If you have ever considered growing your own produce but are waiting for the fall and winter to pass, you might be missing opportunities. Potatoes, for example, can grow in almost any condition and temperature, making them a great food item to learn to plant and grow yourself.
The scoop
TikToker Sage Smoke Survival (@sagesmokesurvival) is an expert in all things outdoors, including this hack on how to harvest your own potatoes "the easy way" every year.
@sagesmokesurvival Growing potatoes the easy way🥔 #fyp #garden #homestead #potatoes ♬ original sound - SageSmokeSurvival
The TikTok video demonstration explains that all you need to harvest your own potato yield is some potatoes (ideally organic to ensure they haven't been sprayed with sprout inhibitors) and mulch. No fertilizer is necessary and very minimal watering is required.
Take the potatoes and bury them in individual holes in the mulch, piling ideally about six inches of mulch on top. The mulch works to fertilize the potatoes, as well as act like a sponge for water, ensuring proper hydration for long periods of time. After about four months, you'll find your brand-new potato yield just underneath the mulch, ready to be harvested.
You can do this in a small area of a yard or even just a pot if you don't have a yard. "Not even 10 minutes and I've planted a year's supply," stated Sage Smoke Survival, concluding the video explaining that this method "is for people who don't have time to tend a garden."
How it's helping
While potatoes can be overlooked sometimes when it comes to healthy produce, they actually have numerous health benefits. For example, a report from UC Davis states that potatoes are a good source of "vitamins, minerals, and fiber," as well as being rich in vitamin C.
Having your personal access to fiber-rich produce is beneficial for many reasons. In a study from the University of Colorado, two groups of adults who were not gardeners were either assigned to a community garden plot or to wait a year to garden. Those who had their own garden plot were not only showing increased signs of mental and physical health from the time spent outdoors and physical activity, but they were also consuming more daily fiber.
Considering how easy it is to plant your own potatoes, it is a great way to increase your fiber intake, get you outdoors, and save money on organic potatoes from grocery stores.
What people are saying
Commenters on the video have also had success in harvesting their own potatoes.
"Potatoes just grow in any condition, it's awesome," added a user.
"Cut the potato in half, then you get twice as many plants," said another.
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