Planting, Growing, And Harvesting Potatoes

Home » How Long To Grow Potatoes » Planting, Growing, And Harvesting Potatoes

Maybe your like

Potato Pests and Diseases

Pest/DiseaseTypeSymptomsControl/Prevention
AphidsInsectMisshapen/yellow leaves; sticky “honeydew” (excrement); sooty, black moldGrow companion plants; knock off with water spray; apply insecticidal soap; put banana or orange peels around plants; wipe leaves with a 1 to 2 percent solution of dish soap (no additives) and water every 2 to 3 days for 2 weeks; add native plants to invite beneficial insects
Blight (early)VirusLeaves, beginning with lower ones, develop dark, concentric spots, often with yellow outer ring, and eventually die; tubers/stems also may be affectedDestroy infected plants; choose resistant varieties; maintain proper soil fertility; ensure good air circulation; avoid overhead watering; water in morning; disinfect tools; rotate crops
Blight (late)VirusSmall, greenish gray, water-soaked spots on leaves that enlarge and turn brown, sometimes with yellow halo; white, fuzzy growth on leaf undersides; stems also affected; tubers develop reddish brown dry rotDestroy infected plants; choose resistant varieties and certified, disease-free seed potatoes; ensure good air circulation; avoid overhead watering; remove plant debris; rotate crops
Colorado potato beetlesInsectYellow-orange eggs laid in clusters on leaf undersides; larvae and adults chew holes in foliageHandpick; use straw mulch; weed; use row covers; destroy crop residue; rotate crops. In the nymph state, they can be controlled with diatomaceous earth (food grade). If they continue to be a problem, a few sprays of spinosad, an organic pesticide, will get rid of the beetles. Always use products at dawn or dusk to avoid harming beneficial insects.
Flea beetlesInsectTiny black beetles that jump when spooked. Numerous tiny holes in leaves; clusters of holes, as if leaf was hit by shotgunUse row covers; mulch heavily; add native plants to invite beneficial insects
LeafhoppersInsectWhite shed skins on leaf undersides (from nymph molting); stippling (many tiny spots) on leaves; “hopperburn” (leaves yellow/brown, curled, or stunted); reduced yieldKnock nymphs off leaf undersides with strong spray of water; use row covers; monitor adults with yellow sticky traps; weed; destroy crop residue
Potato scabBacteriaBrown, rough, corky spots that can be shallow/raised/sunkenChoose resistant varieties and certified disease-free potato seed; maintain soil pH between 5.0 and 5.2; dust seed potatoes with sulfur before planting; use pine needle mulch; keep soil moist after tubers start to form; do not use manure; rotate crops
Tomato hornwormsInsectChewed leaves (initially toward top of plant); rapid defoliation; black/green excrementHandpick (leave larvae that have white, rice-like cocoons, which house braconid wasp parasites); till soil in fall and spring; weed; add native plants to invite beneficial insects; grow dill as a trap crop or basil/marigolds as repellents; spray Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)
WhitefliesInsectSticky “honeydew” (excrement); sooty, black mold; yellow/silver areas on leaves; wilted/stunted plants; distortion; adults fly if disturbed; some species transmit virusesRemove infested leaves/plants; use handheld vacuum to remove pests; spray water on leaf undersides in morning/evening to knock off pests; monitor adults with yellow sticky traps; spray with insecticidal soap; invite beneficial insects and hummingbirds with native plants; weed; use reflective mulch
WirewormsInsectSeedlings severed; stunting/wilting; roots eaten; tubers/bulbs boredTrap by digging 2- to 4-inch-deep holes every 3 to 10 feet, fill with mix of germinating beans/corn/peas or potato sections as bait, cover with soil or a board, in 1 week uncover and kill collected wireworms; provide good drainage; remove plant debris; rotate crops

FAQ

How Long Do Potatoes Take to Grow?

The length of time that it takes potatoes to grow to maturity will largely depend on the variety of potato that you are growing. Generally speaking, it takes 90 to 120 days for potatoes to grow. Some varieties, however, like the ‘Yukon Gold’, can be ready to harvest in as little as 70 days.

What is a Potato Eye?

A potato’s “eyes” can’t see much! These protrusions on the potato are actually the sprouts or buds of new plants. Each potato eye is capable of growing into a new potato plant.

red potatoes with sprouted potato eyes
The “eyes” of a potato are the sprouts that will grow in a new plant.Photo: Paul Hein

How Can I Tell if My Potatoes are Growing?

It can be difficult to tell if your potato plant is growing potatoes because, frankly, all the fun is happening underground! When it comes to growing potatoes, patience is key. Within several weeks of planting your potatoes, you should see sprouts emerging from the ground. At this point, the potato plant will begin to form leaves rapidly, and eventually, potato flowers will appear. The flowers on a potato plant are the best indicator that your plant is indeed producing potatoes.

How Should I Cut Potatoes for Planting?

When planting, you can increase your crop by cutting your larger seed potatoes (make sure that they are at least the size of a golf ball). Use a clean, sharp knife to cut the seed potato, leaving at least two eyes on each section. Some of the bigger seed potatoes can even be cut into three pieces! Then, allow the pieces to “cure” by leaving them in a cool room for several days, forming a scab over the cut end. Curing the seed potatoes will help to prevent root rot.

Why Are My Potatoes Green?

A potato can turn green when exposed to light (such as under a grocery store’s lighting), especially at certain temperatures. The greening appears as the potato increases its production of harmless chlorophyll (which helps the plant to make food) but also, independently, a natural nerve toxin called solanine, a glycoalkaloid, which serves as the plant’s defense against insects, animals, etc. Usually in the potato, the solanine extends no deeper than about 1/8 inch from the surface. (It is present in all parts of a potato plant, including leaves and stems.)

Can I Eat Green Potatoes?

According to the Cooperative Extension, if the potato has only small areas of green, then you can use the potato with little risk. But if there is a lot of green, do not eat it. Also, toss it if there is a bitter taste. They also recommend not feeding green potatoes, even after they are trimmed, to children, as they may be more susceptible to solanine. (And do not feed to dogs or other pets.) Cooking will not eliminate the solanine.

Tag » How Long To Grow Potatoes