How & When to Harvest Potatoes

Knowing when and how to harvest potatoes is a good gardening accomplishment. Harvesting potatoes from containers and from beds is discussed and demonstrated by Gardener Scott. (Video #310)
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[@lilal3753]

I love watching your "helpers" playing in the background while you speak.

[@caiden3396]

Thanks, Scott!🙂

[@diatabansky7120]

I didn't think you'd notice the dog munching on the potatoes 😅 funny

[@OakKnobFarm]

I didn't realize you could leave them in the ground to cure or for storing, good tip!

[@craddockadock]

I'm growing in a bag on a balcony from a grocery store russet that got lost in the cupboard and started rooting so I planted it. Don't know what to expect but I'm hopeful!

[@michaelmarchione3408]

Your right. We tried a grow bag this year. What a big difference. So much easier. Thanks for the storage info!

[@lildavidjax]

LOVE the furry help!

[@rosewood513]

Great video. I grew about 13 5 gallon containers and a few bags this year. I stopped using the garden since I have a hard time digging. I like just turning the containers and hunting through the dirt. I have two helpers also I love your dogs. Thanks, I shared this video with a gal who wasn't sure about her potatoes. She will now.

[@haels5139]

Here for Gardener Scott, liked for Mala. ❤❤

[@stephenmoberg8807]

Hi Scott - following your advice I harvested 8 lbs. of Kennebec sand 5 lbs of red norland from each 30 gallon fabric container- the best year I had for potatoes- thanks again - all the best Steve Moberg

[@stephenmoberg8807]

From 1 lb of seed potato each bag

[@TheSamba37]

Was thinking, dang, I should get a scale like that, I'll ask in the comments about it. Checked the description first and lo and behold, you already had it covered. Thanks!

[@drmew6366]

I went thru Vipon to get a scale off of Amazon at less than half off. Just starting to watch the video, but saw your comment. I'll see what kind of scale he's referencing.

[@caiphus321]

Hi Gardner Scott, thanks to you now I'm enjoying gardening and you're such a great teacher... ☀️🌱

[@marcogallazzi9049]

The little ones are the best! They used to give them to the pigs where i live, now they call them "soufflé" potatoes :)) and sell them for a higher price. No need to peel them.

[@jtharp9265]

Thank you , with prices going up daily, THIS IS PERFECT - & No replacing etc . I just found ur channel & will be watching many more tomorrow as ive got 150 onions coming after Nov 1st - 5th for short day . Down here in Montgomery County, Texas- Bless u

[@tentori2088]

mate you're living your dream and its inspiring! keep it up scotty! champion.

[@debbiesirota8284]

I grew in bags this year - 3 bags in Zone 3 fingerlings did well , a dark purple variety and Yukon will do more next year, thinking about growing in straw bales

[@user-yi7mv1nc9q]

This was interesting, thank you.

[@CharliePFoogo]

Been watching those bags for some time in the other videos and wondering. They sure make harvesting easy. Great information as usual. Thanks for posting!

[@ToddfromCalifornia]

That's a real nice harvest, I did a russet variety they did ok but I don't think I'll grow potatoes again as we don't really have a good storage solution .

[@hugelpook]

Thanks. That was very useful.

[@lynnchantler96]

Beautiful potatoes, Gardener Scott! Very good, detailed information and tips for growing potatoes, which I've never attempted. Maybe I'll give it a go next year. Looks like Mala likes them, too!

[@ggstorm9777]

Always enjoy your videos

[@sherylgardiner7]

Great video unfortunately critters ate all mine, any suggestions

[@GardenerScott]

Thanks. It depends on where the critters come from. I have wire mesh under all of my beds to keep out gophers. For animals that might come from above, hoops and bird netting can be effective.

[@bluestar7757]

Thanks Scott!!! I always learn so much watching your videos I did an experiment this year as well I had the opposite occur It seems as if the potatoes I grew in the bags did the best I had a good harvest with both ground and bagged potatoes It just seemed as if I had a slightly higher yield with the bagged ones

[@cindynielson4231]

Great tater harvest. I will have to shoe this to my hubby. TFS

[@heidiclark6612]

Nice potato harvest. Can you tell me when you planted them to be harvesting this late in the year? I love watching your " Helpers" That are with you in the garden.

[@GardenerScott]

I planted in May and June but lost many leaves to hail so left them in the ground hoping some of the smaller tubers would develop more.

[@budj13]

My Yukon Golds were planted on St. Patrick's Day (my traditional date) and they are ready to harvest. So, I'm watching this great video again as a refresher. I want to keep some of them in the bags to store and harvest as we use them. We still have some hot weather ahead and I assume the tubers will store well if I just let the bags dry out. Have you tried that?

[@GardenerScott]

Yes, you can store them in the bags as the soil dries. I've done that, but only for a few weeks.

[@RandoBox]

Could you do a video on the full process of how you cure your potatoes? Is the in ground method enough?

[@GardenerScott]

In ground may be enough, depending on how you use the potatoes.

[@evansiegel1732]

Love your posts. I use burlap bags. They're very inexpensive if you know where to look for them. (I have a source which sells at $2 each.) Is there any particular disadvantage?

[@GardenerScott]

Burlap is great and can often be re-used but once it starts breaking down can decompose quickly. If you use the bags for a second or third season be aware that the bag may break and spill potatoes before they are fully grown.

[@blazeking5652]

Thanks for sharing. Very helpful 👍 what size is that growbag?

[@GardenerScott]

I think it was a 15 gallon.

[@flatsville1]

A member of my growers' group trialed growing red norland in a scrap fencing ring. (Too cheap to buy grow bags.) She made a ring 4 ft high & 6 ft diameter on the ground, lined it with scrap landscape fabric, then cardboard (to retain moisture,) filled it with some unholy combo of old potting soil, compost & garden dirt to about 2 - 2 1/2 ft & planted into it. Grew beans around the outside ring up the fencing so it didn't look so hideous. At havest time she unhooked the fencing, pulled the landscape fab, cut through the cardboard & out spilled the potatoes. No fork digging. More like exploring with a trowel. Since it was all made of scrap, we dubbed it The Trash Potato & Beans Method. We're adopting it because this bending over & heavy digging must end. Added benefit was the ground below the ring is good to go for next season. She just has to move the ring down another 6 ft.

[@GardenerScott]

That sounds like a quite a sight. It does make for easy harvesting.

[@flatsville1]

@@GardenerScott Take-off on Ruth Stout method, only above ground. She "hiiled" the potatoes with chopped leaves once the potato leaves got a bit of height.

[@wishesandrainbows7937]

I’ve found that growing potatoes in grow bags produces marble sized potatoes but the ones in the ground are UGE!

[@pamelacorsi]

My potatoes turned yellow and died in August, so I harvested then. I planted them late April here in MA zone 6. Should my plants have staid alive longer? I grew the Kennebec variety.

[@GardenerScott]

Kennebec tends to be medium or late maturing potato but four months should be plenty of time for them. You started earlier than many gardeners so earlier harvest is normal.

[@PH-dm8ew]

@@GardenerScott are kennebec indeterminate?

[@Hayley-sl9lm]

I have these potatoes that I grew March - beginning of July, and it looks like I accidentally left some and they're growing back rather vigorously. Since it's already late October I figure that they won't get mature enough to make any worth eating before they die over the winter though. :(

[@TheNorthenLight]

Thank you for sharing experiences

[@frankt7521]

You state that potatoes can be 'stored' in the ground until ground freezes. Can a grow bag be placed in a basement in order to store the potatoes longer? If yes, how long can this go on and can this go all the way to the time of chitting next season's crop? Hope my questions make sense.

[@GardenerScott]

Yes it can, if it's a cool basement. I would stop watering so a wet soil doesn't rot the tubers. I dug up potatoes in my frozen greenhouse in January and in March/April they're good for planting.

[@frankt7521]

@@GardenerScott Thank you

[@living_in_wellness_gardening]

@@GardenerScott Thank you for this information! I had a similar question, but this gave me the answer to proceed forward! :) It is truly appreciated when you answer questions!

[@GoMommaGo]

Our potatoes have not done well the last two years. Did some special potato soil mixture (we aren't gardeners, so don't know, just trying things) But planted 8bags of seed potatoes, got maybe the same quantity back. Planted 50 sweet potato slips, got a few medium sized ones, the rest only as large as my thumb. Getting frustrated.

[@GardenerScott]

The soil is very important because it should hold all the necessary nutrients. Often special mixes have extra fertilizers and too much nitrogen can give good plants with few tubers. If you try again, a basic potting mix and spacing at least one foot apart may give better results.

[@GoMommaGo]

@@GardenerScott Thank you, Scott. Appreciate your consideration. Not giving up! 🙂

[@Dee.C]

Are sweet potatoes harvested the same ?

[@GardenerScott]

They're quite similar.

[@nanasanerd1741]

How do you identify your seed potato so that you don't eat it?

[@GardenerScott]

By the time they are ready to harvest, the seed potato is used up by the plant and no longer recognizable as a potato.

[@Jan-Boer]

Thanks for the video, nice to see how you grow potatoes. Growing them in hills makes harvesting much easier. Interested? Then look at "how to grow potatoes in your garden" from me in the Netherlands.

[@Veronica-nq9kr]

When did you plant your potatoes?

[@GardenerScott]

planted in May and June.

[@shadyman6346]

Uh oh, I think I messed up. Just planted potatoes 2 days ago, because I misunderstood.

[@chiefredbird7315]

bugs killed mine....zero return .