To grow potatoes, you’ll start by planting small potato tubers or pieces of tuber referred to as “seed potatoes.”
Many mail-order suppliers cut seed potatoes into the proper size for planting. If you get larger tubers for planting, cut them into pieces the day before planting so the cut surfaces have time to dry before being put in contact with the soil. Each piece of tuber should have at least two buds, or eyes, and in general, the pieces should be 1 1/2 to 2 ounces, or about 1 to 1 1/4 inches in diameter. Plant very small seed potatoes whole.
After amending your soil and loosening it to a depth of 1 foot, plant your seed potatoes with the cut side down, eyes up, about 2 to 3 inches deep. You should see sprouts in two to three weeks. When the plants are 8 inches tall, cover them again with loose mulch or soil, leaving some of the leaves poking out. Continue covering the plants as they grow, until your hill is a foot tall. This helps the plants to produce long stems and more “stolons,” from which the tubers develop.
From “The Veggie Gardener’s Answer Book,” by Barbara W. Ellis (Storey Publishing, $14.95)
