ZBG TEACHING GARDENS: Planting Potatoes

Our potatoes let us know they were ready to see the soil. After a few weeks of chitting (letting our potatoes sprout "eyes" under UV light ) they were ready for planting. These are the steps that we use to plant the potatoes at the teaching Gardens at Zilker Botanical Garden:

STEPS
1. Quartered  the potatoes making sure each side had an eye.

2. Sprinkled in dustable sulfur used to prevent rotting

3. In a sunny spot, in loose, well-draining soil, we dug furrows about 6-8 inches wide and about 6-8 inches deep. Two weeks ago we amended the soil with organic matter including recycled mycelium blocks and microlife. We also added coco coir last fall. In between the furrows we also added more organic matter including pecan shells and recycled mycelium blocks.

4. We dug holes about three to four inches deep and 10 inches apart and sprinkled in fertilizer including slow release rock phosphate . 

5. We put the seed potatoes in and covered them over with soil. 

A few weeks later, they’ll have sprouted 3-4″ above the soil. At that time, add more soil over them. In 90 – 120 days, the tops will die back and yellow. Then it’s time to harvest. 

If you have not planted your potatoes you still have time for because they can be planted until mid-March. 

We purchased white Kennebec and red LaSoda potatoes at The Great Outdoors.