Growing Potato

Solanum tuberosum : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

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

(Best months for growing Potato in Australia - sub-tropical regions)

  • P = Plant seed potatoes
  • Plant tuber. Best planted at soil temperatures between 50°F and 86°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 12 - 16 inches 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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30 Jul 19, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Just dig by hand around the base of a plant to see if there are any potatoes forming - if so put the soil back and wait until the plant dies off before harvesting them.
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29 Jul 19, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
The easiest way is to dig up one plant to see if there are any potatoes .
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07 Jul 19, david lilliman (Australia - arid climate)
Hi , when do I know when to harvest my potatoes.
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08 Jul 19, (Australia - arid climate)
It does say 15-20 weeks to grow and it does say plant Aug to Dec. Usually the plant tops starts dying off.
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05 Jul 19, Val (Australia - temperate climate)
I didnt plant potatoes but they shot up from last year's crop. They started in autumn but the frost has now killed them. Why did they shoot at such a strange time and will they reshoot - or should I just harvest the new potatoes that they have produced before the frost killed them? I'm in South Gippsland Vic and we get pretty cold nights this time of year.
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08 Jul 19, (Australia - temperate climate)
Harvest them. Crop time is 15-20 weeks from germination/shooting - consider this when planting and frosts.
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21 Jun 19, Cheryl Burke (Australia - temperate climate)
I live in Clarence Town NSW. TEMPERATE climate but we do get frosts. I have just bought some seed potatoes. Should I plant them now or wait until August? If I wait, do Ineed to put them in the sun to encourage them to shoot?
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24 Jun 19, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Put them in your pantry until late August and then plant.
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10 Jun 19, Ol' Dazza (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
where can i buy some spud seeds?
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13 Jun 19, Jello (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Most decent nursery's will stock seed potatoes. Failing that, you can buy them online.
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Showing 111 - 120 of 563 comments
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Most people grow potatoes from “seed potatoes”. Some people chose to grow their potatoes from actual seeds – think tomato seed. These seeds are called “True potato seeds”. The reasons to grow potatoes from TPS are numerous. The main reasons tend to be: more variety, and cultivating a variety that is well suited to your conditions. When the intent is to cultivate a variety well suited to your taste and growing conditions you generally purchase a package of say Andean TPS. This package will contain MANY different kinds of potatoes: flesh and skin colours. It will also contain short day, day neutral and long day potatoes; their ideal climates may differ. The idea is to grow as many of the potatoes as you can first year; some will grow well, some will not grow, some will grow poorly and some might just LOVE your place. Some will set a lot of potatoes, and some will set fewer; the idea is to find the potato/potato plant you like best – then save those potatoes to use as seed potatoes next year. In the first year you really don’t expect to have eating potatoes – it’s a year to find your potato variety. When growing from TPS you start the seeds early indoors, like you might do for tomatoes. Then transplant outdoors at the appropriate time.

- 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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