To help potato plants grow larger, you’ll be needing the right fertilizer. But, first, you must prepare the soil with the proper amount of plant nutrients for your plant to thrive.
Fertilizers are a key source of nutrients for your potatoes, just as food is for human growth. The level of nutrients in the soil determines how much fertilizer you should apply to your potato crop.
Many home gardeners forget to apply the necessary quantity of fertilizer to their crops, preventing potatoes from growing properly.
The optimal fertilizer for growing potatoes is one with low nitrogen (N) content but a high Phosphorous (P) and Potassium (K) content (K). A 5-10-10 potato is a nice example of a suitable potato.
It should have lesser nitrogen to prevent a developing potato plant from becoming overly lush and prone to potato blight. For the potato tubers to grow large and healthy, they need more P and K.
How to test soil for nutrients?
You may either buy a soil test kit online or send a sample of your soil to an agricultural testing lab to do a soil analysis. But it is more recommended to have a soil analysis done at your local Agri supply store.
In collecting the soil sample, you can make an imaginary x from corner to corner of your plot, and taking a handful every few feet along the two lines is a good way to cover a bigger area. Then, combine the subsamples and take a single sample from them. As a result, your small sample will be made up of many small portions from all around your plot.
You gather the soil sample, place it in a bag, and send it out to be tested. It is tested, and the results are sent to you by an accredited lab. Within a few weeks, the recognized lab should email you the results.
You might be wondering as to what type of fertilizer you should use and how to apply them. Well, here are some of the recommended fertilizers best used for your potato plant and a quick guide on how to apply them.
(Anne, I love the recommendations for fertilizers, but you forgot to mention how to test the soil? How does a new gardener find out what fertilizer goes well with what potatoes? Remember to think as a new gardener and write for them)
8 Recommended Fertilizer for Potato Plant
Winchester Gardens 6-3-9 Select Organics Potato Granular Fertilizer
Another excellent organic fertilizer option for any potato grower is Winchester Gardens Select Organics. Because it’s a stand-alone fertilizer, it’s suitable for gardeners of all skill levels. You don’t need to add anything else to the soil to get ideal development if you’re growing potatoes. Again, this is great for sweet potatoes.
Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium (NPK) are in the ratio 6-3-9. Fish Bone Meal, Sulfate of Potash, Gypsum, Blood Meal, Alfalfa Meal, and Feather Meal are all constituents in this fertilizer. These substances provide a plethora of critical plant nutrients that are akin to plant nirvana.
Although this organic fertilizer can be mixed into the soil before sowing, the optimum method is to combine it above ground. Then, use this at the base of your potato roots once they have grown. It’s easy to water down this granular fertilizer when you first use it because it’s a granular fertilizer.
Jobe’s Organics 09526 Organic All Purpose Granular Fertilizer
For the quickest results, this is the best option. Jobe’s organic all-purpose granular fertilizer is the appropriate choice when you want a more granular fertilizer instead of liquid. It is the greatest granular fertilizer for accelerating the growth of your potato crop.
The most notable introduction to the fertilizer is Jobe’s Biozome. It’s a type of microbe that speeds up the decomposition of elements in the soil.
As a result, it enhances soil health by fending off illnesses, pests, and a lack of water. This fertilizer’s NPK ratio is 4:4:4. This indicates that it has a balanced nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium content.
There are numerous advantages to utilizing granular fertilizer rather than liquid fertilizer. The first is that granular fertilizer has a far longer shelf life than liquid fertilizer. Second, it is critical to treat your potato crop at the root level once it begins to root. Again, only granular fertilizer, not liquid fertilizer, can be used for this.
Espoma Garden Food
For high-quality, fast-acting potato food, Espoma Garden Food Fertilizer is the finest choice. When your tubers grow slowly, it’s usually due to a shortage of phosphorus, which is required for proper tuber growth. Best for Increasing Tuber Production
This granular, non-liquid fertilizer is incredibly simple to use. 3 inches away from the seeds, scatter the fertilizer and work it into the soil with your hands. Don’t forget to water the crop after you’ve mixed the fertilizer into the soil. To receive the best effects from this product, repeat the treatment every four weeks.
This product is ideal for raising the amount of phosphorus in the soil of your crop. It has a high phosphorus content, with an NPK of 5-10-5.
Simply mix one teaspoon of the fertilizer into the soil when dealing with a single potato plant. Use 50 pounds of fertilizer for a larger crop.
Miracle-Gro Shake ‘N Feed Tomato, Fruit & Vegetable Plant Food
The Miracle-Gro Shake ‘N Feed Tomato, Fruit & Vegetable Plant Food is another great fertilizer. You might see this fertilizer in 4 or 8-pound packs, depending on how many square feet you need to cover. Again, this saves you money on fertilizer because you won’t have to buy separate fertilizers for each plant.
Miracle-Gro is a magical fertilizer that encourages vegetative growth by including microbe-feeding chemicals.
The application of this fertilizer is quite simple. Simply spray or sprinkle the fertilizer over the soil, then rake it into the ground with a little rake. Now all you have to do is water and repeat in three months. That is all there is to it.
Furthermore, this fertilizer promotes the health of your potato plant both above and below ground. It provides the soil with a steady supply of nutrients. You only need to use it every two to three months, after which you must reapply. In comparison to weekly or monthly fertilizers, it saves a lot of time. It is regarded as one of the greatest potato fertilizers because of all of these advantages.
Dr. Earth Organic 5 Tomato, Vegetable & Herb Fertilizer Poly Bag
For healthier potatoes. Dr. Earth’s Earth Home Grown Tomato, Vegetable, and Herb Fertilizer is one of the best organic potato fertilizers. It aids in the growth of larger, more nutritious potatoes.
All of the ingredients are natural and organic. It has more phosphorus than potassium and nitrogen, which ensures that the roots of your potato plant develop appropriately. This is ideal for soils that are already high in nitrogen.
It has a higher phosphorus content than potassium and nitrogen, which ensures that the roots of your potato plant develop appropriately. This is ideal for nitrogen-depleted soil. 4-6-3 is the NPK.
This fertilizer’s probiotic formula provides more than the plant needs. As a result, numerous crops are produced that are healthier and more productive in every way.
Miracle-Gro Water Soluble Plant Food Vegetables and Herbs
When it comes to gardening, Miracle-Gro is one of the most well-known brands. It has an NPK ratio of 18-18-21. All of these important plant nutrients are derived from components that are non-toxic and safe.
The water-soluble portion feeds your plant right away, while the water-insoluble portion releases nutrients slowly and constantly for a longer period of time. In addition, the chelated coating helps to prevent nutrients from reacting in an unanticipated way with the unwanted location.
In a watering container, combine 1 tablespoon per gallon of water. Soak the soil at the base of the plants every 7 to 15 days for the greatest results. About 15 square feet can be covered with 1.5 gallons.
