Growing Potato

Solanum tuberosum : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
                P P P  

(Best months for growing Potato in South Africa - Summer rainfall regions)

  • P = Plant seed potatoes
  • Plant tuber. Best planted at soil temperatures between 10°C and 30°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 30 - 40 cm apart
  • Harvest in 15-20 weeks. Dig carefully, avoid damaging the potatoes.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Peas, Beans, Brassicas, Sweetcorn, Broad Beans, Nasturtiums, Marigolds
  • Avoid growing close to: Cucumber, Pumpkin, Sunflowers, Tomatoes, Rosemary

Your comments and tips

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01 May 23, (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
No
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19 Apr 23, (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
Read the planting guide at the top of the page.
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15 Mar 23, Loreley dunwell (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Where can I buy seed potatoes, please. We are in the Lockyer valley. Last year we grew sebago and had a wonderful crop but can’t find any at the moment,
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31 May 23, Rebecca (Australia - tropical climate)
Happy Valley Seeds has some at the moment
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21 Mar 23, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Try some produce agency (supplies to farmers of farming stuff), then a nursery or on line.
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05 Mar 23, Phyllis Wright (Canada - Zone 8a Mild Temperate climate)
If I plant my potatoes now, do I keep them in my unheated garage which gets a bit of light or put them outside where we are still getting below 0 temperatures?
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06 Mar 23, Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
Potatoes can go in the ground now -- the cold temperatures won't do anything to them. In fall when I harvest my potatoes I tend to miss a few (those little tiny ones) -- and they are in the garden all winter (sometimes temps drop as low as -10c) and they still grow. Generally speaking, potatoes can be planted as soon as the ground can be worked. Don't forget to add lots of potassium (also called potash) to the soil.... potatoes LOVE potassium.
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24 Feb 23, Richard (USA - Zone 7a climate)
I'm planting potatoes in root bags. When should I plant (indoor) and when can they be left outside?
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26 Dec 22, nelg strebor (USA - Zone 5b climate)
I made sectional container and added 7" sections as growth poked through. Got to about 5' tall . when I unveiled it in latter fall there were very few potatoes. A lot of care for no result, any idea what happened?
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29 Jul 23, dz (USA - Zone 10a climate)
Neig, the potatoes you planted were probably determinant, which means they will only produce tubers for a limited space even if the green growth continues and you keep burying it as it gets taller. That is what I discovered when I tried to grow in potato bags that are 17" tall, 13" in diameter. I used store bought potatoes and used any that started sprouting as seed potatoes, and began with 6" of soil, put seed potatoes on top, added another 6" of soil, and when the tops got about 8" above the soil, I kept added soil as they grew, thinking the plant would produce more tubers above the original layer, but none have ever done so, so I think all my russet, golden, and red potatoes originally purchased from stores are all determinant varieties. If anyone knows of any indeterminant varieties suitable for container gardening in Zone 10A, please post.
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Showing 31 - 40 of 818 comments
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It depends -- not all potatoes are suitable for towering (layering). Additionally, I have found that the potato plant SPENDS A LOT OF ENERGY GROWING UP, UP, UP, as you cover its leaves with soil (leaves have specialized cells designed to collect light - and why you would want to cover them with soil is beyond me this is not really a good move -- leaves are not roots). My recommendation is: if you have a DEEP PLANTER bag starting at about six inches from the bottom -- in sort of a pattern that looks like the 5 on a die (dice) -- make about 3-4 inch round holes -- and make them on the sides that receive light keeping the holes about 10 inches apart (6 inches away from the bottom and 10 inches away from the top of the bag). Fill the bag with a good soil/compost/manure mix of some kind -- starting from the bottom -- when you are level with a hole, place a seed potato there, level or slight below the bottom lip of the hole, and about 3 inches from the side of the bag (so there is soil between the potato and the hole) -- continue up until the bag is full -- the top layer of potatoes can be planted as usual. Yes, the soil will come out of the holes ... not to worry -- just be sure that the soil covers the topmost holes by at least 6-8inches. That is - each potato planted in the bag should have access to a WINDOW (air and light) OR those planted on the top layer (like a usual planting) should be down about 9 inches or so. The Key to this planting is ALL potatoes need to be able to put leaves somewhere -- they will follow the air and light to find that spot -- all potatoes need water -- so you will be watering from the top of the bag only (like a potted plant) -- but you water DEEPLY, since the water needs to make it to the very bottom potato plants -- so maybe you water every 5 days or so... depends on the soil, temperature, amount of light , amount of wind/air (which whisks moisture away), Additionally, ensure there is drainage at the bottom of the bag .... maybe a two inch hole directly at ground level. It might be better to use a crate of some kind.... rather than a bag...anyhow this set up will work with any kind of potato plant without consideration as to whether or not it can handle towering. Hope this helps. Conversion of inches to cm : 1 inch = 2.5cm

- Celeste Archer

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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