Best time to plant potato in Australia
Solanum tuberosum
Potatoes are starchy underground stem tubers, eaten as a staple across much of the world. The plant, a nightshade and a perennial, was first domesticated thousands of years ago around what is now southern Peru and north-western Bolivia. Breeding has since produced more than 5,000 varieties.
On a shared plot: suits a plot
Finishes in a season and stays within its space, so it suits most plots.
When to sow
| Zone | Months | How well checked |
|---|---|---|
| Cool | Aug to Dec | Matches local guides |
| Temperate | Jul to Oct | Broadly matches local guides, with some differences |
| Subtropical | May to Sep | Broadly matches local guides, with some differences |
| Tropical | Apr to May | Not yet checked against a local guide |
| Arid | Aug to Dec | Broadly matches local guides, with some differences |
Your local conditions can shift any months shown here, so treat them as a guide.
Growing details
- How to start
- Sow directly in the bed
- Sowing depth
- 10-15cm
- Plant spacing
- 30cm
- Row spacing
- 90cm
- Height
- 60cm
- Time to harvest
- 85-105 days
- Frost
- Semi-hardy, protect from hard frost
- Sun
- Full sun
- Life cycle
- annual
These are typical figures, and varieties differ. Your seed packet takes priority.