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

25 Jul 10, (Australia - temperate climate)
What is the best way to get seed Sweet Potatos. Is it to buy them from Supermarkets and cut them into pieces which contain an eye. I have tried planting same whole in sand, and then in the ground, they both rotted
16 Sep 10, Lexxie (Australia - temperate climate)
you grow sweet potato not from the tuber, but from the shoots. The best way, let your sweet potato grow 20cm shoots, cut them, keep them in water until you see roots come out. Plant them! You can grow shoots from one tuber almost indefinitively!
08 Jul 10, julian (Australia - tropical climate)
Which is the best breed of potato for the hot 'tropical or sub-tropical' area. Help me give them the best chance i can.
05 Jun 10, chris wilson (Australia - temperate climate)
how dose one keep peeled uncooked spugs in the fridge / can they be keeped ln water/ if so for how long/ do you need to put anything in the water/ thanks chris
06 Jun 10, (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
You can keep raw, peeled potatoes for about a day if they are covered with water and kept cool.
22 May 10, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi There,you can buy seed potatoes in Townsville a a nursery called the Day Dawn Nursery.50 Kokoda Street. I do not have there phone number not to hard to find though.good luck.
18 May 10, Fritz (Australia - temperate climate)
i bought a whole potato from woolworths, a sebago potato. i placed the whole thing in soil(i rinsed it} and watered it. does anyone know if it will grow and if not how will i have to grow it?
21 May 10, tony (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
your potato should grow but if you had of cut the same potato into sections that have an eye in each than you would have got many plants of the one potato a tip keep the soil well heaped around each potato this will give lots of potatoes and stop them from greening
15 May 10, Debra (Australia - temperate climate)
Does anyone know where in West Aus I can get hold of seed potatoes of different varieties? Bunnings usually only has desiree, ruby lou or nicola, and I would like others if possible. Buying the potatoes from stores and letting them shoot is not always as successful as buying the certified seed potatoes (and trying to get the varieties in the shops isn't so easy either). Thanks to anyone who can help.
04 Oct 13, Kevin (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Debra , I am an avid potato grower, I like Ruby Lous personally, But Waldeks here in Perth stock about 10 diff varieties of seed potatoes fHope this helps, I lurvv my spuds :)
Showing 431 - 440 of 561 comments

Potatoes should grow well in Hobart. Plant the tubers in spring when the soil has started to warm up a bit. Sprouting to get the potato started gets it off to a start. it is probably not necessary, as it wouldn't happen naturally, but does give the tuber a good start.

- Giovanni

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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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