How to grow potatoes

Potatoes are really easy to grow: even a pot will do. And you can even have them indoors. The important thing, when using a pot, is to respect the container's size, while if sowing in the garden, it's important to keep the correct distance from the sprouts . Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) belong to the Solanaceae family, the same botanical family as tomatoes and eggplants . This annual herbaceous crop is native to South America, originating from Peru, Chile, and Bolivia. The potato began to spread across the Old Continent after Christopher Columbus's expeditions, and in Italy it began to be cultivated around 1600. Potatoes are a very nutritionally rich food because they belong to the carbohydrate family, contain phosphorus and potassium, and are highly digestible. Growing them in a pot , in the garden, or on the balcony is simple by following a few simple rules.

Cultivation in pots

To begin, take a very large pot , at least 50 liters, fill it 1/4 full with good soil and get some good compost, preferably homemade following this procedure . Now all you need to do is get some potatoes, preferably organic, and follow a few simple tips . For growing in pots or in the ground, the seedlings should be spaced at least 35 cm apart. If you intend to grow potatoes on the balcony , don't forget that this is a very special crop: this vegetable is a tuber and grows underground!

Land

You can use very tall pots, buckets, recycled bins, or bags. For this DIY home-grown potato garden, all you need is a bag, fertile soil (universal soil), and potatoes to sprout. Fill the bag halfway with fertile soil. Place the potatoes you wish to grow on the soil, spaced as far apart as possible, and cover them with more soil. As the potatoes grow in the bag , if new roots emerge, cover with more soil. Harvest time is early fall . Two weeks before harvest, cut the plants above the roots, leaving them on the ground, then remove the soil to collect them. Now the potatoes are ready to be cooked. To determine if it's the right time to harvest the potatoes, simply rub the skin. If the skin doesn't come off, the potatoes are ripe for harvest.

Semina

It's not necessary to buy seeds or seedlings. If you have potatoes at home, you can certainly start growing them . Before planting, arrange them on a tray in a cool, light-filled place for 3-6 weeks. Be careful, however, not to place the potatoes in direct sunlight. The waiting time varies depending on the potato. If the potato was harvested a long time ago, it will take a short time to sprout. Once the potatoes have sprouted, you can begin growing them. Growing potatoes prefers a cool, temperate climate but tolerates intense cold. At temperatures below freezing, the leaves freeze and die. Only in the South are potatoes sown in autumn for a spring harvest. Since potatoes are tubers and therefore root vegetables, the best time for planting is during the waning moon. Potatoes adapt easily to different soil types. However, the best yields are obtained in soils rich in organic matter, well-aerated, and with a pH between 5.5 and 7.5. Prepare furrows for the potatoes. Then, dig holes about 50 cm deep, spaced at least 30 cm apart in rows. Place the potatoes in each hole, allowing the sprouts to grow upward.

Watering

Depending on the weather and season, potatoes can be watered 2-3 to 7-10 times a month. To determine this, simply observe the soil: if it's too dry, watering is necessary. Water regularly, especially in summer. Fertilize the soil with nutrients, preferably organic. You can use manure , but it must be well-rotted and dug in during the winter. To improve the soil quality, you can bury home compost. Again, this requires work well in advance of the planned planting period. Harvest potatoes when the plant's above-ground parts are completely dry. The exact timing will depend on the variety you choose and the planting period. At home, it's done by hand. Therefore, to facilitate the operation, it's best to choose a time when the soil is evenly distributed, that is, neither too dry nor too wet.

Advice

To promote good cultivation it is necessary:

• Keep the potatoes at dark to facilitate the sprouting process.
• Bury the tubers in parallel rows Spaced at least 60-70 cm apart. This space is not so much for the tuber's propagation as it is for normal maintenance and easier harvesting. For this reason, when growing potatoes on a balcony, they can be planted in a bag filled with soil and compost.
• The holes intended to accommodate the tubers can be made with the help of a awl.
• Water regularly without stagnant water.
• Potato flowers are very beautiful and tell us that the plant is in good health.
• Once the potatoes are ready, let them dry in the sun.

Read also:

• How to grow oregano in a pot
• How to grow basil in a pot
• Growing pumpkins in the garden or in a pot
• The best potato recipes