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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11 Apr 10, Chris (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
To grow Potatoes in Australia (cooler areas) you should start to prepare your bed now. I plant my potatoes every year when the blossoms start to bud on trees. so around late August/early September You can get seed potatoes from local nurseries or bunning's in the vegetable section. you need alot of sunshine full sun is ideal though part shade is fine..... :) x
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31 Mar 10, Pure Organic Oasis (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi there Marion, I bought some Sebago seed potatoes yesterday at the garden centre on Moggill Road near the corner of rafting ground road Pullenvale (where the Still Tool Centre is) and the Brookfield Garden Centre tells me that they are getting them in this Thursday also. Best of luck! J
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29 Mar 10, Marion (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Where in Brisbane or Ipswich can I buy seed potatoes?
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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
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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?
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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.
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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
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24 Feb 10, rylie (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
what height and width is a avarage potato?
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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.
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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
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Showing 451 - 460 of 563 comments
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I live in Southern California Zone 10A and grow potatoes year-round in bags and containers, anywhere from 5 to 15 gallons size. I have found what works well for me is to put about 4-6 inches of good soil in the container, lay a few seed potatoes on top so the slips are pointed up, about 12 inches apart, then cover them with about 4-6 inches of soil, and water moderately or they will rot. These potatoes will only produce new tubers in the soil about 6-12 inches above the original seed potatoes, so when the plants are about a foot above the soil, if I have any new add seed potatoes and the container has enough room, when I add more soil I may consider adding a few more seed potatoes that will produce "baby potatoes" above the older tubers, then cover them with another 6 inches of soil that will also bury more of the new growth of the first seed potatoes. Doing this stimulates more growth, and I may even add even more soil as the plants get taller depending on the depth of the container. I don't always add the second layer of seed potatoes, but doing this produces a few larger potatoes below (Baked Potatoes!) and a lot of smaller potatoes above them, and they are all excellent eating. I am growing Russet, Golden, and Red potatoes in containers, but I think they are all determinant varieties since they are all started from potatoes purchased in grocery stores, and each plant only produces tubers in the area near the seed potato, but do not continue to produce tubers as the plants get taller no matter how much more soil is added. I am still learning as I go, such as "location, location, location!" is making a noticeable difference on how successful my efforts are, and I would like to find an indeterminant variety potato that will grow well in Zone 10A.

- dz

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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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