Your comments and tips

29 Sep 17, Heather (Australia - temperate climate)

I'm growing just a few purple potatoes in a cage following the instructions above. I've never grown potatoes before at all so need some help please. When they sprouted the little plants are not what I imagined. I thought it would be a tallish, narrow shoot but it is a little clump of leaves about 10 cm round (the clump, not each leaf). Do I just bury this whole thing in the next layer of mulch etc? I can't imagine how it will grow through. Perhaps I should have watched more closely and mounded up before the leaves opened, but I didn't notice until they were like this (the leaves are almost the same colour as the compost mix). So, is it OK to bury them now, or should I have done it sooner? I only planted four bits and the first two are as described but the other two are just coming up now, so not too late for those perhaps but they are all together.

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02 Oct 17, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

I have never tried this. As the plant grows just add more mulch/soil around the plant but don't completely cover all leaves. Leave the top leaves out.

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28 Sep 17, violet (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)

hi im in soshanguve north of pretoria,am strugling to.get tubers. can I produce my own from the potato then plant on my one hector in november?

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15 Sep 17, Heather (New Zealand - temperate climate)

Hi. I have never grown potatoes, I would like to try is it time now central north island, Jersey Bennie seem to be popular early potatoes? Heathet

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04 Sep 17, moses (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)

where can I buy certified seed in pretoria

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03 Sep 17, Nomzamo (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)

is it ok to plant potatoes before the first rains around September? and how long will it take for them to ripen?

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23 Aug 17, Paul Kelly (Australia - temperate climate)

The leaves on my potatoes seem to be shriveling and dying. Leaving crisp brown holes in the leaves and dead stems. Could it be a fungal disease or insect attack. If it is fungal disease what should I treat it with. Could it be viral?

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25 Aug 17, Tim (Australia - temperate climate)

How old are your plants? The leaves and stems will die when its time to harvest.

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13 Aug 17, Gill (Australia - temperate climate)

Our potatoes have grown very tall..how do you know when to harvest them? With many tjanks Gill

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13 Aug 17, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

They have probably grown tall because of one or both of two things - too much nitrogen or if they had to compete for light -(tall nearby plants). I think the guide here say 12-16 weeks to harvest. The leaves will die off when it is time to harvest. My plants powered along (fed plenty of composting mulch - then they have just died - only about 12 weeks since shooting out of the ground. I pulled out one plant - a few big potatoes and a few smaller ones. Have left the others in until I need them to eat.

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