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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22 Jun 13, Justin (Australia - temperate climate)
If you keep building up the compost as it grows you will get more potatoes from your crop. Just be sure to protect them from frost. Growing my first crop atm and have found potatoes as big as a 50c piece after a month and a half. Don't let the nitrogen get too high or the energy will go to the leaves instead of the potatoes.
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22 Jun 13, Ann Birchall (Australia - temperate climate)
How do I grow new potatoes as grown in England? Which is the best sort for this?
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18 Jun 13, john (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have a bed of potatoes 20cm deep x40cm apart. have hilled them up as suggested some are beginning to flower . They were very healthy looking plants however they are now falling over and some appear to be withering. Is it too late to hill them further and would this help
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26 Jun 13, Paddy (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I am having the same problem and think it may be due to the amount of rain we've had lately. I dug around one and the development of the tuber seems to be ok. Let me know how your crop progresses.
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28 May 13, Ray (Australia - temperate climate)
I have read in gardening books that tyres can be used 4 spuds ? but you say NO can you please exsplane . (Some reasons are well set out here http://www.brightonpermaculture.org.uk/news/11-news/363-growing-food-in-tyres.html Liz)
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03 May 13, stan bevan (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
this is May 2013 is it too late to plant seeds of marigolds into a plot freshly prepared with morning sun
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26 Apr 13, Ray (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi i have seed potatoes from last year that have started to sprout. As its to early to plant can I rub them off and plant latter thanks ray.
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30 Apr 13, Sustainable Jill (Australia - temperate climate)
I'd just pop them in now. They are telling you they're ready to grow, and the moon is waning so it's a good time to plant rooting crops. If it's too cold, they will just sit in the ground until things are ready for them to grow. If you leave them out, they will gradually lose moisture, become soft and shrivel...not ideal for growing later in the year.
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22 Apr 13, BARRY (Australia - temperate climate)
I have just harvested potatoe crop which appear to have a disease? A dark grey core with a rusty brown surround. Appears to be the start of rot? Can you help me?
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16 Apr 13, Lyn (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, I love your site its so informative! I'm new to vegie gardening and keen to get a potato crop going ASAP but have seen the recommended planting time for me is August. Does this apply if I'm planning on using a container? e.g. a large plastic rubbish bin. I live in a suburb of Wollongong NSW. I'm about 10 min from the coast so no frosts etc. My back yard has a concreted area that gets about 5-6hrs of sun in winter. Thank you :-)
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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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