Potato Growing Requirements

Location

Potatoes prefer to be grown in an open site and thrive in cooler seasons with an ideal temperature of 16-18°C. They are not frost tolerant, so frost pockets must be avoided. They can also be grown successfully in containers kept in a light, frost-free position.

Soil

Potatoes can be grown in virtually any soil but they prefer deep, fertile, well-drained soil.

Water

Begin watering when flowers have formed and tubers start to swell - tubers need a constant supply of water. Dig in organic matter in the autumn before planting to retain moisture in dry weather and keep plants well watered by soaking them every week in dry spells.

Feed

Feed with a general fertiliser, worked into the soil during preparation for planting. Then apply a high nitrogen feed when earthing up main crop varieties to encourage more shoot growth.

Pest and Disease

Blight is a serious fungal disease which strikes in warm and humid conditions. The symptoms are brown patches on the leaves, tubers turning soft and rot. There is no cure for potato blight.