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 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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03 Dec 12, mehmet kolgu (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi there I planted keflex potatoes early SEpt. they flowered now they are going yellow and dieing. How do I understand that, that's harvest time regards M
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19 Oct 12, Linda Heenan (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Are Agria seed potatoes available in Australia yet? If so, where can I buy some?
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05 Oct 12, mehmet kolgu (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi; Do I need to use mulch over the potatoes, at Sydney area. cheers M
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02 Oct 12, MattyJ (Australia - temperate climate)
Quite a lot of people eat raw potato (me included) - and i have been advised by doctors that its quite healthy to do so
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26 Mar 13, Ido (Australia - temperate climate)
Matty, It is not healthy to eat row potato, row eggplant, green tomato, green capsicum, as they all belong to the Solanum family and contain Solanum which is a poison. The heat of cooking, frying, etc. destroys part of the Solanum poison (as it destroys, also, part of the good staff in the food ) and makes the food more healthy. When the tomato and capsicum are red, they are ripe and contain less Solanum and in this stage they are more healthy to be eaten. The seeds of row capsicum, row tomato, row eggplant contain a higher concentration of Solanum and are less healthy to eat. The doctors are right when they recommend to eat row food but this advice is not applies to food items which contain some poison. Ido.
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01 Oct 12, peter dell (Australia - temperate climate)
I live in Sydney in the west. Is it ok to plant potatoes now?
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02 Oct 12, tigger (Australia - temperate climate)
yes
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04 Sep 12, Greg (Australia - temperate climate)
How much time between planting seperate potato crops to give a constant supply over a 6 month period .
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24 Jul 12, Catherine (Australia - tropical climate)
I would like to grow potatoes in Tropical North Qld. Is there any sort that will grow up here (apart from sweet potatoes etc)
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23 Jul 12, wayne (Australia - temperate climate)
I wish to plant potatoes but want to spread the time that the crop will mature. Can any one suggest some varieties to use. my space for this is approx 1.5m by 10m. this is a no dig style cause im lazy :-)
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Showing 391 - 400 of 563 comments
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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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