Instructions

We love our spuds in New Zealand. High in fibre and protein, rich in vitamin B and C, as well as iron, they are a meal in themselves. Potatoes are inexpensive to grow, and there is nothing more satisfying than pulling them out of your garden, instead of a shopping bag. Follow the simple steps outlined ahead and you will be enjoying the fresh, healthy taste of home grown potatoes in no time.

With loads of new varieties that mature quickly and are disease resistant, it is easy to find a potato to suit your needs. Potatoes are classified into two groups – “Early” crop and “Main” crop. This classification refers to the time of planting and harvesting.

“Early” crop varieties usually require less space to grow in the garden and have a shorter time till ready to harvest than the “Main” crop varieties. “Main” crops tend to be good varieties for storage.

Getting Started:

Preparing The Seed

The seed potato needs to be prepared before planting. This takes 4 - 6 weeks. Lay the potatoes out in a single layer in a warm, sunny sheltered pot. The potatoes will turn green and sprouts will appear from the ‘eyes’ of the potatoes. These eyes will grow into shoots. When the shoots are 3 - 4cm long, the potatoes are ready to plant. Just prior to planting, remove all but 3 of the thickest and healthiest sprouts.

Where To Plant

Choose a very sunny, sheltered location. The soil needs to be free draining with plenty of compost, peat or well rotted organic material added long before planting. A general fertiliser or potato fertiliser can be applied just prior to planting and mixed well through the soil.

Planting

Plant seed potatoes after frosts have passed in early spring through to early summer. Seed potatoes are planted in furrows (a long narrow trench) about 150mm deep. Plant each seed potato at least 250mm apart from each other. Lay the sprouted seed potato so that the sprouts are pointing up in the furrow then cover with soil, taking care not to damage the shoots.

Cultivation

As shoots appear above the ground at about 50 - 100mm, begin mounding the soil around the plant. Mounding is essential as it prevents greening of the tubers and protects the tubers from insects. Continue mounding until the potatoes start to flower and growth slows down. Potatoes require regular feeding throughout their growing season – use a potato fertiliser or a good general fertiliser and always water well. Potatoes aren’t entirely disease and pest free, but with a little bit of attention you can reduce the risk. When watering, water between the mounds, not on the foliage.

Do not plant potatoes in the same place each year. Avoid planting potatoes where tomatoes have been planted the previous season. Mounds should be kept weed free.

If you find what looks like worm holes bored in your crop it may be potato tuber moth. Potato tuber moth tunnels into the tubers and leave small holes and blotches on the leaves. Ensuring your soil is well composted and the crop is well watered throughout the season can help to prevent tuber moth. You can also buy sprays in store to help. When using potato fertiliser ensure it is not high in nitrogen as this encourages poor tuber production.

Harvesting & Storage

Early varieties are ready for harvest when the flowers are fully open; approximately 3 – 4 months after planting (add another month for sprouting beforehand). Main crop varieties should not be dug until the foliage has completely died down, usually in late March.

Use a fork to dig potatoes, taking care not to damage the tubers as damaged tubers will not keep for long. As soon as the potatoes have been dug store them in a sack or paper bag in a cool, dark, well ventilated place. Do not leave potatoes exposed to light after they have been dug.