Grow potatoes at home

Potatoes are one of the easiest vegetables to grow yourself 🥔🌿. You don’t need a large kitchen garden to get started. Potatoes can be grown in a small bed in the garden, in a raised bed, or in large pots on the patio.

This makes potatoes an obvious crop for beginners. They don’t require much care, and one seed potato can produce many new potatoes over the course of the season.

🥔 Why are potatoes easy to grow?

Potatoes are a popular vegetable to start with if you want to grow something yourself. They grow quickly, don’t require much experience, and give a clear harvest.

• they can be grown in a bed, raised bed, or pot
• they require only a little care
• they provide a clear yield
• they are good for beginners

☀️ Location and soil for potatoes

Potatoes thrive best in a bright spot with loose soil. The better location you choose from the start, the easier it will be to get a good harvest.

Location

• Sun: at least 6 hours of sun a day
• Shelter: preferably a place where the wind isn’t too strong
• Drainage: avoid places where water collects after rain

Soil

Potatoes grow best in loose, well-drained soil. The tubers need room to develop underground.

• the best soil is loose and crumbly
• feel free to mix compost into the soil before planting
• avoid very heavy and wet soil

If the soil in the garden is heavy, a raised bed can be a good solution.

🗓️ When do you plant potatoes?

Potatoes are typically planted in spring.

• early potatoes: March – April
• maincrop potatoes: April – May
• potatoes in a raised bed or pot: often from March

If the soil is still very cold and wet, it may be an advantage to wait a bit.

🪴 How do you plant potatoes?

Planting potatoes is easy if you follow a few simple measurements.

Depth and spacing

• planting depth: about 8–10 cm
• spacing between potatoes: 25–30 cm
• spacing between rows: 60–70 cm

How to do it

1. dig a small trench in the soil
2. place the potatoes with appropriate spacing
3. cover with soil
4. water lightly after planting

🌱 Growing potatoes in a raised bed

Potatoes work really well in raised beds. The soil is often looser, and it’s easier to control both soil and watering.

• make sure there is at least 25–30 cm soil depth
• plant potatoes with about 25 cm spacing

Raised beds also make it easy to earth up potatoes along the way.

🪴 Growing potatoes in a pot

Potatoes can also be grown in large pots or grow bags. It’s a great solution for patios and balconies.

• the pot should be at least 30–40 cm deep
• plant 2–4 potatoes in a large pot
• use loose, nutrient-rich soil
• make sure there is a hole in the bottom so water can drain away

As the plants grow, you can add more soil around them.

📈 Why do you earth up potatoes?

When the potato plants are about 15–20 cm tall, you mound more soil up around them. This is called earthing up.

• mound soil up around the plant
• repeat 1–2 times during growth

Earthing up protects the potatoes from light and gives them better space to develop.

🧺 When do you harvest potatoes?

• early potatoes: about 8–10 weeks after planting
• larger potatoes: about 12–16 weeks

New potatoes can often be dug up at the start of summer.

If you want larger potatoes, you can leave them in the ground longer.

🧠 Common mistakes when growing potatoes

• potatoes are planted too close together
• pots are too small
• potatoes are not earthed up
• the soil becomes too wet

❓ Frequently asked questions