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Potatoes
Originally from South America, potatoes were adopted so enthusiastically in Europe that they became the staple food of many European peasant populations. And, up to fifty years ago, potatoes made up a substantial proportion of the Australian diet. Their dominance only began to fade after World War Two.
Potatoes were first brought to Australia in 1788 on the First Fleet. By the early 1800s they were being grown in abundance in the young colony.
In 1830 the first shipment of Tasmanian potatoes arrived in New South Wales. The island state quickly established itself as the premier supplier of superior spuds.
Potatoes used to be grown in just about every Australian backyard but their popularity in the garden has waned, just as it has in the kitchen. This is a shame because potatoes are easy to grow and fun to try. And, if you’re establishing a new garden, it’s worth reviving the old custom of planting potatoes to break up the soil.
In the first Yates Garden Guide (1895), Arthur Yates supplied a full page of instructions on potato culture. "Few crops require so much potash as potatoes,’ he wrote, subsequently recommending adding ‘wood ashes or other potash manure’ to the bed.
Fortunately these days we don’t have to resort to spreading ashes. We can keep potatoes growing happily by adding Thrive Complete Fertiliser to the soil before planting, then watering plants regularly with Thrive Soluble Flower & Fruit. Thrive Flower & Fruit is ideal because it has a high potash content that’s balanced with nitrogen, phosphorus and minor nutrients.
It’s best to buy the certified disease-free seed potatoes that are available at this time of year, but you can choose healthy potatoes from your vegie drawer. Leave small tubers intact but cut larger ones into two or three pieces, each with at least two buds (called ‘eyes’). Harden off the pieces in a shady spot for a week or two before planting.
Potato plants need very little care but, as the plants grow, the soil can be mounded up around the base. Some experts instead recommend mulching heavily with organic compost.
Watch out for sap-sucking aphids on the young growth. They can be controlled with low toxic Confidor. Yates organic Natrasoap will treat most other insect pests.
Fungal blights are most likely to attack in damp weather. They start off as leaf spots and can lead to rotting of the entire tuber. Treat with Yates Leaf Curl Copper Fungicide (Copper oxychloride).
‘Bandicooting’ – extracting small tubers from under the plants – will produce enough baby spuds for a few meals, but potatoes for storage should be dug after the plants have died down at the end of the season. Discard any with green skins – they may contain a poison.
After flowering, potatoes sometimes develop small, tomato-like fruits. These aren’t edible, so should be removed and discarded.
Don’t have room for a potato bed? Try growing your spuds in a large pot or a four-high stack of old tyres.
Comments (18)
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This area is for general comments from the Yates Garden Club community. Questions posted here will not receive a reply from Yates. For specific gardening advice visit Ask an Expert
mariah
Yates site member
10:19, 05 March 2011
good
Jodie
Yates site member
17:42, 10 March 2011
Let the games begin, Thanks for the advise on blights, as I seem to have it on my silverbeet.
stephen
Yates site member
21:06, 12 March 2011
i like the advise about using old tyres to grow potatoes
Hugh
Yates site member
19:21, 29 March 2011
I find Delaware to be the most prolific varity in my garden
Caroline
Yates site member
17:48, 05 April 2011
Why should the tyres be 4 high? Do you start with 2 and then 'mound' by adding another and another?
Garry
Yates site member
20:53, 22 April 2011
please advise on how to grow potatoes in tyres
Gerard
Yates site member
00:26, 24 April 2011
I had read that the growing of potatoes in tyres may not be the best idea due to the potential for leaching of compounds from the tyre to the soil
Kate
Yates site member
12:14, 21 June 2011
Hey Gerard, I heard that too, after doing a little research I found another solution. On a cleared spot I laid a mound (about 60 cm in diameter) of excellent quality soil, added my potatoes then enclosed the mound with a ring of chicken wire. I had the chicken wire cut to 2 meters, I ended up with about 20cms over. Next I covered the potatoes with composted cow poo and a light mulch. As the tops of the potato plant grows, keep topping up with poo and mulch.. Best thing about using chicken wire is you can create a little hole at the bottom to get your 'new' potatoes out easily. Good Luck!
Kate
Yates site member
12:16, 21 June 2011
Opps, nearly forgot!! It's also a good idea to use 4 wooden stakes on the inside of your chicken wire ring to keep it nice and sturdy. K
Heather
Yates site member
14:11, 02 May 2011
My husband just made me an area to grow my pototoes now we just plant our pototoes and also sweet pototoes looking forward to home grown.
Fred
Yates site member
08:24, 07 June 2011
I find if I get the potatoes in the ground as soon as possible with our climate in Bairnsdale (Victoria) I find a second crop is possible. This alaso applies to sweet corn. Weather permitting
katie
Yates site member
19:09, 02 September 2011
I have some purplish potatoes growing in my garden but they dont seems to grow well.They produce very small potatoes.Are they normally that small in size or am I not doing the right thing
Ross
Yates site member
13:30, 03 September 2011
I grow Serbago, Pontiac & Dutch creams. I find these do well in our climate here at Tweed Heads. They MUST be planted in the cold months otherwise the crop is small. Potatoes like a cold climate, and only bu growing in our coldest months do they do well, so I plant in mid May each year
blake
Yates site member
18:53, 05 October 2011
Should I grow potatoes with seed potatoes or not?
blake
Yates site member
18:54, 05 October 2011
Should I grow potatoes with seed potatoes or not?
hilda
Yates site member
22:23, 06 October 2011
i think the chicken wire idea sounds and i think i might give it a try i am currently growing potatoes in a planter bag it is my second attempt at growing my own potatoes the first time i tried i didnt get a very good harvest but i think the potatoes i am growing now will be better and also kate do you think the chicken wire idea would be useful to grow sweet potatoes
Colleen
Yates site member
12:53, 07 October 2011
When do I start mounding up around my potato plants?
ron
Yates site member
12:25, 18 October 2011
can you prune growth to promote spud growth
Robyn
Yates site member
15:22, 02 November 2011
I live in subtropical climate planted Dutch cream tubers about 2 1/2 months ago am newbie andon't know how long until I harvest them
vicki
Yates site member
20:34, 27 December 2011
The car tyre idea didn't work for me, too much rain here in Newcastle and all that water was trapped within the tyre rim without drainage. Garden planting doing much better!
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