How to Grow a Russet Potato Vine

Locate the ideal growing location in the garden to grow potatoes. Russet potatoes need a fertile, crumbly-textured soil that is slightly acidic to neutral in pH. The soil must not become soggy or flood after rains. Also choose a plot that basks in at least eight hours of uninterrupted sunlight daily.

Scatter 3 lbs. of 10-10-10 slow-release fertilizer granules per 100 square feet of garden plot. Consult product label directions for proper dosage in smaller areas. Also apply 2 to 3 inches of organic matter atop the area where you want to plant Russet potatoes.

Cultivate the fertilizer and organic matter into the soil with a garden shovel four weeks before the expected last spring frost date in your region. Turn to break up the soil, mixing it thoroughly to a depth of 8 to 12 inches. Pulverize any soil clumps with your hands or the back of the shovel. Alternatively, use a power tiller to cultivate the garden soil.

Smooth the tilled area with a stiff-tine rake. Allow the soil to settle naturally for seven days or more.

Purchase seed potatoes of either variety of Russet potatoes from the nursery. Buy certified seed potatoes if possible, as they are free from any fungal spores or disease prior to planting.

Dig a planting furrow 4 to 6 inches deep with a shovel or large-bladed hoe two to three weeks before the expected last spring frost date. The soil should be no less than 45 degrees Fahrenheit at this time. Place Russet seed potatoes into the furrow spaced 10 to 12 inches apart. Space additional rows 32 to 36 inches apart. Place 2 to 3 inches of soil atop the seed potatoes.

Add more soil atop the potatoes once the first green leaves emerge, finally filling the initial furrow so it is at the same grade as the rest of the garden.

Hand-pull or hoe any weeds that sprout in the soil around the sprouting Russet potatoes. Do not use the hoe within 4 inches of the potato sprouts, as you risk accidentally severing a root or snapping the sprout. Hand-pluck tiny weed seedlings that arise close to the potatoes.

Irrigate the potato patch only if natural rainfall is lacking as the plants grow. Potatoes need an evenly moist soil, but allow the top inch of soil to become slightly dry before watering. Apply 1 to 2 inches of water to moisten the soil to a depth of 6 to 10 inches.

Mound the soil gently around the base of the growing Russet potatoes. Soil that touches the lowermost stems results in more rootlike stems that form potato tubers throughout the summer. By midsummer, a mound of soil 4 to 8 inches high around the Russet potatoes is ideal.

Dig up tubers once the leaves of the Russet potato plants, with their somewhat long, vinelike stems, begin to yellow and brown. Use a potato fork cautiously to avoid piercing tubers as you dig. This occurs in summer to fall, depending on your climate and how early in spring the seed potatoes were planted. Autumn frost kills the tops of potatoes, but the underground tubers remain healthy for several weeks afterward.