Holly's Homestead — Root & Tuber
Potato
Solanum tuberosum · Nightshade family
DIFFICULTY Easy
TYPE Annual, grown from seed tuber
MATURITY 70–120 days
TYPE Annual, grown from seed tuber
MATURITY 70–120 days
Sun
Full sun
Water
Consistent
Soil pH
5.0–6.5
Spacing
30cm × 75cm
Depth
10–12cm
01Planting & hilling
Plant seed tubers 10–12cm deep. As shoots reach 20cm, mound soil around the base — hilling protects tubers from sun (which turns them green and toxic) and encourages a larger yield along the buried stem.
02Planting
Method
Chit seed tubers 2–3 weeks before planting in a cool, bright spot until short sprouts form.
Soil
Loose, well-drained, high organic matter. Avoid fresh manure — it encourages scab.
Timing
Plant after last frost once soil reaches ~10°C.
03Growing care
- Water deeply and evenly — irregular watering causes hollow heart and knobbly tubers.
- Hill soil every 2–3 weeks until foliage closes over.
- Feed with a low-nitrogen, potassium-rich fertiliser once flowering begins.
- Mulch with straw to retain moisture and suppress light reaching tubers.
04Problems
- Blight — dark leaf lesions in wet weather; improve airflow, avoid overhead watering.
- Potato moth — larvae tunnel tubers; keep well hilled and mulched.
- Scab — corky patches from alkaline, dry soil; keep pH below 6 and water consistently.
- Green tubers — sun exposure; hill promptly, do not eat green parts.
05Harvest & storage
Signs
Foliage yellows and dies back for main crop; flowering for new "chat" potatoes.
Method
Fork gently from the outside of the hill inward to avoid piercing tubers.
Curing
Dry in a dark, airy spot 1–2 weeks to toughen skins before storage.
Storage
Cool (4–10°C), dark, ventilated. Keeps 4–6 months. Never refrigerate raw.
06Companions & rotation
Plant nearby
BeansCornBrassicasMarigoldHorseradish
Avoid nearby
TomatoCucumberPumpkinSunflower
Rotation note
Avoid planting after other nightshades (tomato, capsicum, eggplant) for 2–3 years to reduce shared soil-borne disease.