I am currently studying agricultural and food economics. As a keen hobby gardener, plants take up most of my free time. A few years ago, I got especially interested in herbs, which is why I completed my studies to become a certified herbalist in 2018. Favourite fruit: apples, cherries Favourite vegetables: potatoes, fennel
Potatoes are highly versatile and popular, as well as being highly nutritious. Find out all you need to know about fertilising potatoes for a bountiful harvest.
The potato (Solanum tuberosum) is a member of the nightshade family (Solanaceae). It originated in South America and was brought to Europe by seafarers about 400 years ago. Since then, the tuberous vegetable has been an important food staple that is grown in many home gardens. However, for adequate growth and a plentiful harvest, the nutrient-rich potato plant must be optimally supplied with nutrients.
When is the best time to fertilise potatoes? Which fertilisers are suitable and is there a proper way to fertilise? Here is a summary of the most important information about fertilising potatoes.
Growing a healthy productive potato crop requires providing plants with proper nutrition throughout the season. Knowing when and how often to fertilize is key to getting the largest harvest from your potato patch. Follow these tips to determine the optimal fertilizing schedule for your crop.
Why Fertilizing Is Crucial For Potatoes
Potatoes are heavy feeders that deplete nutrients rapidly from the soil. Without adequate fertilization plants will struggle to develop foliage and tubers. Supplying additional nutrients ensures
- Fast sprouting and emergence after planting
- Lush, green foliage growth
- Large, healthy tubers
- High potato yields
Potatoes need consistent fertilization since they have shallow roots and grow in a confined space within hills. Container-grown potatoes are especially prone to nutrient deficiencies since soil volume is limited.
How Often You Should Fertilize Potatoes
Most experts recommend fertilizing potatoes 2-3 times throughout the growing season for best results.
Here is a typical fertilizing schedule:
- Once at planting time
- Again when plants are 6 inches tall
- A final feeding midseason
Some sources suggest monthly feedings after the initial planting fertilizer. However, more than 3-4 fertilizations risks excess nitrogen, leading to extensive foliage but reduced tuber growth.
Key Timing For Fertilizing Potatoes:
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At planting: Give sprouting seed potatoes an early nutrient boost to fuel emergence.
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At hilling: Side dress plants when 6 inches tall and again 2 weeks later when hilling. Direct nutrients to developing tubers.
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Midseason: Fertilize again 1 month after the second hilling to support tuber bulking.
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2-3 weeks before harvest: Stop fertilizing to prevent delayed maturity and storage issues.
How To Determine If Your Potatoes Need More Fertilizer
The best way to assess if potatoes need additional fertilizer is to observe the plants. Here are signs hungry plants exhibit:
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Slow emergence and growth: Potatoes sprouting and growing slowly likely lack nutrients.
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Lackluster foliage: Potatoes need nitrogen for healthy leaves. Yellowing or small leaves indicate deficiency.
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Few or no flowers: Phosphorus deficiency inhibits blooming.
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Small tubers: Too few nutrients limit potato size and yield. Digging up a test plant can check tuber growth.
Routine fertilization prevents these issues but monitoring plants for symptoms helps adjust your schedule. For example, slow growth may indicate the need for an additional midseason feeding.
The Best Fertilizers To Use On Potatoes
Choose a balanced fertilizer with more phosphorus and potassium than nitrogen to nourish potatoes.
Recommended fertilizer ratios:
- 5-10-10
- 3-10-10
- 10-20-20
Too much nitrogen spurs leaf growth over tuber production. Prioritize phosphorus for root and tuber formation along with potassium for quality.
Organic fertilizers like compost, manure, fish emulsion, and potato-specific mixes provide nutrients gradually as they break down.
Granular fertilizers are easy to apply by side-dressing plants. Inorganic varieties instantly provide nutrients.
Liquid fertilizers quickly deliver nutrients to plants. Use a water-soluble formula monthly to give potato plants a boost.
How To Apply Fertilizer To Potatoes
Proper application ensures potatoes efficiently absorb nutrients.
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At planting: Mix dry fertilizer or compost into soil across the entire planting area.
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Side-dressing: Sprinkle granules along the row and work into the soil before hilling up plants.
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Foliar feeding: Use hose-end sprayers or watering cans to drench plant leaves with liquid fertilizers.
Follow packaging instructions carefully to apply the correct amount. Excessive fertilizer can burn plants and leach from the soil. Sprinkling granules directly on potato foliage risks burns.
Stop Fertilizing 2-3 Weeks Before Harvest
It is important to cease fertilizing potatoes 2-3 weeks before their mature harvest date. Additional nutrients this late spur new vegetative growth and delay crop maturity. Immature, actively growing plants do not store well.
Discontinuing fertilizer allows the potato foliage to fully die back. Tubers with toughened skins store optimally. Stop watering at this time as well to aid harvest and storage.
Providing consistent nutrition through the growing season is vital for any potato crop. Follow these best practices for fertilizing:
- Fertilize potatoes 2-3 times from planting to midseason
- Use a phosphorus-rich organic or granular fertilizer
- Apply fertilizer at planting, hilling, and a midseason feeding
- Stop fertilizing 2-3 weeks before mature harvest
- Observe plants and adjust your schedule as needed
Adequate fertilization leads to fast emergence, healthy foliage, and bumper crops of potatoes. With the right schedule and fertilizer, your potato harvest will be the biggest yet!
Fertilising potatoes with minerals: blue grain, calcium cyanamide, etc.
Mineral fertilisers are easily soluble and can be absorbed by the plant directly. However, the amount of fertiliser used should be carefully calculated in relation to the nutrient requirements of the potato plant. With mineral fertilisers, this can prove to be difficult and, in turn, increase the risk of overfertilisation and nutrient leaching. Furthermore, fertiliser salts are harmful to soil life because they decrease the number of nitrogen-fixing bacteria and create a hostile environment for earth worms.
Lime fertiliser for potatoes is also controversial. According to experts, such fertiliser promotes plant diseases. Advocates, on the other hand, highlight benefits such as increased quality and yields. Lime raises the pH of the soil and the ammonium in the fertiliser provides nitrogen to the plant over a long period of time. Calcium cyanamide should be handled and applied with caution and, above all, plenty of time before planting (at least three weeks ahead of planting). However, the high price of Calcium cyanamide is generally out of proportion to its effect.
You want to know who’s behind Plantura?
I am currently studying agricultural and food economics. As a keen hobby gardener, plants take up most of my free time. A few years ago, I got especially interested in herbs, which is why I completed my studies to become a certified herbalist in 2018. Favourite fruit: apples, cherries Favourite vegetables: potatoes, fennel
Potatoes are highly versatile and popular, as well as being highly nutritious. Find out all you need to know about fertilising potatoes for a bountiful harvest.
The potato (Solanum tuberosum) is a member of the nightshade family (Solanaceae). It originated in South America and was brought to Europe by seafarers about 400 years ago. Since then, the tuberous vegetable has been an important food staple that is grown in many home gardens. However, for adequate growth and a plentiful harvest, the nutrient-rich potato plant must be optimally supplied with nutrients.
When is the best time to fertilise potatoes? Which fertilisers are suitable and is there a proper way to fertilise? Here is a summary of the most important information about fertilising potatoes.
When to Fertilize Potatoes for Maximum Yield
FAQ
Can you overfeed potatoes?
If you feed your potatoes the problem may be too much nitrogen in the ground when the tubers are forming. Nitrogen promotes leafy growth often at the expense of tuber growth. See the section above for timing the feeding of potatoes. Tubers need more potassium to grow large.
What is the best fertilizer for potato farming?
It has been shown that chicken manure, specifically chicken manure pellets, is an excellent fertilizer for potato farmers.
Can potatoes be over-fertilized?
The most typical scenario that occurs when Potato is overfertilized is that the plant receives too much nitrogen, which is out of balance with other nutrients.
When should you fertilize potatoes?
At this point in the plant’s life, Garry Coward-Williams, Editor of Amateur Gardening, recommends starting up a regular fertilizing regime, as this is when the potatoes need lots of moisture and nutrients to bulk up those tubers.
Do potatoes need to be fertilized?
One of the biggest secrets of all to grow a large, healthy potato crop with loads of foliage and plenty of potatoes to harvest is knowing when and how to properly fertilize them – and when to stop! Potatoes are heavy feeders that require plenty of nutrients throughout the growing season.
Can you fertilize potatoes twice a week?
You can repeat the same procedure with the same fertilizer type two weeks later, as the potatoes are still at the peak of their nutrient consumption. Potatoes may be heavy feeders, but fertilizing them with excessive amounts of nitrogen is detrimental to the crops.
How much fertilizer do you need for potatoes?
To give the soil a nitrogen boost, apply enough fertilizer to imbue the growing medium with at least 0.15 pounds of actual nitrogen for every 50 linear feet of potatoes growing in a row. You can repeat the same procedure with the same fertilizer type two weeks later, as the potatoes are still at the peak of their nutrient consumption.
How do you fertilize potatoes correctly?
Here are some tips for fertilizing potatoes correctly to maximize growth and yields: Pick a Potato-Friendly Fertilizer: Look for fertilizers with more phosphorus and potassium than nitrogen, like 5-10-10. Too much nitrogen causes excess foliage. Follow Package Directions: Note correct application rates and timing instructions.
When should I stop fertilizing my potato plant?
Just as important as knowing when and what to fertilize with is knowing when to stop fertilizing potato plants. Giving nutrients too late in the season can cause premature rotting of the crop. For best results stop powering your plant about two to three weeks before you expect to harvest.