Growing Potato

Solanum tuberosum : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	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

24 Mar 20, Chris (Australia - sub-tropical climate): You could try digging a shallow trench, put the seed potatoes in this, and cover with straw/mulch and compost or rotted manure. Keep topping up the straw as the potatoes grow. You'll end up with potatoes and some good quality soil.
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11 Mar 20, Chuck (USA - Zone 9b climate): Could you please use US measurements (inches/feet) instead of metric? Gardenate reply: Each plant page has (Show °F/in) about two lines down from the top to change between metric/non metric
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05 Mar 20, peter barker (New Zealand - temperate climate): can i grow seed potatoes in pots from march in Taranaki
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08 Mar 20, ML (New Zealand - temperate climate): It says to grow in the spring here. Also says that for sub- tropical Queensland Australia. They grow potatoes from April/May here. Give it a try then.
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20 Feb 20, Tom De Marti (USA - Zone 10a climate): We're looking for red seed potatoes to grow in SoCal.
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07 Feb 20, Claudia Muscat (Australia - temperate climate): Can i plant potatoes in February? I m in NSW Wollongong area
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09 Feb 20, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate): Check here for suitable planting times www.gardenate.com/plant/Potato?zone=2
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06 Feb 20, Margareth Parua (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate): Where can I buy sequoia potato seedlings?
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06 Feb 20, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate): You actually buy seed potatoes. That is actually a potato to plant not a seed.
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06 Feb 20, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate): Look up seed selling companies, nurseries, farm produce agencies.
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Showing 201 - 210 of 831 comments

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Replying to:

Teashy, potatoes often resprout after a shock like that, have faith, and they could be okay. In my climate, they often get frosted off completely, but then come back from the dead. Mary, potatoes have a really hard time in the tropics/sub tropics. I think there will be some years when there is just too much against them. This year seems to be a bit hotter than normal, so maybe they have a few too many bugs this year, combined with the unusual heat, it could just be a year to concentrate on other crops. If you plant them in the shade, they will do a lot better. It isn't too late to plant some fresh ones, and don't put them in direct sunlight. They are quite tenacious, and will grow in quite low light. The reason they didn't develop more taters is, as you rightly point out, that they just didn't have the time to grow to their full potential.

- adam synnott

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Solanum tuberosum : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

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