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

29 Mar 10, Marion (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Where in Brisbane or Ipswich can I buy seed potatoes?
06 Mar 10, joe isaac (Australia - temperate climate)
Where can I buy seed potatoes (King William) online or fromoutlets in Melbourne? What is the best time to put them in? I have a sheltered sunny plot. Thanks for any suggestions
26 Feb 10, Mark (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
My potatoes looked fantastic above ground - strong lush growth from spring to mid-summer, but the harvest was disappointingly meagre. Any suggestions?
10 May 10, (Australia - temperate climate)
Many potato varieties respond to shorter day length. That is, they will produce a crop when they 'sense' that the days shorten. Maybe you should look at planting your potatoes at a different time of the year. Perhaps mid/ late Summer so that they will come into flower as the days shorten in Autumn/Winter.
10 May 10, (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Hi Mark - I too live in the cool-mountain zone - the Blue Mountains - and had a very disappointing yield of Nicola potatoes this year for the number I planted. I think was just a strange summer with cool and rain and the occassional few hot days - enough to make any self-respecting plant be undecided about what to do! I wondered if it wa the type, but i think not..Better luck next year Glen
24 Feb 10, rylie (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
what height and width is a avarage potato?
22 Feb 10, guy (Australia - temperate climate)
i live in central west nsw what vegies can i grow from march right through winter. any tips would be greatly appreciated.
01 Feb 10, Adele (Australia - temperate climate)
Is it ok to plant potatoes if they are in shade in the morning and get full afternoon sun? Adele
13 Jan 10, Billy (Australia - temperate climate)
First a comment to Lisa, if the potato is green it meens it has been exposed to light. One dug up from the soils should not be green, but will turn green if left out and exposed to daylight. Jane, I planted my spuds just a couple of months ago (November) and they seem to be almost ready to be dug, the stems are starting to wilt and the flowers dropping. I think you can plant them for a few more weeks. I was amazed at how quickly they came up. Just noticed the date of your posting. Hope they have come up nicely.
11 Jan 10, Anne (Australia - temperate climate)
i tried to grow potatoes but very poor yield. Plants grew very tall and spindly and few small potatoes what am I lacking in my soils? I used lots of blood and bone manures, chicken and fed weekly with thrive. Should I have used more compost and trace elements?
Showing 451 - 460 of 561 comments

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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