How To Grow Potatoes in the Ground

What could be more satisfying than the fresh flavour of newly dug potatoes lifted straight from your own vegetable plot? If you're lucky enough to have the space for a vegetable plot or raised beds, follow our easy how-to guide to find out how to grow potatoes in trenches in the ground.

Preparing the site

When growing your own potatoes choose an open position in full sun on fertile, well drained soil. Avoid soil where potatoes have grown for two years in succession as this will increase the risk of disease. A slightly acidic soil is preferable but not essential as potatoes will tolerate a wide range of soils. When growing potatoes on more alkaline soils, apply sulfur to the top of the potato ridge after planting. Applying sulfur maximizes the yield and deters skin blemishes like Common Scab that are particularly troublesome in alkaline conditions.

Begin preparing the planting site well in advance (November/ December) to allow the soil to settle before planting potatoes. Remove all weeds and dig the site thoroughly and deeply, lifting out any large stones, and incorporating plenty of well rotted organic matter and high potash fertiliser.

Chitting Potatoes

Seed potatoes, particularly earlies and second earlıes , benefit from 'chitting' prior to being planted. This process encourages strong shoots to sprout over several weeks to encourage faster growth and heavier crops once they in the ground.

From late January/ February, ‘chit’ your seed potatoes by setting them out in seed trays, shallow boxes or empty egg cartons in a cool, bright, frost free position (10C/ 50F) to allow them to sprout. You will notice that the immature 'chits' are all at one end (called the rose end). Place the rose end upwards. Sturdy 'chits' will form and should attain up to 25mm (1") in length.

Cutting Seed Potatoes

Seed potatoes are normally about the size of a chicken’s egg, but will often vary in size. Don’t be concerned if you receive different sized seed potatoes - they will all grow equally well.

In fact, during the 2nd World War it was common practice to cut larger seed potatoes in half or even smaller divisions to make the seed potatoes go further. The cuts should be left to dry out for 3 or 4 days before planting in the usual way. Provided that each piece has an eye or two for the new growth to develop, these tuber divisions will still crop well. Nowadays, seed potatoes are cheap and widely available so there is generally no need to do this unless you receive particularly large seed potatoes with lots of eyes.

How To Plant Potatoes

Planting times are largely dependent on weather, soil conditions and regional variations but the table below is a general guide on when to plant potatoes. Dig a trench to a depth of about 10cm (4") and place the seed potatoes into the trench with the rose end facing upwards. Fill the trench with soil to cover the potatoes. An application of potato fertiliser can be scattered along the top of the trench if required.