How do you plant potatoes?

To plant potatoes, cut apart seed potatoes, and plant them in a trench after the last frost. Use certified disease-free seed potatoes, and avoid grocery store potatoes, which often are treated to prevent sprouting.

1. Prepare the seed potatoes

   A few days before planting, cut seed potatoes into pieces that have at least two eyes each. Cutting the potatoes in advance allows them to form a layer that holds water and resists disease.

2. Plant the potatoes

   Plant the seed potatoes two to four weeks after the last frost, or when the soil temperature is at least 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Dig a trench about 4 inches deep. Plant the seed potatoes 8 to 12 inches apart with the eyes facing up. Cover with soil.

3. Hill the potatoes

   When the potato plants are 6 to 8 inches high, create hills around the base of each plant by piling soil around the stem. Stop the hill about 1 inch below the lowest leaves. The practice of hilling prevents sun damage, which affects the taste of the potatoes. Repeat the hilling process every two weeks.

4. Water and harvest

   Provide at least 1 inch of water a week. Harvest on a dry day about 10 weeks after planting.