One pound of potato seed will cover 5-8 row feet, 2.5 pounds will cover 12-15 row feet, 5 pounds will cover 25 row feet, and 20 pounds will cover 100 row feet. As the eyes of fingerling potatoes spiral along the length of the tuber, use approximately half of these quantities. To avoid root damage, cultivate shallowly.
How many seed potatoes should I sow?
One pound of seed potatoes yields approximately eight to ten plantable seed pieces. That is sufficient for a 10 foot long row if the pieces are separated by 12 inches. When I first figured out how to plant seed potatoes, I discovered that closer spacing also works.
Planting a vegetable garden for a family
| Crop (number of plants per ft. of row) | Number of plants per person |
|---|---|
| Potato (1 plant/ft. of row) | 10 plants |
| Radish (thin to 12 plants/ft. of row) | 10-15 plants |
| Spinach (Thin to 6 plants/ft. of row) | 30-60 plants |
| Squash (1 plant/6 ft. of row) | 1-2 plants |
How many potatoes should be planted per hole?
Before planting, ensure that your bed is well-drained and that the soil temperature is at least 45 degrees. In Square Foot Gardening, you can plant one, two, or four potatoes per square foot. The more potatoes you plant in a square, the smaller your crop will likely be.
- Planting four potatoes per square is an effective method for producing “new potatoes” or baby potatoes.
- If you want large storage or baking potatoes, plant one or two per square.
- Make a deep hole (or two or four, depending on the size of your square) and position your potato sprouts as close to the bottom of the box as possible.
Then cover with one or two inches of Mel’s Mix.
