As the plants grow, having enough space to develop properly is essential for producing a large, healthy crop. This may seem like a minor oversight, but it can greatly affect the health and productivity of your crop. When potatoes are planted too close, they don’t have enough space so they compete for resources such as water, nutrients, and light, and that can lead to a range of problems. When left without sufficient nourishment and vitamins, they can eventually acquire nutrient deficiencies. Consequently, one of the biggest impacts of overcrowding is reduced growth, leading to a crop with smaller potatoes.

Besides yielding smaller potatoes, planting these root vegetables too close can increase the risk of disease and pest infestations. When plants are crowded, moisture and humidity levels increase, creating the ideal environment for fungal diseases such as late blight. To prevent late blight try to provide a healthy dry environment for potatoes to grow by giving them enough space so that there is adequate airflow between the plants.

Source: housedigest.com