How to Grow Potatoes in Maine
- 1). Test the soil. Before attempting to grow potatoes, the University of Maine Cooperative Extension advises testing the soil to find out the chemical condition. Potatoes will grow in different types of soil, but they do best in fertile, well-drained soil that has a pH of 5.3 to 6.0. Over fertilization can produce potatoes that don't keep well. Soils that lack drainage may produce tuber rot or poor shaped potatoes. High pH can produce scab.
- 2). Adjust the soil. If the pH is high, choose a potato that is resistant to scab such as "Russet Burbank." If the pH is low, it can be raised with wood ash or lime. If using lime, mix it into the soil in the fall or the spring before planting. If fertilizer is needed, avoid manure. You can put the fertilizer in the furrow area and cover it before planting the seed piece or broadcast the fertilizer and mix it into the soil.
- 3). Plant the potato seeds. The soil needs to warm up to 50 degrees. If planted earlier, they may decay in the cold soil according the the Cooperative Extension. Space the potato seeds from eight to twelve inches within the row and 30 to 36 inches between the rows. Furrows should be 4 to 6 inches deep. Cover with 2 inches of soil. When the plants are about 6 inches high, form a mound above the row. This is called a hill.
- 4). Control pests. Late blight and early blight are common potato diseases. Protect the plants with fungicides that contain mancozeb, maneb or chlorothalonil. They are available at your garden centers. The herbicides used in commercial production are not recommended says the Extension. Controlling the weeds is also essential.
- 5). Harvest the potatoes. Harvesting is usually after a frost and at the very end of the growing season. Dig the potatoes up avoiding damage because they bruise easily. Get them out of the light, so there is no greening. Store the potatoes in a cool, moist and dark place such as a root cellar or a cool basement. Ideal storage conditions are 38 degrees and 95 percent humidity.
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If you wish to grow potatoes as a business, contact the University of Maine Cooperative Extension and the Maine Potato Board.
