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 Australia - tropical regions)

  • P = Plant seed potatoes
  • Plant tuber. Best planted at soil temperatures between 10°C and 30°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 30 - 40 cm 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 Sep 15, Jill (Australia - temperate climate)
Thanks very much for your clear, helpful instructions. Much appreciated.
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30 Aug 15, ilona bresca (Australia - temperate climate)
why not plant the potatoes that have gone green in the kitchen. can you still eat them after peeling the green off ?
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10 Oct 15, Sarah (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
We constantly find potatoes growing in our compost (usually green ones I've thrown in) so I have long since stopped buying seed potatoes! Potatoes that are just starting to green, I just peel til they're not green anymore and never had any side effects. That said, one of our dogs ate a rather green potato while she was a pup...the associated get bill made for a very expensive potato crop that year...!
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15 Aug 15, Lynda Rice (Australia - temperate climate)
How long should my Potatoes take to grow? I have just tried to dig up one plant and the potatoes are still really tiny so obviously not ready yet. How do I tell when to dig them up? Should I be fertilising and if so with what? Thanks
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16 Oct 15, Lachlan Turner (Australia - temperate climate)
Wait till the above ground foliage dies off.
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19 Aug 15, Sarah Johnstone (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi Lynda, potatoes take about 5 months or so to grow to a good size. You'll get an assortment of sizes. They're ready to harvest when the vine starts to wither. The smaller potatoes are good to keep for next year's crop. If the vines aren't withering after 5-6 months, you can try to kill them off yourself, apparently that's what they do in Idaho (or so a friend tells me!)
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15 Aug 15, Sally (Australia - temperate climate)
Could some one please tell me when to plant potatoes in Melbourne, Victoria Cherrs
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20 Aug 15, Porto (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Sally, plant now if you want new spuds for Christmas. I have just put mine in, and I always plant on 15th August
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28 Jul 15, etelka. (Australia - tropical climate)
When is the best time to plant potatoes in gold coast ....
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01 Aug 15, kath (Australia - temperate climate)
I planted tubers on 1st july and they are already growing. My large potato tub is looking like trees at the moment as all the potato tubers have sprouted. I find this to be a good time of year to plant tubers. I'm located in Brissie.
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I started planting a variety of spuds mid Aug in Melb, normally after frost danger was over. End sept when plants were around 15-20cm high we had severe frosts and plants got badly burned off. Surprisingly, they recovered well only to get hit hard again 3 weeks later, Once again they recovered. I have just started ferretting out a few early spuds and the crop looks like being one of my best ever. Has anyone ever tried reducing leaf growth by removing some of the tops to see the effects on the crop?

- Graham Bower

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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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