Growing Potato

Solanum tuberosum : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
        P P P P        

(Best months for growing Potato in Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer 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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04 Jun 20, Pastor Dennis Naidoo (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
HI I want to plant some UTD Potatoes in my back yard. Where can i buy seed potatoes and which month will be good to plant them. I live in KZN Richards Bay Regards Dennis
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19 Jul 20, Astrid (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Have a look at https://livingseeds.co.za/potatoes - they sell seed potatoes and ship to anywhere in SA (at the right time of the year). They always stock standard coloured potatoes as well as occasionally some novel heirloom ones. Also on that page is a link with guidance on growing potatoes. Pre-orders are opening soon, shipping is early August ready for you to plant.
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05 Jun 20, Anonymous (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
You need to work out your climate zone from the BLUE CLIMATE ZONE TAB at the top of the page. Then check when to plant. Buy from seed selling websites, nursery, farmer produce store, hardware & gardening stores.
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27 Apr 20, Shirley (South Africa - Humid sub-tropical climate)
When growing potatoes what fertilizer does one use
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28 Apr 20, Anon (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Just look for a general all round gardening fertiliser. If you look at all the fertilisers for different crops there is not a big difference in the NPK of them. Depending on your soil 8-12N, 3-6P, 3-6K. I read of fertilisers like 10, 10, 10, and 8, 8, 8. I don't know where you buy them (USA stores?).
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10 Apr 20, George Linos (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
Hi, I'm located in South Africa, Gauteng province in the town of Boksburg (near OR Tambo International airport. Is it possible to plant potatoes here early April to grow through winter? We dont have snow and rarely have frost? Regards
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14 Apr 20, Anon (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
The guide here says Jan to March - it is now April. I suggest you plant ASAP.
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29 Mar 20, Mkhacani (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
Where can I buy the seeds; iam in Giyani What time to plant temperature is +_32 degrees
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01 Apr 20, Anon (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Buy from a nursery, farm produce agency, seed selling online store. Some hardware/garden store might have them.
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30 Mar 20, Another gardener (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Read the notes here the info is all there. One thing they say is to plant Aug/Sept etc, same as where I live in Australia. But here they plant April/May and also in Aug Sept.
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Showing 21 - 30 of 113 comments
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The handbook-which I provided the location to in my prior reply is not very beginner'ish but it is comprehensive covering issues you may never encounter- but you do need the reference material. I have a few thoughts to add. 1. Hilling up while the plant is growing-if you are covering leaves I find this fundamentally wrong. Leaves are specialized and designed to collect light, they are not roots. So I opt to plant my seed potatoes deep enough on day one- however I tend to have the luxury of very well airated, light soil. This means the seed potato has a steady air supply and can sense the heat from the sun even at deeper depths 2. Your seedpotatoes need all their potassium Immediately. Potatoes strangely take up all their potassium that they need really early. -and don't uptake more. If there is not enough potassium in the very early stages your potatoes might have hollow heart (looks like hollow rotting middles). Late application of potassium tends to be useless 3. Potatoes seem to respond really well to the addition of microryzal fungi - in my area we source that under pine trees in a forest- we just take some forest floor duff with a dust pan and add to the potatoe planting soil. To sum up - your seed Potatoes should be about the size of chicken eggs (if larger cut up ensuring an eye on each piece and allow a few days to heal/scab up before planting). You need to chit them(make them sprout-place in dark so they sprout). Plant in soil with Compost, a sorce of potassium and microryzal fungi. If for some reason you cannot source any compost/pottasium/microryzal fungi -plant anyhow potatoes are tough -there is still a good chance they will be Okay -depends on the condition of you soil. In my area I can water deeply once per week. Harvest when about half the leaves have fallen over as if to die. If you harvest sooner you may be compromising on size-because as long as those leaves can collect light they can store the energy in the tubers. Good luck - it is so much easier than it sounds- and all those diseases in the handbook are rare and if the plants are strong (well fed) they can manage just fine, potaoes are pretty tough root crop. In other words- you can grow potatoe.

- Celeste Archer

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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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