How to grow Potato in Australia
Potatoes are a rewarding crop: one seed potato gives a good handful of tubers, and you can dig new potatoes as soon as the plants flower. Plant only certified seed potatoes, grow them in rich, well-drained soil in full sun, and keep the tubers covered from light, as green potatoes are poisonous.
📖 Our full guide: How to Grow Potatoes in Australia
At a glance
When to sow by region
| Region | When to sow | Regional note |
|---|---|---|
| South East Queensland | March to August | |
| Northern Rivers NSW | March to August | |
| Sydney & Coastal NSW | March to May, August | Plant an autumn crop from March to May and a late winter crop in August. Avoid frost and the summer heat. |
| Melbourne & Victoria | August to November | Plant certified seed potatoes Aug to Nov (spring). Autumn planting fails in Melbourne: winter frost kills the tops. Protect shoots that emerge before the last frost. |
| Adelaide & SA | August to November | Plant certified seed potatoes Aug to Nov; watch late frosts in Aug, especially in the Hills. Autumn planting risks frosted tops in winter. |
| Perth & WA | March to May, August and September | Two windows: autumn Mar to May on the frost light plain and coast, late winter to spring Aug to Sep everywhere. Frosty Swan Valley floor and Hills plant spring only. Certified WA seed. |
| Tasmania | September to December | Plant certified seed potatoes Sep to Dec. Pink Eye can go in from late Aug near the coast. Hill against late frost. Prime potato country. |
| Canberra & ACT | September to January | Plant Sep to Dec after soil warms; hill well as late frosts burn early shoots. Jan planting gives a quick autumn crop. Never plant into frozen winter soil. |
| North Queensland | May to August | Dry season May to Aug. Potato needs cool temps; plant in dry season only. |
| Darwin & Top End | May to August | Dry season May to Aug. Potato needs cool temps; plant in dry season only. |
Where to plant
Grow potatoes in full sun in rich, loose, well-drained soil that is slightly acid. Dig in compost and well-rotted manure, not fresh manure, which encourages leaves rather than tubers.
Rotate: potatoes are in the tomato family with capsicum and eggplant, and share their pests and diseases. Do not plant where any of them grew in the last few years. Potatoes are also hard to get rid of from a bed, as any missed tubers regrow, so many gardeners grow them in bags or containers that can be tipped out completely.
- Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra and Hobart: plant certified seed in late winter to spring, from about August to November (to December in Hobart and Canberra). Autumn planting fails where winter frost kills the tops. Hobart is prime potato country.
- Sydney: plant an autumn crop from March to May and a late winter crop in August, avoiding frost and summer heat.
- Perth: two windows, autumn (March to May) on the frost-light plain and coast, and late winter to spring (August to September) everywhere. Frosty areas plant in spring only. Use certified WA seed.
- South East Queensland and the Northern Rivers: plant from March to August, in the cool, dry months.
- North Queensland and Darwin: plant in the dry season only, May to August.
Choosing a variety
| Texture | Uses and examples |
|---|---|
| Floury | Fluffy and dry, best for baking, chips and mash: King Edward, Coliban, Purple Congo |
| Waxy | Hold their shape; best for salads: Nicola, Kipfler, Dutch Cream, Pink Eye, Pink Fir Apple |
| All-rounders | Boil, mash, bake or roast: Desiree, Kennebec, Red Pontiac, Royal Blue, Sebago, Spunta |
Some varieties form tubers up the buried stem and benefit from hilling, and take about 16 to 19 weeks (for example Dutch Cream, King Edward, Nicola and Sebago). Others form tubers near the planting depth and are quicker, about 10 to 13 weeks (for example Kennebec, Kipfler, Pink Eye and Red Pontiac).
Buy certified seed potatoes, which are free of disease. Supermarket potatoes can carry disease and may be treated to stop sprouting.
How to plant
- About a week before planting, leave whole seed potatoes in a sunny spot to harden them and start them sprouting.
- Plant small, egg-sized seed potatoes whole. Cut larger ones into pieces with at least one eye each, and let the cut surfaces dry for a few days.
- Dig a trench about 15 to 20 cm deep, add compost and a little blood and bone, and cover with soil.
- Plant the seed potatoes about 10 cm deep and 25 to 30 cm apart, sprouts facing up, in rows about 50 cm apart. Water in.
- As the shoots grow, keep covering them with soil or straw, leaving the top leaves showing, until the trench is filled and a mound forms.
Watering and feeding
Water steadily once shoots appear, and especially from flowering, when tubers are forming. Uneven watering gives knobbly or split tubers. Ease off as the leaves yellow and die back, and avoid wetting the leaves late in the day.
Feed with compost and a balanced fertiliser at planting, and a seaweed tonic or potassium-rich feed at flowering. Too much nitrogen gives leaves at the expense of tubers.
Pruning and care through the year
- Keep hilling soil or mulch around the stems so no tubers are exposed to light. Light turns potatoes green and poisonous, and peeling does not remove the toxin.
- Cover plants on nights when frost is forecast; the tops are frost tender.
- Pick off 28-spotted ladybirds and their spiky yellow larvae, which skeletonise the leaves.
- Remove any volunteer plants from old potato beds, as they carry over pests and diseases.
Harvesting
For new potatoes, start digging carefully when the plants flower and the lower leaves begin to yellow, feeling around the roots for tubers. For the main crop, wait until the tops have died down, then lift whole plants with a fork, working in from the edge to avoid spearing tubers.
Potatoes keep best in the ground until needed. Once lifted, do not wash them; brush off loose soil and store them in a cool, dark, dry, airy place, away from light, for up to about two months. Do not refrigerate them. Discard any that are green.
Growing in pots
Potatoes grow well in a large pot, bin or grow bag at least 50 cm deep. Put 15 cm of mix in the bottom, plant two or three seed potatoes, and keep adding mix as the shoots grow. Harvest by tipping the container out, which also makes sure no tubers are left behind.
Using it
Choose floury potatoes for mash, chips and baking, waxy ones for salads and boiling, and all-rounders for everything. New potatoes are best boiled or steamed soon after digging.
Companion planting
Keep potatoes away from their own family and rotate them each year. Plants from other families can share the bed.
Good companions
- Beans A different family that can share the rotation and leaves nitrogen behind for following crops.
- Nasturtium A low flowering edge plant that brings in helpful insects.
- Marigold Small annual flowers for the bed edge that draw in hoverflies and other predators.
- Corn A tall summer crop from a different family that fits the rotation after or beside potatoes.
Keep apart
Avoid planting these close to potato.
Pests and diseases
Rotation, certified seed and hilling prevent most potato problems.
Pests to watch for
- 28-spotted ladybird Orange ladybirds with many black spots and spiky yellow larvae that skeletonise the leaves.
- Aphids Clusters of small soft insects under leaves and on shoots; they also spread virus.
- Wireworm Narrow holes bored through tubers by thin, hard, orange-brown larvae, worst after grass or pasture.
- Loopers Green caterpillars that move with a looping action, chewing holes in the leaves.
- Potato moth Tunnels in leaves and tubers from small caterpillars. Hill well so no tubers are exposed and harvest promptly.
Diseases to watch for
- Early blight Dark brown spots with fine concentric rings on the leaves, which can join up and kill the leaves; small sunken spots on tubers.
- Late blight Dark, water-soaked patches on leaves in cool, wet weather that spread fast, with white mould underneath, and rotting tubers.
- Common scab Rough, corky patches or pits on the tuber skin, worse in neutral or alkaline soil and when the soil is dry while tubers are forming. Avoid liming potato beds.
Common questions
Can I plant supermarket potatoes?
It is not recommended. They can carry disease into your soil and may be treated to stop sprouting. Certified seed potatoes are disease free and give a better crop.
Are green potatoes safe to eat?
No. Potatoes exposed to light turn green and develop a toxin, solanine, and peeling does not make them safe. Keep tubers covered with soil and store them in the dark.
When should I harvest potatoes?
Dig new potatoes when the plants flower and the lower leaves yellow. Lift the main crop once the tops have died down completely.
Do I need to hill potatoes?
Yes, for most varieties. Pile soil or straw around the stems as they grow so tubers stay covered and more form along the buried stem. Quick, compact varieties need less hilling.
Can I grow potatoes in a bag?
Yes. Use a bag or container at least 50 cm deep, keep adding mix as the shoots grow, and tip it out to harvest.
When do I plant potatoes in Melbourne?
From August to November, in late winter to spring. Autumn planting fails because winter frost kills the tops. Cover early shoots if a late frost is forecast.
Why are my potatoes small?
Common causes are dry soil while tubers form, too much nitrogen, crowding, or harvesting before the plants have died down. Water steadily from flowering and space plants 25 to 30 cm apart.
Sources we checked: Local Food Connect (Robin Gale-Baker): Growing potatoes; RHS: How to grow potatoes; Agriculture Victoria: Target spot (early blight) of potatoes; Agriculture Victoria: Common scab of potatoes; Business Queensland: Potato moth.