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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19 Aug 16, moira (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
Where can I find. Potato tubers or seedlings in the western cape please.
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16 Aug 16, Phillip (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate)
best way of growing potatoes in region and what cultivar to use - Mpumalanga lowveld area
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14 Aug 16, ricky (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
Hi Were can I get seed potatoes in Gauteng
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30 Aug 16, Avril (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
I got mine from Livingseeds online store
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10 Aug 16, Charlien (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
Hi there,I have heard that one needs to pinch off the flowers in order for it too grow... How big does the shoot need to be before adding more sole and mush to the potatoes..... Kind Regards Charlien
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23 May 16, I live in cape town where would I get seeded potatos (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
Hi I live in cape town I want to grow potatos indoors as its almost winter can I and how to maintain and keep it growing?thanks
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01 May 16, (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
Is there anything one can LINE a tyre with so that the metals cannot be leached from them?
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12 May 16, janine (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
Ive used Tyres and you don't need to line them and we and the potatoes are very safe to eat my grandfather has been using tyres for ever and they don't leach any metals>
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03 Mar 16, EMMANUEL (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
what is the best way of storing potatoes
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01 Mar 16, MOAGI EMMANUEL (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Hello, I want to ask what kind of potato seed can grow well in Limpopo area, it is summer rainfall and sometimes temperature rises up to 30 degress
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Showing 71 - 80 of 113 comments
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This is my second year at growing potatoes near Kalgoorlie. Although it gets hot quickly as long as you keep the water up to them they seem to thrive. All I added last year was some blood and bone and a bit of hay for mounding them up. I've got heavy red loam ground here and the first year I grew enormous potatoes but many were derformed from the rocks in the ground. This year I decided to build a raised bed and use a mix of the red loam, potting compost and hay. I didnt plant till late September because of late frosts but already plants are really high and flowering. Unfortunately I didnt keep up with mounding them up as quickly as I should have and maybe they will not produce as many spuds because of this. I have read that you have to keep mounding them so that only one inch of stem is out of the ground. If the main stem becomes too long and exposed to the sun it no longer grows side shoots and spuds - is this true?

- Jan

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