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 Sep 21, Renato (Australia - tropical climate)
Can you plant potatoes in the tropics with 30°C temperature and get a good harvest?
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28 Sep 21, Anon (Australia - tropical climate)
It says plant April May - the reason, your are growing into the coolest time of the year and less likely to have massive rainfall then. Also pit them in a raised bed if your ground can be wet a lot. Free draining soil.
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13 Oct 21, Renato (Australia - tropical climate)
What potato variety should I plant the early,mid or late variety and which is the best to plant in tropical climate?
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18 Sep 21, Mike Val. (Australia - temperate climate)
Query re coffee grounds - I have been composting for a few good years now, and I am fairly sure that if coffee grounds are left out on a plastic or concrete surface in sunlight for a month+ it will accelerate its breakdown and can be incorporated into the soil. If you are on good terms with a local cafeteria or coffee shop, their daily throw-out will astound you. Have incorporated this into my composting regime for some years now and grow some impressive veg. The trick is in the dry composting of the grounds before incorporating it into the larger composting mix. Give it a go !
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28 Sep 21, Anon (Australia - tropical climate)
I beg to differ. For anything to breakdown (to decompose) it needs air, water, carbon and nitrogen. Most things have a mix of carbon and nitrogen. Greens more nitrogen and dry things more carbon. You use grindings as a nitrogen source. By placing it out in the sun and drying I would think you are losing some of the nitrogen. It is like fresh manure would have more N than old manure. Placing grindings straight into soil is not recommended, it has to break down first. For good compost you need a big pile 1200-1500mm high, a good mix of N and C and for it to be watered and turned regularly. By doing this you create the heat to activate the bacteria etc to break the ingrediencies down. Compost is a great soil conditioner, it has very limited N P K.
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17 Aug 21, Stephen Stallard (Australia - temperate climate)
Where can I buy any English Variety "New Potatoes" for planting in our Home Garden. Any ideas would be very much appreciated. Many thanks. Stephen
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29 Aug 21, Anon (Australia - temperate climate)
Try an on-line search where to buy it.
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07 Aug 21, Elaine (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
How best can I use, an old bag of coffee grinds in the garden.
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01 Sep 21, Janet (Australia - temperate climate)
We had tomato and capsicum plants that were growing really nicely and promising in big pots with organic potting soil, compost and fertiliser. When we heard about coffee grounds and applied them, it really set these plants back (visibly evidenced) and they did not fruit much at all. They were our pride and joy. There are new articles on the Net about coffee grounds Not being a good idea close to our plants - there maybe a few exceptions. We would never take the risk again.
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09 Aug 21, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Just spread it out thinly in the garden and mix into the soil. Or use it in your compost if you are making it.
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I would like to endorse the comments above regarding the use of tyres to grow Potatoes or in fact use to grow any any food. The rubber compounds in both the carcase and tread contain significant numbers of nasties. Tyres are designed to perform at high speed under quite arduous conditions, absolutely not designed as end of life food growing receptacles! They contain many potential hazards/chemicals, far too many to fully list. I will list just a couple,so that fellow readers who do not have my background can appreciate better what they are dealing with. Firstly the reinforcing Carbon Blacks utilized in the rubber compounds, contain significant amounts of Organo-Nitrogen compounds, blacks of this type are banned for use with any "Potable Water" applications! the reason being these compounds are considered as being high risk carciogens. There are special Blacks made specifically for food contact applications, rubber reinforcing blacks are definitely not suitable. Processing aids, The rubber in the tyres must be made to be strong/resilient/heat resistant; specially designed chemical compounds are encorporated into the rubber compounds to achieve this. The chemical compounds used present problems in many directions, firstly they are not ( dont need to be) pure compounds they contain debris from the chemical synthesis processes used to make them; these same compounds also decompose both during Vulcanization and during the life of the tyre. The Organo-Chemical families many of these compounds belong to include compounds that are considered hazardous and not suitable for food contact. The possibility of side chemical reactions between both the impurities and the debris from the degradation, resulting in compounds that could present significant hazards is real. Are tyres dangerous? yes! when attached to cars driven by idiots and when used as receptacles to grow food; otherwise no!

- Geoff Brooks

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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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