How to grow Potato
Potatoes are starchy tubers that grow underground and are one of the world's most important food crops. Home gardeners love them because they're rewarding to grow, highly productive, and store well for months.
At a glance
🌱 Grow your Potato with GardenDex
- Reminders to water it, timed to your weather and whether it's in a pot
- Frost and disease alerts for your garden, the night before
- Follow it from seed to harvest, and see what your garden grew in $
- Point your camera at any plant or bug to identify it
🗓️ When to plant
Plant seed potatoes in early to mid-spring, after the last hard frost when soil is workable and has warmed slightly. In mild climates, a second crop can be planted in mid-summer for autumn harvest.
🌰 How to plant
- Prepare loose, well-draining soil and dig furrows or holes 10–15 cm (4–6 in) deep.
- Place seed potatoes (cut into pieces with 2–3 eyes each) in the furrows, cut-side down.
- Cover with soil and water gently to settle; add mulch to conserve moisture and block light.
- As shoots emerge, hill soil or mulch around the base to prevent green tubers from sun exposure.
💧 Care
- Hill the soil around plants every 2–3 weeks as they grow to encourage more tuber production and keep tubers covered.
- Water consistently; aim for 2.5–5 cm (1–2 in) per week, more in hot weather.
- Fertilise with balanced fertiliser or compost when plants are 15 cm (6 in) tall and again mid-season.
- Monitor for pests and diseases; remove affected leaves promptly to prevent spread.
- Mulch heavily with straw or leaves to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
🧺 Harvest
Harvest new potatoes when plants flower by carefully digging into soil; harvest main crop after foliage dies back (usually late summer to autumn) by lifting plants and collecting all tubers. Store in a cool, dark place for months.
🐛 Common problems
Late blight: Remove affected leaves, improve airflow, avoid overhead watering, and apply copper fungicide if needed.
Colorado potato beetles: Hand-pick beetles and eggs, use row covers when plants are young, or apply neem oil or spinosad.
Scab: Avoid lime in soil, maintain consistent moisture, and choose resistant varieties.
Wireworms: Rotate crops, avoid planting in newly turned sod, and keep soil clean of organic debris.
🤝 Companion plants
💚 Good neighbours: Marigold, Nasturtium, Basil, Horseradish
⚠️ Keep apart from: Tomato, Pepper, Eggplant
More vegetables guides
General guidance; local conditions vary. All care guides · Privacy