Soil Requirements
To grow potatoes successfully you need deep fertile, loose and free-draining soils. Soils with a high sand content are very suitable as long as they are fertile enough. Digging in fresh cow or pig manure 2 months before planting gives good results. Potatoes require a pH of 5 – 6.
Growing Advice
Potatoes are a highland crop, which needs cooler conditions and sufficient water supply. Under cooler conditions potatoes can be grown year round. Always buy certified seed potatoes or use your own disease-free seed potatoes. Potatoes are extremely susceptible to diseases that are spread through the seed potato and then introduced to the soil, ruining it for potato or tomato growing for many years! A reliable source for high-quality seed potatoes is e.g. info@agrico.co.ke.
To kick-start the seed potatoes spread them in a single layer in crates and keep them under semi-light conditions until they start to sprout. Prepare trenches 20 cm deep and fill those 10 cm high with compost. Place the potatoes in these trenches and cover them with compost and topsoil.
When the plants are about 15 cm tall start “earthing them up” by bringing the soil back against the stems or even top dressing them with compost, so that only the top leaves remain visible. As the plants grow keep repeating this until the potatoes grow on ridges. This will encourage new growth of side roots that will continue to produce potatoes and thereby increase your yield drastically.
Water regularly if you grow your potatoes outside the rainy season. Potatoes need about 500mm of water during their growth cycle. Water stress will lead to reduced yield. Especially during the early growth phase the soil should be kept moist constantly to a depth of 15 cm. After the plants start flowering irrigation needs to be reduced to once or twice per week.
Potato is a crop with a high Potassium (K) need, with 140kg/acre, most of it during the tuber bulking stage. Nitrogen is taken up by potatoes at a rate of 97kg/acre and needed mainly during the early growth stages. Phosphorus (P) on the other hand is only needed at 12kg/acre. Potassium is usually a nutrient that can be supplied by the soil, but that can only be determined by a soil test. Wood ash and sheep manure are organic sources for Potassium. Good Potassium supply will also improve storage quality of potatoes.
To kick-start the seed potatoes spread them in a single layer in crates and keep them under semi-light conditions until they start to sprout. Prepare trenches 20 cm deep and fill those 10 cm high with compost. Place the potatoes in these trenches and cover them with compost and topsoil.
When the plants are about 15 cm tall start “earthing them up” by bringing the soil back against the stems or even top dressing them with compost, so that only the top leaves remain visible. As the plants grow keep repeating this until the potatoes grow on ridges. This will encourage new growth of side roots that will continue to produce potatoes and thereby increase your yield drastically.
Water regularly if you grow your potatoes outside the rainy season. Potatoes need about 500mm of water during their growth cycle. Water stress will lead to reduced yield. Especially during the early growth phase the soil should be kept moist constantly to a depth of 15 cm. After the plants start flowering irrigation needs to be reduced to once or twice per week.
Potato is a crop with a high Potassium (K) need, with 140kg/acre, most of it during the tuber bulking stage. Nitrogen is taken up by potatoes at a rate of 97kg/acre and needed mainly during the early growth stages. Phosphorus (P) on the other hand is only needed at 12kg/acre. Potassium is usually a nutrient that can be supplied by the soil, but that can only be determined by a soil test. Wood ash and sheep manure are organic sources for Potassium. Good Potassium supply will also improve storage quality of potatoes.
Time of Sowing Transplanting
Can be grown year round. Usually at the beginning of the rainy season. Under irrigation e.g. in a December/April/August cycle.
Spacing
The trenches should be 75 cm apart and a spacing of 30 cm within the row is recommended.
Growing Period
Potatoes reach maturity 90 to 120 days after emergence. Harvest when all the above plant has died off as early crops cannot be stored. Dig up the tubers carefully in order not to damage them and let them dry a bit in the rows before gathering them.
Edible Parts
Tubers, boiled or fried and many different forms. The above ground fruits and raw tubers are poisonous
Pests and Diseases
Bacterial wilt, caused by soil-borne bacteria (Ralstonia solanacearum) and favored by high temperatures and wet soil, and late blight caused by a fungus (Phytophtera infestans) and favored by cold and wet conditions. Potato cyst nematode (Globodera rostochiensis and G. pallida).
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