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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17 Jun 14, farmgrl (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate)
Hey timon, you do not grow potatoes from seed you use the tubers that have sprouted if you are looking for an online shop that will provide you with a specific kind of potato you would like to grow have a look at the following link: living seeds.co.za
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30 May 14, Ngaire (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Two questions: Will Dutch Creams grow in Southern Qld and are Dutch Cream organic seed potatoes available in New Zealand?
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19 May 14, leseli (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
Dear Sir/Madam I'm leseli like to plant potatoes in August 2014 im in Matatiele Next to Kokstard in Estern Cape What i really need on is all the tips that u can give me is my first time to plant potatoes and im willing to make it. where to get the right seed my ph on the siol must be.
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12 May 14, Dawn (Australia - tropical climate)
Hi, We have planted seed potatoes in the ground and wonder how long they take to sprout. Our soil is acidic
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11 May 14, mapula (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
hi lydia I am Mapula in limpopo want to plant potatoes.Were can i buy potato seedsin limpopo or gauteng. thanks
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08 May 14, Peter McIntosh (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi I live in Perth and have some potatoes growing ,they are looking very nice and I have built the soil up around them, at what point do you stop building up the soil around each plant ,and do you pinch the top out to stop them growing, We have grown a few potatoes before and we have never had flowers, what promotes flowers Look forward to hearing from you. Cheers Peter
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29 Apr 14, Melissa Bourke (Australia - temperate climate)
So, the potato plants from the potato flower seed can become a new potato plant that grows tubers? Could this be another source of potato seed iel save that seed?
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18 Apr 14, heather zaltis (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Can I plant potato tubers in april/may or is it too late?
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13 Mar 14, NATHALIE SLUIK (Australia - arid climate)
CAN YOU BUY JERSEY BENNE POTATOS IN AUSTRALIA
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04 Mar 14, kenneth Ntshingila (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
have 3hactors land,good deep soil available for potatoe planting.can get 3000 litre of water per hour is the water enough .What is the best seed to plant in Randfontein area
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Hi fellow spudsters, I grew my first crop of potatoes last year. I had two lots; some I grew in hessian sacks and some I planted in the ground in a patch of soil/horse manure/compost mix. The sacks I kept topping up with a mix of potting mix/horse manure and staw - each time the stalks grew up I covered them. The spuds in the ground I more of less just left, every now and then I covered them with an extra bit of straw. Into both lots I shook some vegetable fertilizer specific for potatoes (can't remember what it was called but it look a bit like big white salt crystals). Both ways of growing were very very successful - very many spuds and very very yummo! I had about four or five different types of spuds and pulling them up was a great surprise because I just bunged them all in together and have no idea which was which but they were all really really lovely. Genuinely better than any I have every bought from a shop. I guess the ones in the shop must be stored for quite a while. I harveted that lot in March this year. The bags seemed to be a lot of work though, so this year I have planted spuds (a month ago - 20 September) in the vegie patch (mix of vegie potting mix, manure - sheep pooh I think and lucerne mulch) and covered them with pea straw. As they sprout all I plan to do is throw a bit of potato fertilizer about and cover the green parts with straw as they grow. These ones I have actually marked which is which. Lessens the surprise I guess but will be fun knowing which one I am eating.

- Mary

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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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