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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19 Oct 12, Linda Heenan (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Are Agria seed potatoes available in Australia yet? If so, where can I buy some?
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05 Oct 12, mehmet kolgu (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi; Do I need to use mulch over the potatoes, at Sydney area. cheers M
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02 Oct 12, MattyJ (Australia - temperate climate)
Quite a lot of people eat raw potato (me included) - and i have been advised by doctors that its quite healthy to do so
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26 Mar 13, Ido (Australia - temperate climate)
Matty, It is not healthy to eat row potato, row eggplant, green tomato, green capsicum, as they all belong to the Solanum family and contain Solanum which is a poison. The heat of cooking, frying, etc. destroys part of the Solanum poison (as it destroys, also, part of the good staff in the food ) and makes the food more healthy. When the tomato and capsicum are red, they are ripe and contain less Solanum and in this stage they are more healthy to be eaten. The seeds of row capsicum, row tomato, row eggplant contain a higher concentration of Solanum and are less healthy to eat. The doctors are right when they recommend to eat row food but this advice is not applies to food items which contain some poison. Ido.
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01 Oct 12, peter dell (Australia - temperate climate)
I live in Sydney in the west. Is it ok to plant potatoes now?
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02 Oct 12, tigger (Australia - temperate climate)
yes
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04 Sep 12, Greg (Australia - temperate climate)
How much time between planting seperate potato crops to give a constant supply over a 6 month period .
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24 Jul 12, Catherine (Australia - tropical climate)
I would like to grow potatoes in Tropical North Qld. Is there any sort that will grow up here (apart from sweet potatoes etc)
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23 Jul 12, wayne (Australia - temperate climate)
I wish to plant potatoes but want to spread the time that the crop will mature. Can any one suggest some varieties to use. my space for this is approx 1.5m by 10m. this is a no dig style cause im lazy :-)
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07 Jul 12, D JAMES (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have two seperate beds with sebagos one I planted them deep and hilled lightly they now have big stems and sit high.The other bed Iplanted shallow and hilled up lots its stems are spindly and falling over but still seems healthy is there a reason as they are both getting the same sun and water.
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Are you looking for SWEET potatoes or regular potatoes ..... I think your climate is better suited for Sweet potatoes -- they are different (different families) and therefore have different instructions: The ideal soil temperature range for planting potatoes is 45 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit (7 to 10 degrees Celsius). After planting, the ideal temperature for growing potatoes is 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit (16 to 21 degrees Celsius). Potatoes do best in fertile, well-drained soils. However, potatoes will grow in many types of soils. Soils that are poorly drained tend to produce poorly shaped potatoes and tuber rot. Potatoes do well across a wide range of pH, but prefer slightly acidic soils; a soil pH of 5.3 to 6.0 is typical for potato production. If your soil is more acidic than this, mixing in wood ash will help raise the pH and make your soil more alkaline. Sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) are close cousins of morning glory and only distantly related to traditional potatoes. They are tender, so must be protected from frost, and like heat, full sun and regular watering. They crop best at temperatures of 21–26°C (70–80°F) PLEASE CLARIFY which type of potato.

- Faith Celeste Archer

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