Potatoes are the favorite veggies of many growers because they are relatively easy to cultivate and you can have a bountiful harvest relatively simply.
Weekly watering, a lot of sun, and high-quality soil are the most common pieces of advice you’ll get from experienced potato growers.
However, there’s one gardening mistake everyone makes when growing potatoes, and it can significantly affect the yield!
Let’s see!
The Number 1 Mistake is…
Inadequate spacing! Plants must have enough space to develop and generate a lot of healthy crops.
If you don’t ensure enough space, your potato yield is in big trouble. Why does it happen? Closely planted potatoes will compete for water, light, and nutrients, which can have a lot of consequences.
When plants don’t have enough of these resources, they can develop nutrient deficiencies.
Smaller potatoes are definitely one of the most common consequences of incorrect spacing between potato plants.
But unfortunately, that’s not where the story ends. If you plant your potatoes too close, susceptibility to pests and diseases significantly increases.
When humidity and moisture levels increase between plants, common garden fungal diseases such as late blight can settle in.
In order to prevent this disease in your potatoes, you must give them enough space to promote air circulation.
What’s The Ideal Spacing Between Potato Plants?
When it comes to plant spacing, the variety of a particular plant plays the main role.
Generally speaking, these root veggies require a spacing of 12-15 inches between the plants and approximately 3 feet between each row.
Each seed potato should be planted at a depth of about 6 inches.
This will ensure enough space and sunlight for each plant and you’ll also promote air circulation.
You can adjust these measurements according to your potato variety. For instance, if you’re growing smaller varieties, such as Yukon Gold, you can go with smaller spacing, i.e., 8-10 inches between each plant.
On the other hand, varieties such as Russet need more space; plant them 20 inches apart for best results.
As you can see, you need a larger planting site for potatoes cultivated in the ground. If you don’t have enough garden space, you can always grow your potatoes in containers.
The spacing requirements of container-grown potatoes are pretty similar to the in-ground potatoes. Aim for approximately 12 inches between each plant; it can be more or less depending on your variety.
Growing potatoes isn’t rocket science but it’s essential to meet all their requirements. Proper spacing, water, a sunny spot, and rich soil will give you an abundant yield and the most flavorful potatoes ever!