Growing Potato

Solanum tuberosum : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

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

(Best months for growing Potato in USA - Zone 5a 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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27 Oct 13, Elizabeth (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I stop watering them when there leaves start yellowing, once the leaves are fully "dead" harvest.
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21 Oct 13, Jan Grainger (Australia - temperate climate)
I lost a whole lot of potatoes to both slaters and slugs. I used beer traps, etc. but there were too many to contend with. Reluctantly, we had the whole property professionally sprayed and this year have none.
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12 Oct 13, Sarah (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Another first time potato grower here :) I bought some russet Burbank seed potatoes a few weeks back and was silly enough to just follow the directions on the bag label, which said nothing about letting them shoot before planting. I planted them immediately, then a week later realised the error of my ways so gently dug a few up to see what had happened. They had shoots on them about an inch long, so I replanted them, shoot side up and about 10cm of dirt on top. That was two weeks ago, but no shoots have appeared on the surface. How long should it take? I have my "succession batch" on the floor in an open box in my green house, hoping they'll sprout away soon for planting in a month or so. All advice gratefully received :)
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18 Oct 13, Sarah (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Well, a week later and two have sprouted... Two that I DIDN'T dig up to check on. It appears digging up those others, despite being as gentle as I could, wasn't a great idea :-S
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05 Oct 13, glennys (Australia - temperate climate)
Where in qld can I buy kestrel seed potatoes .On a bag of kestrel potatoes I bought from a supermarket said"Not to be used for seed potatoes. WHY ? THANKYOU.
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26 Feb 18, Ray (Australia - temperate climate)
I wondered this, and because I wasn't super happy with the answer here, or on a similar discussion on Reddit, I looked into this more. It turns out that it's to do with Western Australia quarantine rules, which explicitly states that potatoes imported from outside of WA have to be labelled
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25 Oct 13, betty (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
bet you bought them from the south Australian company who is a grower and wants a monopoly so states not for use as seed potatoes. I find they are a very good potato if left to sprout seed and are a heavy cropper.
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25 Oct 13, brian (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
the company that markets the kestrel potato bag is from south Australia and the reason for stating not for planting is to stop you growing them. I purchased the very same bag and waited until the potatoes sprouted and then planted without any problems whatsoever
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22 Sep 13, sarah (Australia - temperate climate)
Im a little late planting my spuds and im a first time grower. Im just wondering if I should water once they are in the ground or wait. Also how much water? Im really confused on this one. Thanks.
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20 Sep 13, Bill (Australia - temperate climate)
I have tried to grow potatoes several times, not very successfully, my leaves grow up to almost a meter in height, but there are very few tubers underneath. Also my potatoes do not seem to flower, and the leaves get attacked by some insects or bugs. I used a very rich soil and mulch; is there too much nitrogen?
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That's a big subject! I'd say it depends on what you're trying to achieve. Do you just want a few really good veggies? Do you want to grow as much of your daily food as possible? Does your garden need to be aesthetically pleasing? There are lots of books on container gardening, you could try browsing your local library online. If space is limited, I say think about which veggies you love the most, which are pricey at the store, and which are most improved by eating fresh. Basil and salad greens for instance, are very easy to grow but very overpriced at the store. Corn and tomatoes are so much better homegrown. Whereas potatoes and onions are cheap at the store and not THAT much better homegrown so they're only worth it if you have plenty of space to devote. My advice for a beginner would be to start small and manageable, and build on that each year. Maybe this year buy a couple of Earthboxes or DIY a knockoff, and just grow a few of your favorite veggies. This will also reveal what some of your challenges might be. For instance my first year raccoons ate all my sweet corn, that taught me I would need a good fence in the future. ;-)

- colleen

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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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