How to Grow Potatoes in an Organic Garden

Growing Potato Plants with Natural Pest and Disease Control Methods

Mar 16, 2009

Planting potatoes is easy for the organic gardener who chooses the right potato varieties, and fights pests and diseases with proven natural gardening methods.

When organic gardeners consider how they will allocate limited space in the plot, potatoes may not be at the top of the list. After all, potatoes can be a challenging crop to grow using organic methods, as many pests and diseases plague these root vegetables. Furthermore, the taste difference between potatoes one grows in the home garden and those purchased in the grocery store is not markedly different. However, potatoes are one of the dirty dozen vegetables, as they carry one of the greatest loads of pesticide residue compared to other vegetables. Organic gardeners should make space in this year’s plot to grow the humble tuber without chemicals.

Choosing Potato Varieties

Potatoes grow well in cool conditions, so gardeners may prepare the soil for planting two weeks before the last frost. Although gardeners can grow late-maturing varieties for a fall harvest, these plants experience more disease challenges than early varieties.

‘Bintje’ is an early heirloom golden potato that produces a high yield of medium sized tubers. ‘Yukon Gold’ is popular on grocery store shelves as well as gardens, partly because it keeps well. Those tending children’s vegetable gardens may consider the unusual ‘All Blue’ midseason potato, which is a fun addition to potato salad.

Prepare the Soil for Potato Growing

Planting a cover crop is an excellent way to prepare the soil for potato planting. Cover crops loosen the soil with their deep roots, and enrich the soil like a green manure when turned into the soil. Soybeans are a good cover crop choice, as they provide the acidic conditions potatoes favor.

Plant each potato piece at least a foot apart, and cover the planted area with a 10-inch deep mulch of straw to give potatoes the cool, moist conditions they need to thrive. When the tops have withered, it’s time to harvest.

Potato Pests

The Colorado potato beetle is the most significant potato pest. These orange beetles with black stripes are about the size of a thumbnail, and both the larvae and adults damage plants. Look for yellow egg masses beneath potato leaves, and remove these by hand. Apply floating row covers early in the season to prevent adults from laying eggs.

Potato Diseases

Fighting potato diseases starts with picking seed potatoes certified to be disease-free. Scab is a common potato disease in all growing areas, but gardeners can prevent scab by keeping the soil pH between 5.2 and 5.5. Crop rotation is also important in potato culture, so gardeners should move their potato patch each year, and avoid following tomato plantings with a potato planting in the same spot the next year.

The copyright of the article How to Grow Potatoes in an Organic Garden in Organic Vegetable Gardens is owned by Jamie McIntosh. Permission to republish How to Grow Potatoes in an Organic Garden in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.