3 Ways to Plant Your Potatoes
Even the pickiest eaters have a weakness for the ever-versatile, always-delicious potato. Potatoes are relatively easy to grow, and they deliver quite a significant harvest considering the size of the plant. There are a variety of different ways to grow potatoes, and everyone seems to have their favourite method. However, a technique that works on the Alberta prairies may not work here in Powell River, where it tends to be a bit rainier.
We’ve picked three methods to explore. We’ll walk you through each method, and list the pros and cons, so you can make an informed choice before you plant your potatoes this spring!
Trench & Hill
The trench and hill method of planting potatoes is probably the most common method. If your garden has good drainage, it’ll likely work for you.
To use this method, dig a trench 6-8 inches deep. Lay your seed potatoes in the trench 12-15 inches apart. Fill in the trench and water deeply. Once the plants are 10-12 inches tall, use a hoe to pile soil up around the plant stems. You may need to do this a few times throughout the season to keep the tubers covered. At the end of the season, remove the tops and dig up your potatoes carefully with a fork.
Raised Beds
Planting potatoes in raised beds will deliver a great yield, and might be a little bit easier to work with than keeping them straight in the ground.
To plant potatoes in raised beds, you’ll want to start with the soil level fairly low in the bed so that you have lots of room to add soil on top as the plants grow. Plant your seed potatoes 12 inches apart, and cover them with 3 inches of soil. Once the plants are 6-8 inches tall, add more soil, leaving 2-3 inches of leaves exposed. Keep up with this pattern of adding soil until you’ve reached the top of your raised bed. If possible, remove one side of your raised bed in the fall to make harvesting easier.
Wire Cylinders
Using wire cylinders, or potato towers made from hardware cloth, to plant your potatoes is the best method for locations with lots of rain and compacted soil.
For this method, you’ll need mesh hardware cloth. For each cylinder, you’ll need a piece that’s about 2 feet wide and 2 feet tall. Form the hardware cloth into cylinders and secure them shut; a couple of little zip ties are perfect for this. Shovel in 3-4 inches of soil, and plant 2-3 seed potatoes in each cylinder, and cover with 3-4 inches of soil. Once the plants are 6-8 inches tall, start adding more soil, leaving about 3-4 inches of leaves exposed. Repeat the process until the end of the season, or until you reach the top of your cylinder.
The best part of this method is the easy harvest. Simply remove the zip ties on your cylinders, lift them, unwrap them, or knock them over, and dig out your fresh potatoes!
There are so many ways to grow potatoes, but there is one thing every method has in common for this cool-weather crop: you’ve got to keep adding soil as the plants grow to make sure you keep the tubers buried.
If you’ve had bad luck with one method in the past, don’t give up. Why not try a new technique this year? Or, if you’ve got the space, time, and materials, try a few different techniques this season. You’ll find out for sure which option will work best in your garden. If you need any supplies or information, from seed potatoes to tools to advice, stop by or give us a call at our garden center!
If you’d like to visit, our outdoor space is open—we just ask that you respect social distancing guidelines. If you’d like to order for curbside pickup or delivery in Powell River, just give us a call and we’ll get everything ready for you.
