Growing Potato

Solanum tuberosum : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
P                 P P P

(Best months for growing Potato in New Zealand - cool/mountain 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 Dec 20, Bonnie Ember (USA - Zone 9a climate)
Buy cloth potato bags, with flaps. Grow year round. Open velcro flaps, Enjoy! We live in the Sierra, at 3000.' Bring them in, on cold nights.
21 Nov 20, andy morzella (USA - Zone 10a climate)
what are the best sweet potato and other potatos to plant and grow in zone 10A? thank you andy
30 Nov 20, Anonymous (USA - Zone 10b climate)
It doesn't really matter. Different potatoes are good/better for different cooking, Try a search for 'potato varieties usa' to get some more results.
11 Oct 20, Neil Hjelmervik (USA - Zone 9a climate)
We have hard freezes in our garden, as low as 20degrees. What varieties do you recommend to be planted at what times?
15 Oct 20, colleen (USA - Zone 10b climate)
Not sure what part of the country you're in, but there is a garden blog I love called Homestead and Chill which is based out of California, the San Luis Obispo area, which I believe is also zone 9. As I recall the gardeners who run the blog have talked in detail about growing potatoes in their zone, and which types they've had good success with. You might want to look that up and see what they suggest. Good luck!
12 Oct 20, Anon (USA - Zone 9a climate)
I assume you are 9a zone, and you are on the potato page, then the time to plant is at top of the page. Find out what varieties grow in your area- google it.
10 Oct 20, John (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Im looking for seed potatoes for sale near Childers. I would like a decent size bag of them rather than the 6 or so i got from a local produce store. Anyone know where i can get bulk spuds seeds. TIA John
12 Oct 20, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Phone Boylans in Bundaberg and ask. They buy by the sack full.
04 Sep 20, Richard Allan (Australia - temperate climate)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgJa2wrX6lA&t=481s
07 Aug 20, Jane (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I was so disappointed my marrows n things were attacked/eaten/went to pot I stopped gardening. I've got my second wind! If I use store-bought spuds, can I plant them if they get eyes/will they actually grow and land on my plate? Live this site-thanks!! Stay safe.
Showing 141 - 150 of 830 comments

The handbook-which I provided the location to in my prior reply is not very beginner'ish but it is comprehensive covering issues you may never encounter- but you do need the reference material. I have a few thoughts to add. 1. Hilling up while the plant is growing-if you are covering leaves I find this fundamentally wrong. Leaves are specialized and designed to collect light, they are not roots. So I opt to plant my seed potatoes deep enough on day one- however I tend to have the luxury of very well airated, light soil. This means the seed potato has a steady air supply and can sense the heat from the sun even at deeper depths 2. Your seedpotatoes need all their potassium Immediately. Potatoes strangely take up all their potassium that they need really early. -and don't uptake more. If there is not enough potassium in the very early stages your potatoes might have hollow heart (looks like hollow rotting middles). Late application of potassium tends to be useless 3. Potatoes seem to respond really well to the addition of microryzal fungi - in my area we source that under pine trees in a forest- we just take some forest floor duff with a dust pan and add to the potatoe planting soil. To sum up - your seed Potatoes should be about the size of chicken eggs (if larger cut up ensuring an eye on each piece and allow a few days to heal/scab up before planting). You need to chit them(make them sprout-place in dark so they sprout). Plant in soil with Compost, a sorce of potassium and microryzal fungi. If for some reason you cannot source any compost/pottasium/microryzal fungi -plant anyhow potatoes are tough -there is still a good chance they will be Okay -depends on the condition of you soil. In my area I can water deeply once per week. Harvest when about half the leaves have fallen over as if to die. If you harvest sooner you may be compromising on size-because as long as those leaves can collect light they can store the energy in the tubers. Good luck - it is so much easier than it sounds- and all those diseases in the handbook are rare and if the plants are strong (well fed) they can manage just fine, potaoes are pretty tough root crop. In other words- you can grow potatoe.

- Celeste Archer

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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. GardenGrow 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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