Growing Potato

Solanum tuberosum : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

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

(Best months for growing Potato in Australia - sub-tropical 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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13 Oct 21, Renato (Australia - tropical climate)
What potato variety should I plant the early,mid or late variety and which is the best to plant in tropical climate?
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18 Sep 21, Mike Val. (Australia - temperate climate)
Query re coffee grounds - I have been composting for a few good years now, and I am fairly sure that if coffee grounds are left out on a plastic or concrete surface in sunlight for a month+ it will accelerate its breakdown and can be incorporated into the soil. If you are on good terms with a local cafeteria or coffee shop, their daily throw-out will astound you. Have incorporated this into my composting regime for some years now and grow some impressive veg. The trick is in the dry composting of the grounds before incorporating it into the larger composting mix. Give it a go !
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28 Sep 21, Anon (Australia - tropical climate)
I beg to differ. For anything to breakdown (to decompose) it needs air, water, carbon and nitrogen. Most things have a mix of carbon and nitrogen. Greens more nitrogen and dry things more carbon. You use grindings as a nitrogen source. By placing it out in the sun and drying I would think you are losing some of the nitrogen. It is like fresh manure would have more N than old manure. Placing grindings straight into soil is not recommended, it has to break down first. For good compost you need a big pile 1200-1500mm high, a good mix of N and C and for it to be watered and turned regularly. By doing this you create the heat to activate the bacteria etc to break the ingrediencies down. Compost is a great soil conditioner, it has very limited N P K.
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17 Aug 21, Stephen Stallard (Australia - temperate climate)
Where can I buy any English Variety "New Potatoes" for planting in our Home Garden. Any ideas would be very much appreciated. Many thanks. Stephen
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29 Aug 21, Anon (Australia - temperate climate)
Try an on-line search where to buy it.
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07 Aug 21, Elaine (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
How best can I use, an old bag of coffee grinds in the garden.
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01 Sep 21, Janet (Australia - temperate climate)
We had tomato and capsicum plants that were growing really nicely and promising in big pots with organic potting soil, compost and fertiliser. When we heard about coffee grounds and applied them, it really set these plants back (visibly evidenced) and they did not fruit much at all. They were our pride and joy. There are new articles on the Net about coffee grounds Not being a good idea close to our plants - there maybe a few exceptions. We would never take the risk again.
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09 Aug 21, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Just spread it out thinly in the garden and mix into the soil. Or use it in your compost if you are making it.
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23 Jul 21, Michelle Manning (Australia - temperate climate)
Hello I live in northern NSW Australia what is the best potatoes to grow in this area ? Thanks
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06 Aug 21, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
It is more about what variety you want to eat. Five people will probably tell you 5 different varieties.
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Showing 41 - 50 of 561 comments
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I live in Zone 7b in Arkansas. It's been an unusually cool and wet spring / summer. I planted four varieties in a prepared bed. (composted manure was tilled in.) The varieties were Pontiac red, Kenebek, Russet and Yukon Gold in roughly equal amounts, purchased prepackaged at a farm store. The seed potatoes were sown in rows 12 -18 inch spacing on Feb 28 by burying shallow, then covering with several inches of composted manure followed by several inches of straw, two bales on roughly 120 sq feet. I did not document when they sprouted but it seemed weak initially but success rate of sprouts was eventually good. The composted manure is weedy and so was the straw, eventually weed pressure was high so I covered with another layer of composted manure. ( I don't remember the date and the plants were 20 inches or so tall, some in blossom. ) Although at the time of harvest the bed was heavy with weeds again that worked long enough to bring in a harvest on June 4th. While harvesting the soil was still quite moist, only two or three potatoes had rotted and the yield was about 2 to 3 nice sized potatoes per plant with up to three small potatoes per plant too. I followed the harvest with a sweet corn. I contemplated a second potato planting but i think it will be too hot. I'm going to make a deep raised bed from pallets manure and straw out in a shady part of my homestead and try a few to see what happens. Hopefully that helps.

- Ross

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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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