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

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26 Apr 15, Deb (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Kate I do hope someone answers you soon as i am also in SA ..I will just try my luck by planting this week and see ho things go..i will let you know what happens....Trail and error i suppose...Deb
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19 Mar 15, Emmaculate ramphela (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
I have a pice of land where I want to plant the potatoes. So I don't know what to do as a first step to start this project.
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24 Feb 15, Garth (Australia - tropical climate)
Can these seeds be kept for any length of time, if so how?.
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09 Feb 15, Ann-Marie (Australia - temperate climate)
I have tried several times to grow store bought kestrel potatoes, and whilst I get a great looking plant. Never one potato, whilst other bought ones produce. I am in SA. Are the Kestrals treated to prevent growth and is there anywhere I can buy Kestral seed potatoes when the season starts Thank you and look for a reply Ann-Marie
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05 Feb 15, Wendy (Australia - temperate climate)
We are just harvesting our potatoes and find that several of them feel spongy but otherwise seem okay. What would cause this and are they okay to eat ?
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28 Jan 15, Diane (Australia - temperate climate)
My potato bushes are starting to turn yellow and I have noticed there are small green berry's growing where the flowers were , what are these???
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16 Mar 15, Maggie (Australia - temperate climate)
Nothing just don't worry about that's what I would say. they are like little seed pods . Cheers Maggie
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30 Jan 15, Tracey (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Diane, the small green berrys are actually seed pods, if you get these on your plants it means the potatoes are very happy where you've grown them and are in ideal conditions. If you use these seeds you can get a really good crop of genetically diverse potatoes unlike those grown from seed potatoes which will only produce clones. Cheers Tracey
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29 Jan 15, Olmec Sinclair (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Diane, Generally when plant leaves turn yellow it can be a sign of nitrogen deficiency. Perhaps you need to feed the spuds with some quick release fertiliser. It may also be that the plants are nearing maturity and dying back.... time to harvest? The green berries are perfectly normal and are the potato seeds. Kind of like a tiny tomato. If you were to plant these you would produce a new, unique variety of potato.
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28 Jan 15, Amy (Australia - temperate climate)
Is it too early in the year to plant now?
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I'm not certain if the initial question is using the correct terminology or not... there are so many different ways to categorize things. If it is determinate verses indeterminate -- then it is like tomatoes -- the indeterminate are like a vine, and continue to grow - which means they CAN BE towered ( but don't have to be) and they will continue to put out "layers" of tubers as you hill up. However, indeterminate potatoes can be grown as determinate.... you DON'T HAVE TO tower or hill up -- so long as you plant the seed potato deep enough. You can get more potatoes per square foot of real estate out of the indeterminate type of potato, but it does take longer. So you need to think about - time verses space verses growing methods.

- 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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