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Name: potato (Solanum tuberosum).
Height: 0.5m.
Foliage: dark green, divided into a number of unevenly sized leaflets.
Climate: varieties are available for all but arid zones. Grows best in warm seasons.
Soil: virtually any soil, provided drainage is good.
Position: full sun.
Flowering and fruiting: tubers are ready for harvest around 15–20 weeks after planting.
Feeding: none should be required post-planting in well-prepared soil.
Watering: keep moist during hot or dry periods, but do not overwater.
The potato is a perennial that we treat as an annual root crop. The potato tuber is not actually a root, but rather, is a storage organ designed to help the plant survive and regenerate.
Growth above ground will be dense and moderately vigorous. Small white or mauve flowers will be produced, and depending on climate these may produce fruit. The fruit looks like a small, green cherry tomato. However, it is quite poisonous, so is best removed.
Potato is grown purely as an edible crop, and makes a worthwhile addition to a larger veggie garden.
Potato is grown from seed potatoes, which aren't in fact seeds at all – they are small, specially grown disease-free potatoes. Different varieties perform best in different climate zones. Your local Bunnings nursery will stock the right varieties for your region.
The key to growing potato is getting your timing right and ensuring the plant doesn't become too wet. Your potato will perform best in a spot with full sun and wind protection. Plant in a soil or potting mix that is free-draining.
In tropical and sub-tropical regions, you can plant your potato year-round. However, avoid it being in the ground during the wet season. In cooler regions, plant from June onwards.
Follow these tips when growing potato in the ground:
Prepare soil in advance of planting. Dig the area over to at least a spade's depth, creating a mound or mounded row.
Blend in a quality, well-composted manure or compost at least a week before planting.
Place a controlled-release fertiliser in the bottom of the planting area then cover with a few centimetres of soil. Put seed potatoes at a depth of 10cm, about 30cm apart, before covering with soil.
As the plants grow you can push extra soil against the stems to encourage increased tuber production.
Follow these steps when growing potato in bags or tubs:
Your bag or tub must have excellent drainage.
Put a layer of premium-quality potting mix at least 20cm deep in the base.
Place seed potatoes on this base layer and then cover with potting mix to a depth of around 10cm.
Spread controlled-release fertiliser and then mulch with lucerne or pea straw.
Once shoots reach around 5cm in height, add another layer of potting mix and mulch, leaving just the tips exposed.
Repeat until your bag or tub is full to the top.
If the soil has been well prepared or you've used a quality potting mix, very little care will be required. Ensure a good supply of water, but do not allow the potato to become waterlogged.
The majority of problems that potato can suffer from relate to soil-borne pathogens, but these can be easily avoided. Use quality, fresh seed potatoes every season, and practise crop rotation. Potatoes should only be grown in the same bed once every three years.
Also note, overwatering can induce fungal problems.
You can start digging out small ‘new' potatoes around four weeks after the plant has flowered, when the lower leaves start yellowing off. For larger potatoes, wait until the plant dies back.
To harvest potatoes grown in-ground, carefully turn out the tubers with a garden fork. If growing in a bag or tub, tip them over and knock out the mix to retrieve your crop.
Seed potatoes can be divided up to create multiple plants from each potato. Cut them into big chunks, with each segment having at least one ‘eye' – this is where a shoot will come from. Let cut pieces dry for around 24 hours before planting.
If your potatoes fruit and you allow the fruit to ripen you can harvest them for seed. Remove the seed from the fruit and spread in rows in a tray of seed-raising mix. Keep moist, but not wet, in a warm spot before planting out.
Potato can also be grown from shooting supermarket-bought tubers, however this can cause disease problems.
After applying fertiliser, delay harvesting for a few days and rinse well before cooking and eating. If using products to deal with pests, diseases or weeds, always read the label, follow the instructions carefully and wear suitable protective equipment. Store all garden chemicals out of the reach of children and pets.
Garlic: known the world over for its culinary and traditional medicinal uses, garlic is super easy to grow at home.
Onions: a great crop to grow because they are a vegetable that stores well and can be used over a long period of time.
Pumpkins: a trailing plant that will cover a lot of ground and even climb over fences and other structures.
Check out our huge range of plants now and get your garden growing!
Asbestos, lead-based paints and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber are health hazards you need to look out for when renovating older homes. These substances can easily be disturbed when renovating and exposure to them can cause a range of life-threatening diseases and conditions including cancer. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer or visit our Health & Safety page.
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