Your comments and tips

09 Jan 17, Stephanie Easthope (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)

HI Nial It depends on the variety. You can get 'early' or 'main' crops. Early varieties take about 90 days from planting to harvest, although I find I can get a good crop in just 60 days, but I am in Auckland so the temp may help. Main crops can be 120-190 days depending on the variety. If you do a google search on seed potato varieties, there are some nz websites that have tables showing the different types and how long they take to grow. Steph

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17 Jan 17, Sharron (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)

Hi. Do you ever grow 'early' potatoes late? ie just use them whenever you would like a quick crop of potatoes? And what is your favourite for flavour? I'm growing Arran Banner now. I just got a community garden plot in December and I found a bag for peanuts. They are doing well, planted mid December, but they are forming flowers already. Cheers

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20 Jul 09, Sarah (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)

Regarding the earlier comments about frost, i once flatted with a woman who forgot to harvest the container potatoes she was growing before the frosts arrived - and it can get down to -5 here, although -2 or -3 is more usual - and they came away again the next spring. i have no idea how the crop turned out, since i moved out before she dug them up, but it's worth bearing in mind that potatoes are the storage unit for the plant. if your plants get frosted, it just might mean that you have to wait until the next year for your crop.

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20 Jul 09, Sarah (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)

Ivan, if i remember rightly, your potatoes will be ready to be dug up once the leaves start turning yellow. for main crop potatoes - those that grow later in the season, you can wait until the tops die down completely before you dig, and this will help them to keep longer. if your spuds are earlys - growing early in the season, just start digging when the yellowing starts.

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20 Jul 09, Sarah (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)

Lisa, just leave your potatoes in the tyres for their entire growing season - i doubt they like being moved much since they are a root crop. you can increase the size of your crop by adding more tyres on top and filling with soil or potting mix, whatever you're currently using. leave a bit of green growth poking through though - say around 5cm or so. you could easily stack 4 or 5 tyres high.

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02 May 09, Graechel (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)

Re Tamworth potato. Be a devil and try whatever whenever. I use garbage bins suitably placed under tree and to get reasonable sun. Have had decent results from early planting and planted new crop today. It is amazing what will grow where conventional wisdom says "no way". Just don't leave out directly in the frost. Same with pineapple. Go on...have a go.

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26 Dec 08, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)

Johnny, as long as you have plenty of earth over the roots, your potatoes will be fine. The idea of covering them as they grow is to increase the number of potatoes on each plant.

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16 Sep 08, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)

Steve, it would be best if you use the manure in making compost. It has a high nitrogen content which can damage plants if used direct.

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