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 USA - Zone 5a 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

Post a comment or question Display Newest first | Oldest first, Show comments for USA | for all countries
21 Jun 09, Gavin Ryan (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I just purchased a couple of bags of seed potatoes. Will they last till Spring?
Reply or Post a new comment
17 Jun 09, Jane (Australia - temperate climate)
I have 2 bags of seed potatoes to be planted and leaving them in the light they are turning green. Is this okay?
Reply or Post a new comment
07 Jun 09, Ratchet (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi , I have just acquired a large pot , about 500 litres In Tasmania last month and purchased some seed potatoes , about a kg of mixed variety Going to drill some holes in the side of the pot at the base , add some plastic grating , old bread tray . add a couple of bags on potting mix and plant the spuds . I am thinking of then adding straight mushroom compost from the mushroom farm covering the plants as they grow ( after about 100cm ) leaving some fresh growth on the top. will the mushroom compost be enough , I can get a box trailer load for $30 from the mushroom farm and it has a mixture of what looks like black compost mxed thru it
Reply or Post a new comment
21 Jul 19, Dale (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Can anyone tell me where I can buy Dutch cream seed potatoes in the Gladstone/Calliope area QLD please.
Reply or Post a new comment
26 May 09, Andrew (Australia - temperate climate)
Jenny, the problem with potatoes planted now is that any frost will knock the tops off. If you are in a frost free area or can arrange a frost free micro-climate for them, then you can certainly plant potatoes now. I have a number of volunteers growing at te moment, but I don't expect them to last unless I cover them well. Don't expect too much growth for the next couple of months, though.
Reply or Post a new comment
25 May 09, jenny (Australia - temperate climate)
I notice that you say to plant potatoes august, sept, oct, are there any varieties that can be planted now? Thanks, Jenny
Reply or Post a new comment
23 May 09, Emma (United Kingdom - warm/temperate climate)
I put my new potatoes in on the traditional day Good Friday although that will be different for anyone in the Southern Hemisphere lol. As mentioned before they don't like frosts. Anyway, I make sure I plant them on lots of well rotted manure and earth them up when they start showing. I grow new spuds in containers and earth up with a mixture of compost and grass clippings which are free and easily available when I can be bothered to mow the lawn ! Potatoes like water and muck. When you harvest them they taste nothing like shop bought spuds !! Good Luck !
Reply or Post a new comment
11 May 09, Brad (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Had my kipflers in the ground now for 2.5 weeks and all have shooted and growing quickly. Will mound some more soil and compost over them once they are all around 10cm high. Looking good so far!!!
Reply or Post a new comment
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.
Reply or Post a new comment
24 Apr 09, Kay (Australia - temperate climate)
So if you don't get frost, can you plant now or do I have to wait until Spring? Had a self-seeded tomato that grew through Winter last year, so thought I might be able to still try potatoes?
Reply or Post a new comment
Showing 761 - 770 of 832 comments
See comments for all plants

Sorry for the late post -- I think I have the information you are looking for. First NOT ALL potatoes are suited for "tower" growth. So the first question would be how deep are your bags; if the bags are deep enough to be considered a tower, then you need to cross check this with the variety of potato you are growing. Second: when you plant a piece of potato (seed potato) this is your LOWEST POINT. Generally, a potato plant will not produce/store and tubers (potatoes) BELOW the level of the seed potato. This is why people plant the seed potatoes, wait for the green leaves to come up, and mound soil, always leaving enough leaves sticking out to collect light. You'll also note at harvest, that the lowest potato seems to have rotted; this was your seed potato that grew the plant. We plant the seed potato shallow, so the leaves get to the sun sooner/easier and start collecting light; then we mound the soil so there is room for the potato plant to set its tubers (potatoes) -- this means, that you plant you seed potatoes at the bottom of the sack, covering them with several inches of soil, and as the potato plant grows, you add soil.... always try to leave plenty of leaves sticking out of the soil so the plant can collect sun. Hope this help. From the Eagle Creek site (about their tower potato mix): Not all types of potatoes are suited for container growing, typically fingerling and late season varieties yield best. Bellanita, Bintje, Amarosa & German Butterball are the 4 varieties in this package.

- Celeste Archer

Please provide your email address if you are hoping for a reply


All comments are reviewed before displaying on the site, so your posting will not appear immediately

Gardenate App

Put Gardenate in your pocket. Get our app for iPhone, iPad or Android to add your own plants and record your plantings and harvests

Planting Reminders

Join 60,000+ gardeners who already use Gardenate and subscribe to the free Gardenate planting reminders email newsletter.


Home | Vegetables and herbs to plant | Climate zones | About Gardenate | Contact us | Privacy Policy

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.
We cannot help if you are overrun by giant slugs.