Growing Potatoes in the Spring School Garden

Children consume potatoes prepared in a wide variety of ways. However, this popular food and fun to grow plant is rarely sown in the school garden.

Potatoes are in the same family of plants, Solanaceae, as some of the most common garden crops: tomatoes, eggplant and peppers. If you grow this trio, you can grow potatoes too.

The School Potato Plot

Like most vegetables potatoes need six or more hours of sunlight daily.

Soil should be fertile, friable, and well-drained. Mix plenty of aged manure or kitchen compost to the soil. For root growth potatoes require a fertilizer high in phosphorus. Organic rock phosphate and bone meal or a commercial fertilizer formula of 10-20-10 should be added during soil preparation. Take a soil sample to the county extension service for a test of basic nutrients and pH. Potatoes grow well in a pH of 5.8 to 6.5.

Potato Planting Time

Whereas tomatoes, eggplant and peppers like warm soil temperatures, potatoes prefer cool weather.

A general rule of thumb for sowing potatoes in spring is to sow them anytime from six weeks before the last frost date. Soil should be dry and ready to be worked as well as 45°F. Let students use a soil thermometer to measure soil temperature.

Seed Potatoes

The tubers used to start new plants are called seed potatoes. Garden centers and feed stores sell certified disease-free seed potatoes in 1-15 pound bags in varieties best suited to your area. Size of the potato plot and size of the varieties grown will determine how many seed potatoes are needed. A typical yield from a 30 foot row is 60 pounds or a bushel of potatoes.

In addition to the commonly grown potatoes like Burbank Russet, Yukon Gold, Kennebec, and Red Pontiac, students can experiment with heirloom varieties having purple or pink skin and flesh colors, egg or finger shapes, and sweet, nutty or buttery flavors. Students may research heirloom varieties online at Ronniger’s, Johnny’s Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, and Territorial Seed.

Preparing Seed Potatoes for Planting

Potatoes are generally grown from the eyes or buds of a tuber not from seed. Growing potatoes from seed potatoes demonstrates one form of vegetative propagation.

Cut the seed potatoes into egg size chunks with 2-3 eyes each. To reduce the risk of fungus and rot dust the chunks with sulfur by placing them in a paper bag with a tablespoon of sulfur and shake to cover all surfaces. Allow cut piece surfaces to dry for 3-5 days before planting.

Potato Planting Systems

There are many planting systems for growing potatoes: standard rows in the ground, raised beds, layers of straw mulch, chicken wire cages, barrels, garbage cans, bushel baskets, plastic tubs, fabric bags, and tire towers.

Whatever system is used, plant each chunk, eyes pointing up, 4 inches deep spacing 12 inches apart. Cover pieces with 4 inches of soil. Water the soil.

Deputize a potato posse to patrol and report when the first sign of green leaves appears. Give the weed whackers the job of finding and pulling any weeds that germinate. When new growth is 6-8 inches tall, begin hilling-up soil and compost around the stems leaving about 2 inches at the top. Mulch the entire growing area with 6 inches of straw to keep soil cool and moist.

As the potatoes grow upward, the treasured tubers are forming underground or under the straw mulch. Anticipate hilling up compost or straw three to four times during the growing period and up until flowers appear. The spud spies should then be on the lookout for vine death, a sign that potatoes are ready to harvest.

Potatoes mature in 60-120 days depending on variety. Enlist everyone into the tuber troop at harvest time. Children love digging for potatoes with their hands in the underground grab bag. Adults should use a spade fork carefully to uproot the deeper tubers. Weigh yields, count tubers of each variety, and measure sizes at harvest. How many pecks or bushels did the garden produce? Chart the data over time since not all varieties will be harvested at once.

Potato Pests

Since insect pests do invade potatoes, post bug shots of the most wanted in the garden including the Colorado potato beetle, leaf hopper, flea beetle and aphids. The potato posse can identify, photograph, capture by hand-picking and then squish, stomp, or drown them on-site.

Growing companion plants like amaranth, beans, corn, flax, horseradish, and marigold near potatoes can repel insects.

Eating School Garden Potatoes

For students who have never sampled home-grown potatoes, they will taste like an entirely new vegetable. Collaborate with cafeteria staff to create pink heirloom mashed potatoes; red, white and blue potato salad, baked blue chips and more.