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Vegetable

Potato

Solanum tuberosum

Potatoes are a versatile, starchy tuber widely grown as a staple crop. Known for their adaptability, they can be boiled, mashed, fried, or roasted, making them a cornerstone of many cuisines globally.

Potato

Quick Information

Height
60cm
Sun
Full Sun
Water
Moderate Water

Planting Calendar

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Growing Guide for

1
Prepare Potato Bed

28 Feb 2025 - 30 Mar 2025

Dig soil deeply (trench or bed), removing weeds/stones. Incorporate well-rotted compost or manure for fertility and drainage.

Choose a sunny spot in your garden. Avoid planting potatoes where potatoes or tomatoes grew in the last couple of years to prevent disease buildup.
Dig the soil about a spade's depth (20-30cm). Use well-rotted compost or manure; fresh manure can harm the developing tubers.

2
Chit Seed Potatoes

03 Mar 2025 - 17 Mar 2025

Place seed potatoes (eyes up) in a cool, bright, frost-free place (e.g., egg box on windowsill) 4-6 weeks before planting to encourage short, sturdy sprouts.

The 'rose end' is the one with the most small dents or 'eyes'. You want short, stubby, dark sprouts (green or purple), not long white ones.
Old egg boxes are perfect for holding the seed potatoes upright and spaced out while they chit.

3
Sow Seed Potatoes

31 Mar 2025 - 21 Apr 2025

Plant chitted seed potatoes 10-15cm deep, sprouts upwards, 30-40cm apart (earlies closer, maincrop wider). Cover lightly with soil.

Wider spacing for maincrop gives plants more room to grow larger and produce more tubers. Earlies grow smaller plants, so can be closer.
Handle the chitted potatoes very gently to avoid breaking off the delicate sprouts when planting.

4
First Earthing Up

25 Apr 2025 - 10 May 2025

When shoots reach ~20cm tall, draw soil up around the stems, covering about half the growth. Protects tubers from light and encourages more growth.

Earthing up stops sunlight reaching the developing tubers. Sunlight turns them green and produces solanine, which is toxic.
When drawing soil around the stems, leave the very top cluster of leaves exposed so the plant can continue to gather sunlight.

5
Fertilize Potatoes

30 Apr 2025 - 20 May 2025

Apply a balanced potato fertilizer or high-potash feed around plants as per instructions, often around the first earthing up. Avoid excess nitrogen. Water in.

Potato fertilizers are high in Potassium (potash - K), which encourages tuber growth, rather than Nitrogen (N) which favours leafy growth.
Sprinkle fertilizer near the base of the plants, but avoid direct contact with the stems. Gently mix into the surface soil if possible before watering.

6
Second Earthing Up

15 May 2025 - 30 May 2025

Repeat earthing up 2-3 weeks after the first, drawing more soil around the stems as they grow to keep developing tubers covered.

As the plants grow taller, more of the lower stem becomes exposed. Keep drawing soil up to ensure all developing tubers remain covered.
Aim to create a substantial ridge or mound of soil along the row. This provides stability and darkness for the tubers.

7
Monitor Pests & Diseases

20 Apr 2025 - 29 Jul 2025

Regularly check leaves/stems for potato blight (especially in humid weather - check blight warnings), Colorado beetles, aphids, slugs. Act promptly.

Potato Blight looks like dark, watery patches on leaves, sometimes with white mould underneath in damp weather. Remove affected leaves immediately and check blight forecast warnings.
Look for striped yellow/black Colorado beetles or their reddish larvae munching on leaves. Pick them off by hand and dispose of them.

8
Water Consistently

20 Apr 2025 - 29 Jul 2025

Water regularly, especially during dry spells and tuber formation (around flowering). Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged.

Watering is most crucial when the plants start flowering, as this is when tubers begin to swell rapidly. Dry spells now can reduce yield.
Try to water the soil at the base of the plant, rather than soaking the leaves, especially in the evening. Wet leaves can encourage blight.

9
Harvest Early Potatoes

09 Jun 2025 - 29 Jun 2025

Check "First Earlies" ~10-12 weeks after planting (often around flowering). Gently lift one plant to check size. Harvest as needed for immediate use.

Do a 'test dig' on one plant first. Gently loosen the soil with a fork and lift the plant to see if the potatoes are a usable size before harvesting the whole row.
Early potatoes are best dug up and eaten fresh as they don't store for long periods like maincrop varieties.

10
Harvest Maincrop Potatoes

29 Jun 2025 - 28 Aug 2025

Harvest "Second Earlies" (13-15 weeks) & "Maincrop" (15-20+ weeks) after foliage yellows/dies back. Consider cutting foliage 2 weeks prior to harvest to harden skins. Lift carefully with a fork on a dry day.

Cutting down the leafy tops (haulms) 2 weeks before harvest helps the potato skins to toughen up ('set'), which improves storage quality.
After digging, let potatoes dry on the soil surface for a few hours (if weather is dry), then store unwashed in paper or hessian sacks in a cool, dark, frost-free place.

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