Growing Potatoes
Posted on Tuesday 11th December 2012
Potatoes are usually grown from certified seed potatoes. Seed potatoes are typically small, disease and virus free potatoes that have already begun to sprout ‘eyes’. It is not advisable to grow potatoes bought from the supermarket as they can introduce diseases and viruses into your garden which could effect not only potatoes but all plants of the nightshade family.
Potatoes are frost sensitive and need 60 – 90 days frost free to be successfully harvested. In warmer regions like Queensland it is best to start growing potatoes around mid March through to late July while the ground is cool, potatoes don’t fare well in extreme heat. In cooler regions like Melbourne potatoes should be sown from September to December to avoid frosts during the winter.
There are many different techniques to growing potatoes such as no dig gardens, raised garden beds, traditional well worked plots, bags, tyres, cages etc. It really comes down to personal preference and space as to which method you choose.
Seed potatoes should be planted about two to three inches deep into a well prepared plot. Space potatoes about a foot apart to encourage a high yielding harvest. Potato plants don’t need fertilising as this will just increase leafy growth and result in a lack of tubers upon harvest.
It is important to rotate potato crops with a different type of crop such as a leafy crop like lettuce or cabbage. By rotating potatoes with other crops it helps to prevent pest and disease build up. Potato plants are susceptible to blight and other fungal diseases, however if picked up early they can usually be controlled.
