Growing

Step 1 – Prepare your seed potatoes

  • Purchase Certified Seed Potatoes.
  • Place them in a dry area and spread them out.
  • Allow sprouts to develop until they are about 1–2 cm long.

Step 2 – Prepare the rows

  • When it’s planting time, form rows about 15 cm deep and 60 cm apart.
  • Apply a potato fertiliser.
  • Mix fertiliser into the soil so the rows end up 10 cm deep (to help prevent fertiliser burn on the sprouts).

Step 3 – Plant the seed potatoes

  • Place seed potatoes 25 cm apart along the rows.
  • Position them with sprouts pointing upwards.
  • Cover carefully with soil so sprouts are not damaged.

Step 4 – Care for young plants

  • When plants reach 5–10 cm in height, begin moulding soil around the base of the plants (this protects tubers from greening and insect damage).
  • Apply a side dressing of potato fertiliser.

Step 5 – Maintain soil and water

  • Keep soil moist with regular watering.
  • Remove weeds regularly.
  • Aim to keep soil pH between 5.4–5.8.

Step 6 – Harvesting

  • Harvest potatoes when mature.
  • Store them in a cool, dark place to retain freshness.
  • If storing for a longer period, apply Sprout Inhibitor once potatoes are dry and mature.

Step 7 – Prepare soil for next season

  • After harvest, sow a green crop in late summer or autumn to improve soil for winter, such as:
    • Blue Lupins add nitrogen.
    • Mustard helps prevent wireworm.
    • Both crops also suppress weeds.

Step 8 – Feed throughout the season

  • Use potato fertiliser as an all-round balanced feed during the growing season.

Useful resources for growing potatoes

Nutrient management for vegetable crops >>
Varieties – Eurogrow >>
Varieties – ALMAC >>

Residue compliance

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