Growing potatoes
2026-06-17T09:20:48+10:00
Growing spuds is a rewarding process, with each crop offering a generous yield and the simple joy of digging your own. Keen to get started? The ideal time is during the cooler months, and with a bit of know-how, growing them easy.
When you’re getting started, it’s tempting to use kitchen potatoes that are sprouting, but certified seed potatoes are far more reliable. They’re disease-free and bred for strong growth. Set your space – you can maximise your harvest by planting potatoes in towers set within the garden bed. A simple wire tower is cost-effective and makes hilling easy. Once shoots, or ‘eyes’, appear, plant the whole seed potato into compost-rich soil and cover lightly. As plants grow, continue hilling, using the tower for support.
POTATO NUGGETS
- Potatoes were first domesticated more than 7000 years ago in Peru.
- It’s true! Green potatoes can be toxic. Green spuds contain the compound solanine, a natural toxin.
- Potatoes were possibly nicknamed spuds after a tool that was commonly used to unearth them.
For more on water and food requirements, protection from pests, and general growing tips, check out the July issue of ABC Gardening Australia magazine – on sale now!
Image: iStock
