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 Australia - tropical regions)

  • P = Plant seed potatoes
  • Plant tuber. Best planted at soil temperatures between 10°C and 30°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 30 - 40 cm 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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02 Jan 14, kagiso (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
how do i get potatoe farms to supply me in south africa and how do i grow my own and get land
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31 Dec 13, jeremiah masomera (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
Hie. What's the general fungicide application frequency that is recommended during the course of growing potatoes. Is there a sort of timetable to be followed?
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16 Dec 13, albany (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
What deseases are associated with potatoes and what are the remedies? From Swaziland highveld region.
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21 Nov 13, Peter Bean (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
What, Why, How are green potatoes poisonous? If the plants have died off and the potaoes are not harvested. What will happen to the tubers
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23 Jan 14, Kit (USA - Zone 4a climate)
Green ends are not good and shouldn't be eaten. It means the potato has been exposed to the sun and light too much. It can be cut off though,
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14 Nov 13, Fred (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
I may be wrong but I took it to mean that planting potatoes in tyres opened up vulnerability to you consuming the absorbed heavy metals which the tyres are said to leach, or release into the soil. I hope this gives help, even if only an alternative perception.
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25 Sep 13, Joerg (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
Hi Potaoeplanters! I live in North East Namibia and here the potatoe supply by the two supermarkets is very poor. Could someone maybe give me an advise where i could order which seedlings for this area? Thank you for your time and effort Cheers Joerg
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27 Jan 14, sue (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
livingseeds to buy potatoes. Find them on the internet
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07 Jan 14, penelope (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
you can get seed potatoes by mail from www.livingseeds.co.za , hope this helps!
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03 May 13, Tessa (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
In SA it is quite common for people to grow vegetables in old tyres. This would also work really well with potatoes because you can just tip them over and harvest the potatoes very easily. I know this article say you shouldn't, but has anyone tried?
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Showing 101 - 110 of 113 comments
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That's a big subject! I'd say it depends on what you're trying to achieve. Do you just want a few really good veggies? Do you want to grow as much of your daily food as possible? Does your garden need to be aesthetically pleasing? There are lots of books on container gardening, you could try browsing your local library online. If space is limited, I say think about which veggies you love the most, which are pricey at the store, and which are most improved by eating fresh. Basil and salad greens for instance, are very easy to grow but very overpriced at the store. Corn and tomatoes are so much better homegrown. Whereas potatoes and onions are cheap at the store and not THAT much better homegrown so they're only worth it if you have plenty of space to devote. My advice for a beginner would be to start small and manageable, and build on that each year. Maybe this year buy a couple of Earthboxes or DIY a knockoff, and just grow a few of your favorite veggies. This will also reveal what some of your challenges might be. For instance my first year raccoons ate all my sweet corn, that taught me I would need a good fence in the future. ;-)

- colleen

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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. Gardenate 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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