Potatoes grow from a seed potato: a section of potato that contains an “eye” that grows into a vine. As the vine grows, the plant produces thick roots that use nutrients from the soil and grow into the tubers that are harvested at the end of the growing season.

There are two types of potatoes: indeterminate and determinate. What’s the difference?

Determinate potatoes are fast-growing and produce tubers at the soil depth just above where the seed potatoes were planted. With this in mind, these varieties do not need the soil mounded or additional layers of soil. Sow the seed potatoes in loose soil about four inches deep. These grow as a bush, then flower and die with naturally self-limiting growth. They produce early, in about 70-90 days, so they tend to be smaller in size compared to indeterminate varieties.

Indeterminate potatoes grow in multiple layers so mounding is necessary around the plants. This produces better yield in about 110-135 days. Start out by covering the seed potatoes with four inches of soil. When the plant reaches about 6″ high, add several inches of soil or straw until there is just 2″ of plant sticking out. Continue adding layers as the plant grows. Because of the layering, these are well suited for potato bags or small vertical spaces.

Standard potting soil is fine to use in potato bags but the plant will need nitrogen and potassium in the soil to set the tubers and produce enough carbohydrates for the tubers to grow into a sizable potato. Mix a general 10-10-10 fertilizer into the soil before filling the bag. This will feed the plants during the growing season. Once you go through the process of layering, allow the vine to grow and die back. Once the vine dies back, the potatoes are ready to harvest.

When planting in the ground, crop rotation is key to growing any “nightshade” crop like potatoes, peppers and eggplants. A three or four year rotation is ideal to keep Colorado Potato Beetles guessing where your crop is planted. This means to move the location of your potato crop every few years. Don’t plant your seed potatoes in the garden in the same location as your fall crop of beets, peas or beans because these vegetables can be a host plant to various diseases and insects. In-ground potatoes can benefit from generous amounts of compost or other organic matter.

Some internet searches will disagree with the types of potatoes in each category, so it’s up to you to try the potato in which most suits your need.

Determinate                                                           Indeterminate

Gold Rush                                                                 Katahdin

Kennebec                                                                  Lehigh

Red Chieftain                                                          Red Pontiac

Red Norland

Superior

Yukon Gold