Cut them into big chunks, with each segment having at least one ‘eye’—this is where a shoot will come from. To get a bumper crop always use certified virus free seed potatoes and plant after frosts have passed. Plant out in early to mid spring. Planting potatoes. The key factor governing the time for planting all potatoes is the date of the last frost in your area. When to Plant New Potatoes. If you don’t have a lot of room to grow potatoes, try growing them in containers or planter bags full of Tui Vegetable Mix – you’ll be amazed by how many potatoes you can produce in a very small space. They take pieces of vine (called a slip) about .4m long, strip most of the leaves off. To grow potato crops you first you need to purchase seed potatoes of the particular variety you want to grow. Cutting potatoes for planting Seed potatoes can be divided up to create multiple plants from each potato. Keep the growing tip on it. Plant them first when breaking in new ground; they are fabulous value, with 1kg of seed yielding at least 10kg of gourmet new-season spuds. 18 Nov 20, (New Zealand - temperate climate) They grow sweet potato/kumara where I live (Qld Australia) by the thousands of acres. Rows should be set out 60cm (2') apart. Grow. Our Garden Planner can produce a personalised calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area. While in the Northern hemisphere we are harvesting potatoes and getting ready for winter, this is not the case in the Southern hemisphere. You can buy special seed potatoes, or you can plant whatever is sprouting in your cupboard. from your catalogue last year for my new ‘larger’ vegetable garden. Your growing potatoes should be full sized and scattered through the soil. Climbing beans form a larger plant and need some support. Sow and Plant. Potatoes are my favourite vegetable to grow and eat. Simply work through the steps below, take a look at our potato varieties chart and find the best potatoes for you to grow at home. The two periods when to plant new potatoes are spring and summer. Start them by leaving on cardboard or eggboxes in a light position until they have produced short green sprouts. If you are not able to cultivate the soil and blend in some organic matter then an alternative could be to grow your potatoes in pots or containers or in bales of hay or straw. There are several reasons why I like to grow potatoes in tyres: • You can get tires for free from any tire store • It keeps the tires out of the landfill • You can keep adding more tires and more soil or mulch easily • Harvesting the potatoes is incredibly easy. As the stems grow, repeat the process. When growing potatoes in the ground, plant earlies and salad types in March, 12cm deep and 30cm apart, with 60cm between rows. Every year in my Hunua garden I plant at least 25kg of seed spuds and harvest up to a quarter of a tonne of waxy new potatoes … Potatoes grow best in a sunny site with rich, fertile, free draining soil so prepare your soil well before planting. Follow our full guide below to a bumper crop of homegrown tomatoes. Plant your tubers around six inches (15cm) deep, and space them a foot (30cm) apart along the row. “Where winters are relatively mild, you can plant a fall crop in September. Plant them 12cm deep and 38cm apart, with 75cm between rows. Potatoes NZ Inc. commissioned Plant & Food Research to carry out a literature review to gather as much information as possible in order to provide the NZ potato industry with the current nutritional composition and health benefits of potatoes. HOW TO GROW POTATOES Get all the help you need online at mitre10.co.nz/easyas The good old potato – you can use them in so many different ways, from salads to Sunday roasts. Potatoes are adaptable to both light and heavy soils; however, good drainage is essential. Notes . WHEN TO PLANT SWIFT POTATOES Swift potatoes are the earliest of the first early potatoes and they are ready for harvest, if conditions are correct, 10 weeks after the seed potatoes are planted. Most early potatoes take about 12 weeks from planting to cropping. Most gardeners prefer to plant potatoes between July and September, and plant a second crop again in January or February, but in colder areas, planting time is generally restricted to August through January. Sow and Plant. Prepare the planting area in a sheltered position in full sun on moist well drained soil. The Full Moon phase is the best time to plant root crops. Seed potatoes need to sprout before they can be planted which can take 4 to 6 weeks. Depending on your region tomato planting starts from September in New Zealand, with Labour weekend traditional tomato planting time. As shoots appear, draw soil over them if there is still a possibility of frost. Once planted, cover them with 6 inches (15 cm) of potting soil. Grow from seed potatoes. Sometimes things go wrong, but most of the time when they do, you still have potatoes. The germination was excellent; the quality of plant stock and produce is superb." Additional rows of early varieties should be spaced at least 18 inches (45cm) apart, while maincrops need a minimum of 30 inches (75cm) left between rows. Add plenty of Daltons Compost and work it in well with existing soil. Grow from seed potatoes. You can purchase them from garden centres or you can grow them yourself. Water your tomatoes deeply and regularly. Our Garden Planner can produce a personalised calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area. When growth emerges, start the process of 'earthing up'. 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