Have you ever thought about what could happen if the earth ran out of food? Of course, most of us would all starve!
A good gardener who knows how to grow potatoes on his homestead won’t have to worry about anything.
As a good source of potassium, vitamin C, and healthy fats, potatoes can fill you for a good time. Don’t know how to grow this essential vegetable? Relax, as today, in this article, I will be sharing with you how to grow some yummy potatoes on your farmstead.
I have got you covered, from the growing process to the delicious staple on your plate.
So, without any further ado, let’s get started!
7-Step Guide on How to Grow Potatoes in Your Homestead
Here’s a step-by-step guide on growing potatoes at your very own homestead.
Step 1: Choose Your Potato Type
Apart from being nutritious, potatoes are also known for their insane varieties.
You can have sweet potatoes, russet potatoes, fingerling potatoes, and the list goes on.
So, the first and most important step is deciding on the potato type you want.
Related: The Survival Foods You Can Only Harvest This Spring
Because I wanted a vegetable full of all nutrients that one can eat in any form, I went on with Yukon gold potato. Also, I recommend not to use spidery potatoes in your kitchen, as you will not get a reliable crop then.
Step 2: Prepare Tubers
The next step is preparing the tubers, which you can do by chitting the potatoes. Chitting is simply the process of allowing the potatoes to grow stems or eyes, as we call it. You can do this by placing the potatoes in an egg tray.
Place this tray in an area with plenty of light and a cool temperature; ideally, a windowsill that doesn’t have direct sunlight would work fine. Have this tray rest for about six weeks or until they begin to produce shoots.
Remember to keep the below-mentioned points in your mind while chitting:
- If the stems are not getting too long, understand that the potatoes need more light.
- Remove any extra eyes on the potato using your fingers and let the best stem grow.
Step 3: Lookout for the Right Spot
Another important step is to find the right spot to plant potatoes. Trust me, the right site can do wonders for your crop. However, I would advise you to research what kind of soil condition would work best for your potatoes beforehand.
Potatoes better grow in a location with plenty of sunlight where frost is unlikely to occur.
Also, avoid growing potatoes in the same spot where they had been grown in succession for about two years. A soil bed that you have previously used to plant potatoes is usually depleted of nutrients. You can learn here an easy way to test soil the way pioneers did, if you want to make sure your crops get all the necessary nutrients.
If your soil is depleted of nutrients, the yield is poor, and you have to rely solely on fertilizers. Additionally, any disease in the previous crop might also affect the coming generation of potatoes; eventually, the contamination risk gets higher.
Step 4: Prepare the Soil
Once you have finalized the spot, the next thing you need to do is prepare the soil.
To start with this, have the ground ready using some good quality compost. Moist soil conditions would work fine for most types of potatoes, including the Yukon gold one.
But remember not to make the soil too wet or compact as it won’t aid in good quality crop production.
Step 5: Plant the Potatoes
Now comes the real part: place the potatoes in the soil. For this, start digging a trench and have your potatoes planted 5 inches deep and 15 inches apart. To enhance the quality of the crop, try to cover them in compost.
I would also suggest keeping the compost well-watered on days when the weather is extremely dry.
Remember, the more you look after your crops, the better the harvest will be obtained.
But again, do not overwater the soil.
It is important to maintain mild-wet soil for potatoes to grow.
Step 6: Earthing up the Potatoes
Okay, this step is optional but worked well for me, so I thought, why not share it with you all?
So as soon as you notice that the green shoots from the potatoes have reached up to 12 inches in length, add extra soil.
This process is known as earthing up, which helps protect the tubers from turning poisonous and increases the overall productivity of the crop. As an added benefit, this method also prevented my potatoes from turning green.
If you aren’t a huge fan of digging and earthing up, you can also grow your potatoes under black polythene to not let them turn green.
This is a much more economical method and would not require you to earth up every now and then.
Step 7: Harvest Your Potatoes
So, when can you taste delicious, healthy, and all-organic potatoes from your own homestead?
Related: 11 Fast Growing Vegetables to Grow in a Crisis
Let me give a tiny but indeed helpful tip. So, whenever you notice the flowers or, in simpler terms, the buds on the potatoes drop, acknowledge they are ready to harvest.
With reference to the time, it can be somewhere between 10 to 20 weeks after you have planted them. To pick fresh potatoes from your farm, dig up the whole potatoes using a spade.
A fork worked well for me, but you can use a spade for better precision.
Make sure that you do not spear any potatoes as you are harvesting them.
Your delicious fresh and organic potatoes are ready to eat!
FAQ
- When is the right time to harvest potatoes?
The right time to harvest potatoes is between March, April, and May. Additionally, if you are planting first early potatoes, have them planted during the early spring season. On the other hand, if you are planting second early potatoes, have them in the mid-April season.
- How long does it take to grow a potato?
It takes about 12 to 20 weeks for a potato to grow. In terms of days, it can take 80 to 100 days for potatoes to be ready to harvest. All in all, this time might also vary according to the type of potato you choose.
- Can I use homestead manure for potatoes?
Yes, you can use homestead manure for growing potatoes. Generally, potatoes are known to sprout on any kind of ground. However, the harvest is of the best quality if the soil is filled with the manure.
A punch of vitamin C, fiber, and potassium makes potatoes an awesome vegetable to grow. With a wide range of varieties, I am sure you would never have to starve yourself to death.
While potatoes are a fantastic vegetable to grow in a crisis due to their versatility and nutritional value, it’s essential to consider other vegetables as well, especially if you are prepping for any potential crisis scenario.
For those serious about surviving whatever comes their way, I strongly recommend this self-sufficiency guide. It offers invaluable insights and practical advice for transforming your backyard into a self-sustaining homestead.
By prioritizing learning and preparation right now, you’re essentially equipping yourself with the tools and knowledge necessary for when crises strike, catching most people off guard and unprepared.
Click Here to Learn How to Become Self Sufficient on ¼ Acre
This article was first published on Self-Sufficient Projects.
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Hey, what has many eyes but still can’t see. No, Not the demoncrats,
A potato… lol…
My favorite veggie, tubular.
stay sharp
Potatoes won’t be the only food Americans will need as our food supplies are going to the hungry illegals…
Off topic:
The American citizen will become the minority in Bidenomics as they flood in the open borders. Will Chinese nationals dominate our land?
Obama-appointee and liberal Illinois federal judge rules illegal migrants can carry guns legally.
US District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman ruled earlier this month that an illegal immigrant could not be charged for carrying a loaded firearm
The ruling comes as the Biden administration continues to struggle with the wave of illegal migrants flooding across the border
The White House is facing extra pressure in the wake of the killing of Georgia student Laken Riley by an illegal immigrant.
Are you ready to fight for your country?
You vote for Demoncrat like Let’s Go Brandon and we are done for.
Can I get a print copy?
What do you think?
Look at the heading top, there are icons of print and pdf.
Potato blight, however, is real; as the Irish learned in the 1840s, depending completely on potatoes for sustenance can be deadly. When growing potatoes always sterilize the soil afterwards by planting mustard greens. You can eat the mustard greens too!).
There are many different types of potatoes to consider growing. Early, mid-season, and full season potatoes will help keep you in potatoes for the entire year.
If you have difficulty growing potatoes in your area because of the heat, a fantastic substitute is sweet potatoes.
If you walk past local restaurants in many areas of Ireland today, you will see their sidewalk chalkboard signs advertising – “Today’s Special – “Baked Potato”. And Nothing else. Unfortunately, I’ve been told the best food served up in Ireland today is actually Indian food.
Can I grow potatoes indoors. In pots?
See MIGardener channel on Youtube. He has done this.
Ask your neighbor who gardens or a family member that has a garden or a book on gardening, think for yourself.
We’re all here to learn and love the expertise of others.
Yes…in buckets or a cardboard box on waterproof mat to protect floor
Store potatoes in cool area of basement in laundry basket with newspaper or brown paper between layers.
One rotten potato can cause you to lose more…so check periodically
I have grown potatoes indoors during the winter while using grow lights. If you have a south facing window you will probably not need the lights. There are potato “bags” that you can use. I hill the potatoes by bringing up the side of the bag and adding more soil. The one thing that this article did not mention was the flowers. Instead of waiting for the flower buds to fall off I would pinch the buds off to promote more root growth. You can give it a couple more weeks after the pinching and then harvest. 🙂
I grew sweet potatoes .. twice. First time was a bust, second better. Sweet potatoes do NOT like heat! We are in AZ..the mountains not desert BUT i had to shade the containers on hot days..that worked.
Other potatoes..well, raccoons, ground squirrels ate them before they could bloom.
Plant more than you need as weather, pests like mice, rats, rabbits, raccoons, deer, coyotes will be hungry too.
Not to forget insect damage, gardening is a great hobby, but we must protect the food from two legged critters too.
It would be great to continue what to do with home gardens in various parts of the country as not every fruit and vegetable will grow universal in all regions.
One of the reasons the Irish Famine was so devastating was because the Irish peasant’s diet consisted of potatoes, mustard greens and the occasional egg from the chicken and the chicken itself when it grew too old to lay. If you read the book Paddy’s Lament, it will describe in great detail the potato famine and the reasons for its devastation on the Irish peasant. All during the famine Ireland continued to export food crops, wheat, corn, barley, and other food crops. Paddy’s Lament attributes the British attitude toward the Irish as an early, and successful attempt at genocide. It took until late in the 20th century for the Irish population to reach its pre-famine level. The book slash claims that if one is laboring sufficiently, the potato diet with mustard greens and the occasional egg will provide all the nutrients necessary to sustain life. The Irish tenant farmer working his landlord’s land and his own little plot certainly fulfilled the labor part and then some.
Mono cropping is bad practice…so with little space and little variety…☹️. I believe weather also contributed.
Also various selections can help…along with rotation.
Man can not live by bread alone or being a total vegan.
The Mediterranean Diet is a balance of meat, potatoes , vegetable and fruits.
We always need a variety of food in case one or more plants in the garden are eaten by pests or plain crop failure. Backyard animals also play a part in our nutritional needs too.
Don’t plan on United Nation vegan’s push for us to eat insects either.
God bless America!
Hi Kenny , I planted some red potatoes a few years back and they are still popping up. I have alot of weeds on my quarter acre that thanks to this website I’ve learned are edible. Weird ways to collect water and make fire. I can thank the dems for freaking me out and forcing me to learn this stuff. And appreciating the United States and it’s true history a whole lot more…… I’ve a couple have a hart traps for extra protein gathering….I hope enough people can get on the same page so we don’t have to use this knowledge.
Thanks, Sunny, for this most helpful guide. I can’t wait to grow some!
I recall that there is a method to planting sectioned potatoes with the eyes down. Is that a bad memory?
Leave your plain spuds in a cool place that gets light so the eyes start to sprout. Cut the pastored into pieces with one or two eyes per piece and at least 1-1/2” square(ish). Set cut side up and let them dry for a week or two to scab over before planting.
Dig a trench 8” deep & place your pieces 12-15” apart and cover with 2” of soil. Hilling up as they grow is easier because you can push down the sides of your trench.
I would add…DO NOT plant potatoes where you dump wood ash! My husband dumped ash from the fireplace on my potato patch and all the potatoes got big sores on them and were ruined.
Sounds like scab. Scab lives above ph5 and dry soils….its a bacteria that just gets worse. Start with certified seed potatoes, use only well composted manure and if all else fails add pine needles or sulphur when you plant and every time you hill the spuds.
I always cut my seed potatoes in half with eyes on each piece then let them dry for a day or two before planting. I would add…DO NOT plant potatoes where you dump wood ash! My husband dumped ash from the fireplace on my potato patch and all the potatoes got big sores on them and were ruined.
Can potatoes grow in red clay? My yard is red clay and I never have found if the crop will or not.
Thank you for any help.
Try it, one or two, if not use containers to grow them.
I get the nicest row of potatoes growing right up to harvest time. Then the moles move in and have a feast one plant at a time. There must be a thousand of these pesky creatures living underground next to my potato garden.
Hardware cloth underground works but in Bidenomics that has become expensive to use. MAGA!
Moles don’t eat vegetables.
I think Moles eat worms BUT Voles which are smaller use the Moles tunnels to travel and they will eat your potatoes Carrots and even beets.
I would suggest getting a pressure canner. I got one during the beginning of lockdowns and trial and error how to can all sorts of different things. Canning potatoes would be a very wise thing. They will last years that way. Get one that does not require electricity. That way you can use propane butane or fire. I have canned brisket, chili, chicken soup And many other things. I usually can three jars. One I open two weeks later when I open a month later. The third eye just wait. I opened a jar of carrots. I did three years ago in April. They’re fine. I did make mistakes and discover a new crowd. That was horrible. I just threw all the way, but I did learn. I took 12 jars with me recently and did fine with those and I had enough to share and they had enough to share, and we all went home with, traded food jars. It is also a very useful skill.
@Chaplain Dan: some of your comment is unintelligible….could you please clarify after ”make mistakes and discover a new crowd…” don’t understand the rest of the comment.
we can a lot of meat but not much in the vegtable department. as a matter of fact my wife is opening 2 jars of ground beef for mexican night. the burger was canned in 2020 and is still good. we just don’t do a garden anymore since the grandkids moved in 6 years ago. we try to go to different places with them in the summer and the garden would die due to lack of water. we still do onions, tomatoes, and strawberries. the kids that feed our dogs will water the few plants we have.
Potato substitutes:
1. Jerusalem Artichoke are perennials and will grow back every year.
Cook the same way as potatoes.
2. Day Lillies… you can eat it all, the foliage and the bulb which are cooked like potatoes.
Perennials that grow back every year. (Dig up, and replant a few roots for the next crop.)
3. Cat tails (bull rushes)… eat the stalks and the roots. Dry the roots and grind to make into flour.
Perennials that grow back every year.
In a disaster, you may not be able to plant potatoes, but these 3 may sustain you.
Good stuff, add canna lillies to the list, one of the first wild plants cultivated for food.
Potatoes are great but a balance so you dont get scurvey from lack of citric acid
your going to need common sense more than ever , and education of basics in gardening more than ever
Do your homework , not just patatoes , but many types of Foood
when there is and will be so many stup , and so many who cannot speak to one another , failure of communication and so they will follow the LIE , choose death over belief in Jesus christ for Food and needs
LIKE street animals or pest of the earth , just wondering with no purpose , this will happen
just like other countries in the world
this is result of getting rid or truth, Jesus Christ , true God
and accepting the lie , following idols , idolatry, disobedience , blind following blind
like going off the cliff as they are told, programmed with lies of deciet
This is Why YOU must prepare , Educate yourself , read, seek , search out , prepare yourself , pray for Gods Truth to set you free ,and open your eyes to truth
Set standards you will not compromise , no matter the cost
stand for your values no matter the cost
speak truth to one another in love , but truth , back up with true refference s the bible , truth history , and vetted resources as they are decieving many and masss with a way that seems right but leaves out God , And gets rid of self control , and self awareness
Dont accept lies , perversion , and lust , passionate love , where is deceitfull
God JUST , NOT fair , HOLY , not lustful , Loving and forgiving , now compromising
STAND , SPEAK UP , SAY your mind as you get education in Truth