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This video shows you how to become self-sufficient in potatoes and guides you through exactly what I am doing this growing season to achieve spud-sufficiency!
The 8-stage formula for working out how many potatoes to grow:
Stage 1: Work out how many potatoes you need in kilos or pounds.
Now I have an appetite, so while a suggested portion of potatoes is 200g, for my sake I am going to double that to 400g. However your potation may only by 300g so adjust as needed. I eat 5 portions of potatoes a week, then the total weekly requirement would be 2kg.
Stage 2 – Refine the total based on storage
However it might not be practical to eat potatoes year round in terms of storage, so work out over how long you can simply manage eating potatoes from cool storage. So lets say I don’t have freezer space and I want to keep the potato growing simple, then I would need to grow enough for 44 weeks of the year which would be 88kg.
Stage 3 – Consider the needs of the entire household
Add up each members annual potato needs and write down that number!
Step 4 – Allocate space by working out average yield and plant numbers
The Self Sufficiency garden I have outlined the average yield per plant we got in the garden, and for maincrop potatoes it came in at 1.8kg per plant. I grew 5 plants per square metre, and so per square metre the yield was a healthy 9kg!
I like to work in square metres to know how much growing space I need to allocate. Now this 9kg yield was in nice fertile soil, so I will change it down to 7kg as I will be growing them more extensively with a little less fertility, but with more mulch.
And so the square metres I need is 88kg divided by 7kg = 12.6
And to find the number of plants, just time the plants per square metre by the total square metre needed.
12.6 x 5 = 63 potato plants
Step 5 – Redundancy/security for final total
Always build in some redundancy for potation low yields or failures, so times the number of metres by at least x1.2 and work out total plant needs.
12.6sqaure metres x 1.2 = 15.1m
15.1 x 5 =75.5 so round up to 76 plants.
Step 6 – Lay out a plan
For me to be self-sufficient in potatoes to suit my needs 10 months of the year, I would need a 5x3m section of growing area and 76 potatoes. Doesn’t need to be detailed, just a few bullet points of what actions to take.
Stage 7 – Implement plan
Grow the spuds!
Stage 8 – Review and refine plan
Practice under your belt which means you can further tailor to your needs.
#selfsufficiency #gardeningtips #potatoes
16 Comments
The self-sufficiency book Huw mentions is worth the money – it takes the second-guessing out of the equation. Sam and Huw can't force the seeds to grow however their advice will give you the best fighting chance. (plus look at that book – how gorgeous looking is that?!)
So good, very encouraging, I will try that, thank you so much 😊
I Just can't get sarpo mira here. Always sold out. ITS Like the next iPhone. I want them so Bad 😀
I tend to grow a row of everything to get a seasonal taste throughout the year: firsts, seconds, salads and mains which lasts about 10 months. After that it’s what’s left before it goes over to next year. There’s just enough space it turns out for 80 plants in about the space you mention. Happy coincidence! 😊 Cheers, Andy!
Of note/interest: Jerusalem artichokes (not from Jerusalem and not artichokes) are quite similar to potatoes, but can be left in the ground over winter. Even up here in Scotland they grow really well and require virtually 0 upkeep.
Thanks Huw, another brilliant video🌻
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PO-TA-TOE
This is another really excellent and inspirational video, Huw! Thank you 🌿🥔
Great video! Also love your book about self sufficient gardening.
Im curious about the differences between the Sarpo Mira and Java. Which one performed better and has a better taste? Currently growing Sarpo Mira for the second year, love that potato.
do imperial measurements now were not in the EU!
Very good , potatoes are so useful in hard times and we have that in spades.
Redefining how to balance your scales 😂 some great advice in this video Huw, thank you
Thanks for all the videos and tips. Regarding potatoes, may I ask if you had any issues with Colorado Potato Beetles ? If yes, how do you deal with them without chemicals ?
You can grow extra potatoes and either slice and dehydrate them, or cube and can them (no water required, just small cubed potatoes in mason jars, with a pressure canner) to have enough home grown potatoes for that spring and summer gap period. The canned potatoes are particularly good. Melt some butter in a pan, caramelize some onions, and dump the mason jar of potatoes in to the pan for just long enough to heat them up and brown a little in the butter; delicious.
If you don't have a pressure canner, then slicing the potatoes and drying them is super low tech and can be done in a hot car if necessary (using the car windshield as a solar dehydrator), though it'll be more consistent if you have an oven or a forced-air dehydrator. The dried slices can be bagged up to keep them safe from humidity, and you use them just like instant mashed potatoes (add hot water to rehydrate them), but because they're sliced, they do great for au gratin potatoes, casseroles, curries, etc. Or, of course, pan fried to accompany some eggs for breakfast.
The dry-canned potatoes are way more efficient to use, since they're fully cooked and ready to eat, whereas the dehydrated slices are less efficient than raw potatoes, since you first have to rehydrate them and then cook them. Either way, though, you can definitely preserve your home grown potatoes to fill that gap period when stored potatoes are sprouting too aggressively to keep, but fresh potatoes aren't ready to harvest.
My potatoes are in for this year…all 21 bought seed potatoes that is (7 each of 1st, 2nd and main crop. Planing to maybe grow another 1st or 2nd lot in autumn for Xmas. Plus maybe a few buckets of sprouted shop bought spuds. We'll see what comes up. Got to be more efficient with watering that's for sure.