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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31 Mar 21, Denise (Australia - tropical climate)
I live in tropical region in Darwin & would like to plant the sebago potatoes in breathable cloth grow bags. Do I plant starting at the bottom or just plant on top? Medium will be potting mix & permits.
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12 Dec 21, Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 7b Mild Temperate climate)
Sorry for the late post -- I think I have the information you are looking for. First NOT ALL potatoes are suited for "tower" growth. So the first question would be how deep are your bags; if the bags are deep enough to be considered a tower, then you need to cross check this with the variety of potato you are growing. Second: when you plant a piece of potato (seed potato) this is your LOWEST POINT. Generally, a potato plant will not produce/store and tubers (potatoes) BELOW the level of the seed potato. This is why people plant the seed potatoes, wait for the green leaves to come up, and mound soil, always leaving enough leaves sticking out to collect light. You'll also note at harvest, that the lowest potato seems to have rotted; this was your seed potato that grew the plant. We plant the seed potato shallow, so the leaves get to the sun sooner/easier and start collecting light; then we mound the soil so there is room for the potato plant to set its tubers (potatoes) -- this means, that you plant you seed potatoes at the bottom of the sack, covering them with several inches of soil, and as the potato plant grows, you add soil.... always try to leave plenty of leaves sticking out of the soil so the plant can collect sun. Hope this help. From the Eagle Creek site (about their tower potato mix): Not all types of potatoes are suited for container growing, typically fingerling and late season varieties yield best. Bellanita, Bintje, Amarosa & German Butterball are the 4 varieties in this package.
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06 Apr 21, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
You plant near the bottom and add more soil as they grow. There is more information on the internet about growing them this way.
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26 Jan 21, krissy (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
HI I want to grow my own potatoes? which would be the best type to grow in queensland I want to do a NO dig potato bed.
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27 Jan 21, Anonymous (Australia - arid climate)
Pick the potato you want to grow and grow it. Different potatoes are better for different use in cooking.
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10 Oct 20, John (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Im looking for seed potatoes for sale near Childers. I would like a decent size bag of them rather than the 6 or so i got from a local produce store. Anyone know where i can get bulk spuds seeds. TIA John
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12 Oct 20, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Phone Boylans in Bundaberg and ask. They buy by the sack full.
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04 Sep 20, Richard Allan (Australia - temperate climate)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgJa2wrX6lA&t=481s
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07 Aug 20, Jane (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I was so disappointed my marrows n things were attacked/eaten/went to pot I stopped gardening. I've got my second wind! If I use store-bought spuds, can I plant them if they get eyes/will they actually grow and land on my plate? Live this site-thanks!! Stay safe.
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10 Aug 20, Anon (Australia - temperate climate)
The difference between store potatoes and buying certified seed potatoes is disease. Store are more likely to be effected by disease. But if you have good fresh soil that hasn't had a lot of disease in it then you probably might be able to produce a good crop. You can grow a crop in the spring but also try planting late April early May.
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Showing 51 - 60 of 561 comments
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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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