How to Cultivate Potatoes After Planting (Zone 9 Central Texas)
This page may contain affiliate links.
Click here to learn more
Here’s how to keep them alive, happy, and turning into actual food instead of compost.
If you’ve already planted your potatoes (hopefully using the steps I laid out a few weeks ago), first of all — look at you go! Your spuds are officially in the ground, and now it’s time to keep them alive long enough to become dinner.
This is the part where you don’t forget about them until one sad green shoot pokes out of your container and quietly dies in the sun. Let’s talk care — watering, fertilizing, hilling, and knowing what to expect so you can actually harvest something other than regrets.
Watering Potato Plants in Central Texas
If you’ve gardened here for more than 10 minutes, you know our weather has two speeds: drought and drought. And potatoes, being the divas they are, need just the right amount of water. Not too much. Not too little.
Watering Potatoes in Fall:
Aim for 1–2 inches of water per week, including rainfall.
Water deeply but infrequently — no light sprinkles.
Always water at the base of the plant, not the leaves.
Stick your finger in the soil — if the top 1–2 inches are dry, it’s time to water.
Fall weather can be tricky — it may feel cool outside, but wind and sun still dry out the soil fast.
I love how beautiful the leaves are of this budding potato plant
Organic Fertilizer for Potatoes: Don’t Over Do It
Over-fertilizing potatoes is like feeding your kids nothing but candy — they’ll grow like crazy, but not in the ways you want. Specifically: you’ll get a whole lotta leaves and not much happening underground.
Use a balanced organic fertilizer (something like 5-5-5), and stick to this plan:
Mix fertilizer into the soil at planting.
Side-dress (sprinkle around the plant base) when plants are 6–8 inches tall.
Water it in well. Repeat every 3–4 weeks during active growth.
Hilling Potatoes (Without Making It a Chore)
Hilling is the process of gradually mounding soil or mulch up around your potato plants as they grow. Admittedly NOT my favorite thing to do when growing in deep grow bags but the outcome out weighs the effort. Why do we hill? Because potatoes form along the buried stems — and if those little tubers get sunlight, they turn green and toxic. Not what we’re going for.
How to Hill Potatoes in Raised Beds or Containers:
When stems are 4–6 inches tall, gently pile soil, compost, or mulch around them, leaving the top few leaves exposed.
Repeat every 2 weeks or whenever plants grow another 4–6 inches.
Stop when you run out of space in your container or bed.
Coconut coir, leaf mold, or straw are great materials for light, airy hilling that won’t compact. Here are the grow bags that I use most of the time to grow potatoes. I generally cover them with mesh to keep out the pesky squirrels.
Want more detailed information to help you stay on track for ordering things like garlic and knowing the best time to plant your crops?
Common Potato Problems and Pests in Central Texas
Even in fall, Texas bugs don’t take a season off.
Pests to Watch For:
Flea beetles – I seriously cry over freakin’ flea beetles!! Tiny black bugs that leave shotgun-hole damage. Neem oil can help.
Aphids – Gather on leaf undersides. Spray off with water or use insecticidal soap.
Cutworms – Chew stems at the soil line. Use collars as described here if needed.
Other Problems:
Too much water = fungal issues or rot.
Not enough sun = leggy growth and weak plants.
Cracked or misshapen potatoes = inconsistent watering or poor soil structure.
Check plants weekly, especially the undersides of leaves, and deal with issues early before they take over.
Potato Flower?
Yes, potato plants have flowers and it’s a good sign. When potato plants flower, it usually means tubers are forming underground
What to Know:
Flowers may attract pollinators but are not necessary for tuber production.
They may also produce small green fruits that look like cherry tomatoes — do not eat them. They are toxic.
You can pinch off flowers to redirect energy back to root growth, but it’s not required.
When to Harvest Potatoes in Central Texas
There are two types of potato harvesters:
– The patient ones who wait for full-sized storage potatoes
– The curious snackers who dig up baby potatoes early
Both are valid. Here’s how to tell when it’s time:
New Potatoes (aka Baby Potatoes):
Harvestable as early as 60–75 days after planting (the ones I planted in the beginner of September are about ready!)
Typically around the time plants start to flower
Handle gently — thin skins bruise easily
Best eaten fresh, not ideal for storage
Mature Storage Potatoes:
Ready when foliage yellows, dies back, and flops over — around 90–120 days
Stop watering 2–3 weeks before harvest to help skins toughen
Check readiness by gently digging one and checking the skin
Always harvest on a dry day for best results
Keep Them Growing, Keep It Simple
Caring for potatoes in Central Texas isn’t hard — but it does require a little attention and timing. Stay on top of watering, hill gradually, check for pests, and know what stage you’re aiming for (baby vs. full-grown potatoes).
In a future article, we’ll cover how to grow potatoes year-round — whether you’re planting in spring or fall — with a full walkthrough from seed potato selection to long-term storage.
And if you want help mapping out your raised bed garden so you’re not wondering where the heck to put everything next season, let’s talk. Coaching and design are my jam — and we’ll build a plan that fits your space, your time, and your Central Texas climate.
need help with your seasonal plant plans for youR existing garden?
YOU’LL RECEIVE
Desired Plant Questionnaire
Initial 30 Minute Zoom Call to assess your plant needs
Plant Plan Rendering for 1 season up to 100 soft
List of plant seedlings to purchase at local nursery
List of seed packets to purchase with links
Recommended Soil Recipe + Amendment Schedule
Link to additional resource recommendation (trellis’s, arbors, etc.
Final 30 Minute Zoom Call to Summarize the plan
YOUR NEXT STEPS PRIOR TO BOOKING!!
*Please have accurate measurements of your growing space prior to booking your call. If you are unsure, please purchase the minimum and we can finalize any space over 10 sqft increments during our call; you will be billed after the initial call for any additional space.
Seasonal coaching, additional planting plot plans and pollinator designs are available for an additional fee.
The Seed Sage occasionally links to goods or services offered by vendors to help you find the best products to care for plants. Some of these may be affiliate links, meaning we earn a small commission if items are purchased.
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. More info on our process here.
SEASONAL, GARDEN-TO-PLATE RECIPES
Not sure what to do after planting your potatoes? This guide covers watering, hilling, fertilizing, and everything else to keep your fall crop growing strong in Central Texas.