Growing Potato

Solanum tuberosum : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
			P	P

(Best months for growing Potato in Australia - 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

14 Sep 13, Dennis (Australia - temperate climate): Hi, the potatoes were planted around three weeks ago, but have noted that they have been attacked by ??? which has eating the young leaves, there are also holes now in the bigger leaves. Any suggestions, also they have left holes in the broccoli leaves. Regards Dennis Western Aussie
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19 Oct 13, Jan (Australia - temperate climate): I lost all my potatoes to slaters last year. They decimated the leaves. I think they must have been attracted to the mulch I used but decided that the green tops were much more flavoursome. We have heard that they have become a problem in WA. We are in the south west.
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17 Sep 13, Catherine (Australia - temperate climate): It might be the 28spotted ladybeetle. They love anything in the Solinaceae family - potatoes, tomatoes, capsicum, eggplant. I get alot of them in summer, and I just pick em off and squash them. I don't know what their predator is, but if you encourage alot of other insects to your garden they might balance themselves out. Check on the undersides of leaves too for little yellow and black larvae and squish them too.
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02 Oct 13, (Australia - temperate climate): You shouldn't squash the 28spotted ladybeetle as they are not the victims as they eat the other insects and not the leaves. They are not a "pest" but a helper.
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27 Feb 14, Colleen (Australia - temperate climate): The 28 spotted Ladybird bug is the culprit for the lava that feeds on the potato leaves. Squash them as soon as you see them on the leaf and check for the greyish fluffy lava to squash too as they will eat the whole top of the potato greenery if left unchecked.
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06 Sep 13, sally (Australia - temperate climate): I have potatos that i missed digging up last year. They have now sprouted in the bed. Can i dig up now and move to a new bed for this year ?
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08 Sep 13, Keith (Australia - temperate climate): Potatoes do not transfer well leave them until finished
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31 Aug 13, Sheryl (Australia - temperate climate): I am growing potatoes in straw and mulch in a raised garden bed - after I harvest the potatoes what can I grow in the leftover straw/mulch?
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17 Sep 13, Catherine (Australia - temperate climate): You can grow anything - except tomatoes, capsicum, eggplant which are all in the same family as potatoes (and apparently I read no strawberries as well - root rot). Just turn over some compost or manure in it. About now you might want to get your summer crops going. You can grow lettuce, silverbeet, beetroot, radish, spring onions, beans, sorrel, cabbage, kale, corn etc. :) Gardenate has a list of what to plant for your region. Make sure you mulch! Good luck!
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31 Aug 13, Frank Hughes (Australia - temperate climate): hi I have just tried to grow some potatoes, not very successful I am afraid. I think I may have planted them to early. can I now plant some potatoes in the same soil I have just taken my others out? thank's.. i am in the South West of Australia. by the beach
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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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Solanum tuberosum : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

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