating, is grown with love. In a healthy environment, with minimal harmful substances than growing your own? You can pretty much grow your own anything - Fruits, Veg, Herbs and Salad. Some things are naturally easier to grow, such as potatoes and garlic. Whilst others may take a little more time and effort. In this Blog, I am going to share with you my step by step journey of growing potatoes. From chiting to planting and harvesting my own spuds. Hopefully I can inspire you to grow some of your own!
What is chitting?
Chitting potatoes simply means sprouting or seeding the potato. I would suggest to chit the potatoes between a 4-6 week period before thinking about plating. For a successful crop, I would suggest to begin chitting potatoes in late December, early January, for 6 weeks. Do this in a dry dark cupboard. Each seed should sprout and grow to a minimum or 3 centimeters before actually planting.
Tip:
It is best to plant your potatoes when you are certain there will be no more ground frost. If the soil freezes this may affect your crop. Plant potatoes outdoors between late Feb - March.
If you are growing you potatoes in a pot you can begin mid Feb for a early harvest.
June / July - ' Earliest ' First crop
July / August - For the Second crop
August to October - Main crops
How and where should I plant my potatoes?
You can grown your potatoes in the ground or in a pot. There are several potato growing tubs you can purchase in garden centers, DIY stores or even over the net. I have tried, tested several and listed my personal recommendations for various budgets. I will add them below at a later date. If you intend to plant in a pot, ensure there is at least 5 inches of soil to place the potatoes onto. If planting into the ground, ensure it is well turned and in a area that is well drained. Potatoes like to be in moist soil, they do not like soil that is water logged or soil that lacks nutrients. Potatoes need to be well fed.
Here’s how to grow your own :
Add fish bone and blood to your soil and compost, mix well.
Place your potatoes in the soil, seeds facing up. Leave 9 - 12 inches between them.
Cover the potatoes with soil.
When signs of the first shoots appear, water and allow leafs to grow
When the foliage has grown a few inches and leafs have sprouted. Top with more soil to encourage more growth.
Be careful when watering. Avoid water logged soil, this can ruin crop.
When the plant begins to flower, this is an indication that the potatoes are ready for first crop.
Turn the soul gently to feel for potatoes, harvest as necessary.
Allow the crop to continue to grow.
Water as necessary.
Comentários