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

20 Jan 17, Bill Gee (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
See Otago Daily Times Friday 20 January, "plant early maturing potatoes now for harvest at Easter."
02 Feb 17, (New Zealand - temperate climate)
You can plant a late crop of potatoes in January as long as you have sprouted seed ready. One thing to be wary of is the Psyllid bug as it is active as the weather warms up. There are mesh products available that you drape over the crop and that keeps the bugs off.
21 Dec 16, Trevor (Australia - temperate climate)
I Live in Portland Victoria And The Temp Changes From Mild To Hot
11 Dec 16, feel (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
can you plant potatoes in late summer? and what makes the potatoes get the {soft rot}?
02 Feb 17, Edwin Matebesi (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate)
Hi, When exactly can I plant Potatoes?, Is it posible that I can still plant them in this Period?, I live in Northern cape province-Sub sahara desert. Thanks, Regards
25 Nov 16, jenny (Australia - temperate climate)
can l plant potatoes late November.
27 Nov 16, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Go for it Jenny! There is still plenty of growing time and you could plant them later still. Potatoes can be harvested as 'New' potatoes a month after flowering so even if winter comes early you will still have that 'Old' potatoes are harvested after the tops die down and will keep for longer.
22 Nov 16, Johan Hugo (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
Where can I buy seed potatos in Johannesburg?
02 Nov 16, ken barker (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Ive tried to grow potatoes twice, but tiny and not many. I have very little sun in yard. Is this the problem? Grow them in containers
30 Dec 16, Paul (Australia - temperate climate)
It sounds like they have been planted too close together
Showing 421 - 430 of 831 comments

I would like to endorse the comments above regarding the use of tyres to grow Potatoes or in fact use to grow any any food. The rubber compounds in both the carcase and tread contain significant numbers of nasties. Tyres are designed to perform at high speed under quite arduous conditions, absolutely not designed as end of life food growing receptacles! They contain many potential hazards/chemicals, far too many to fully list. I will list just a couple,so that fellow readers who do not have my background can appreciate better what they are dealing with. Firstly the reinforcing Carbon Blacks utilized in the rubber compounds, contain significant amounts of Organo-Nitrogen compounds, blacks of this type are banned for use with any "Potable Water" applications! the reason being these compounds are considered as being high risk carciogens. There are special Blacks made specifically for food contact applications, rubber reinforcing blacks are definitely not suitable. Processing aids, The rubber in the tyres must be made to be strong/resilient/heat resistant; specially designed chemical compounds are encorporated into the rubber compounds to achieve this. The chemical compounds used present problems in many directions, firstly they are not ( dont need to be) pure compounds they contain debris from the chemical synthesis processes used to make them; these same compounds also decompose both during Vulcanization and during the life of the tyre. The Organo-Chemical families many of these compounds belong to include compounds that are considered hazardous and not suitable for food contact. The possibility of side chemical reactions between both the impurities and the debris from the degradation, resulting in compounds that could present significant hazards is real. Are tyres dangerous? yes! when attached to cars driven by idiots and when used as receptacles to grow food; otherwise no!

- Geoff Brooks

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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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