Other names
tater, spud, tattie, murphy
Botanical name
Solanum tuberosum
Family / Genus
Solanaceae / Solanum
Plant category
Root and tuber vegetables
Peter Turner Photography/Shutterstock.com
Facts and figures
Light requirements
Sun / partial shade
Nutrient requirements
Heavy feeder
Difficulty level
Intermediate
Culture (according to Gertrud Franck)
A - tall or wide crops, almost year-round
Culture (according to Sister C. Weinrich)
Main crop
Growing period
110 - 210 days
Row spacing
50 cm
Plant spacing
35 cm
Growth height
30 - 100 cm
Sowing depth
10 cm
Pre-growing period
30 days
Planting & harvest times of Potato
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Pre-grow
Transplant
Harvest
Planting 1Transplant to bed from Early April to Late May. Pre-grow about 30 days before transplanting, approximately between Early March and Late April. After a growing period of 110 days, harvest can begin around Mid June and continues until Late July.
Planting 2Transplant to bed from Early April to Late May. Pre-grow about 30 days before transplanting, approximately between Early March and Late April. After a growing period of 210 days, harvest can begin around Early September and continues until Late October.
Plant Potato
Planting 1: maincrop potato
Planting 2: early potato
Unless you want to breed new varieties, you don't grow potatoes from seed. You plant (chitted) seed potatoes instead. The timings therefore refer to setting the potatoes in the ground. So there is no classic raising on the windowsill either. You simply give the seed potatoes a bit more light so they start to sprout.
Under a fleece you can put the potatoes into the bed quite early. That way you can start as soon as mid-March.
Good and bad companions of Potato
Very good neighbours
Good neighbours
Garlic
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Tradition agrees across several language regions
Kale
Late brassicas such as kale get on well with potatoes. Early potatoes are lifted by the time the kale needs the space.
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Long-standing companion planting practice (e.g. Gertrud Franck, Schwester C. Weinrich), Guidebooks, companion planting charts, tradition
Reasons:
- Practical tip for this pair
Radish
Radishes can be sown over the rows when planting potatoes. They are harvested before the potatoes come up.
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Specialist book
Reasons:
- Practical tip for this pair
Bad neighbours
Broccoli
Potatoes are considered poor neighbours for broccoli. Early potatoes that are lifted early hardly get in the way.
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Long-standing companion planting practice (e.g. Gertrud Franck, Schwester C. Weinrich)
Cauliflower
Potatoes are considered poor neighbours for cauliflower. Early potatoes lifted early, however, get on well with it.
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Long-standing companion planting practice (e.g. Gertrud Franck, Schwester C. Weinrich)
Chilli
same plant family
Cucumber
In Germany and England potatoes and cucumbers are considered bad neighbours. No reason for this is known.
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Tradition agrees across several language regions
Honeydew melon
In Germany and France potatoes are considered bad neighbours for honeydew melon. No clear reason for this is known.
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Tradition agrees across several language regions
Onion
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Long-standing companion planting practice (e.g. Gertrud Franck, Schwester C. Weinrich)
Pepper
same plant family
Red clover
A multi-year clover or grass stand builds up wireworms. Plant potatoes only 3 to 4 years after ploughing in.
Shallot
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Long-standing companion planting practice (e.g. Gertrud Franck, Schwester C. Weinrich), Derived from plant family or pathogen, pair not directly documented
Spring onion
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Long-standing companion planting practice (e.g. Gertrud Franck, Schwester C. Weinrich), Derived from plant family or pathogen, pair not directly documented
Squash
Potatoes and squash are considered poor neighbours, as both need a lot of nutrients. Trailing squash does grow well between early potatoes, though.
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Tradition agrees across several language regions
We found conflicting sources. This is our current assessment.
Reasons:
- Competition for light, water, nutrients, root space
Tree onion
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Long-standing companion planting practice (e.g. Gertrud Franck, Schwester C. Weinrich), Guidebooks, companion planting charts, tradition, Derived from plant family or pathogen, pair not directly documented
Watermelon
In Germany and England potatoes and watermelons are considered bad neighbours. No clear reason for this is known.
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Tradition agrees across several language regions
Very bad neighbours
Predecessors and successors of Potato
Potatoes make great predecessors for most vegetables, as they leave behind well-loosened, deeply worked soil. That's why, when setting up new beds, people traditionally grew potatoes as the first crop.
Very good predecessors
Oil radish
Lasting effect: 3 years
Pot marigold
Lasting effect: 3 years
Good predecessors
Buckwheat
Lasting effect: 3 years
Common vetch
Lasting effect: 3 years
Crimson clover
Lasting effect: 3 years
Hairy vetch
Lasting effect: 3 years
Mustard
On incorporation the glucosinolates release compounds that suppress soil-borne pathogens and nematodes.
Lasting effect: 3 years
Oats
Lasting effect: 3 years
Signet marigold
Lasting effect: 3 years
Winter rye
Heavy feeders thrive in loose, nutrient-rich soil
Lasting effect: 2 years
Bad predecessors
Alfalfa
A multi-year clover or grass stand builds up wireworms. Plant potatoes only 3 to 4 years after ploughing in.
Rotation break: 4 years
Cape gooseberry
Rotation break: 3 years
Carrot
Rotation break: 3 years
Chilli
Rotation break: 3 years
Pepper
Rotation break: 3 years
Phacelia
Promotes spraing (corky ringspot) virus and Rhizoctonia in following potatoes
Rotation break: 3 years
Red clover
A multi-year clover or grass stand builds up wireworms. Plant potatoes only 3 to 4 years after ploughing in.
Rotation break: 4 years
Sainfoin
A multi-year clover or grass stand builds up wireworms. Plant potatoes only 3 to 4 years after ploughing in.
Rotation break: 4 years
Strawberry
Rotation break: 3 years
Tomatillo
Rotation break: 3 years
Tomato
Rotation break: 3 years
White clover
A multi-year clover or grass stand builds up wireworms. Plant potatoes only 3 to 4 years after ploughing in.
Rotation break: 4 years
Good successors
Alfalfa
Lasting effect: 3 years
Beetroot
Lasting effect: 3 years
Berseem clover
Lasting effect: 3 years
Brussels sprouts
early potatoes
Lasting effect: 3 years
Buckwheat
Lasting effect: 3 years
Carrot
Lasting effect: 3 years
Chives
Lasting effect: 1 year
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Specialist book, Derived from plant family or pathogen, pair not directly documented
Reasons:
- Loosens soil, improves soil structure
- Weed suppression for the next crop
Common vetch
Lasting effect: 3 years
Crimson clover
Lasting effect: 3 years
Garlic
Lasting effect: 1 year
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Specialist book, Derived from plant family or pathogen, pair not directly documented
Reasons:
- Loosens soil, improves soil structure
- Weed suppression for the next crop
Garlic chives
Lasting effect: 1 year
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Specialist book, Derived from plant family or pathogen, pair not directly documented
Reasons:
- Loosens soil, improves soil structure
- Weed suppression for the next crop
Hairy vetch
Lasting effect: 3 years
Kale
Lasting effect: 1 year
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Long-standing companion planting practice (e.g. Gertrud Franck, Schwester C. Weinrich)
Reasons:
- Loosens soil, improves soil structure
Lamb's lettuce
Lasting effect: 3 years
Leek
Lasting effect: 1 year
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Specialist book
Oil radish
Lasting effect: 1 year
Onion
Potatoes smother weeds with their dense foliage. Narrow-leaved onions have an easier time afterwards.
Lasting effect: 1 year
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Specialist book
Reasons:
- Weed suppression for the next crop
Persian clover
Lasting effect: 3 years
Phacelia
Lasting effect: 3 years
Red clover
Lasting effect: 3 years
Salsify
Lasting effect: 3 years
Scorzonera
Lasting effect: 3 years
Shallot
Potatoes smother weeds with their dense foliage. Narrow-leaved onion family plants have an easier time afterwards.
Lasting effect: 1 year
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Specialist book, Derived from plant family or pathogen, pair not directly documented
Reasons:
- Weed suppression for the next crop
Spring onion
Potatoes smother weeds with their dense foliage. Narrow-leaved onion family plants have an easier time afterwards.
Lasting effect: 1 year
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Specialist book, Derived from plant family or pathogen, pair not directly documented
Reasons:
- Weed suppression for the next crop
Subterranean clover
Lasting effect: 3 years
Swede
Lasting effect: 3 years
Swiss chard
Lasting effect: 3 years
Tree onion
Lasting effect: 1 year
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Specialist book, Guidebooks, companion planting charts, tradition, Derived from plant family or pathogen, pair not directly documented
Reasons:
- Loosens soil, improves soil structure
- Weed suppression for the next crop
Turnip
early potatoes
Lasting effect: 3 years
White clover
Lasting effect: 3 years
Winter rye
Winter rye helps to fix residual nitrogen, making it ideal for heavy feeders
Lasting effect: 1 year
Bad successors
Batavia lettuce
Rotation break: 3 years
Bush bean
susceptibility to Sclerotinia
Rotation break: 3 years
Butterhead lettuce
Rotation break: 3 years
Cape gooseberry
Rotation break: 3 years
Chilli
Rotation break: 3 years
Iceberg lettuce
Rotation break: 3 years
Lollo biando / Lollo rosso
Rotation break: 3 years
Lupin
Potato as a preceding crop raises the risk of rhizoctonia in lupin.
Rotation break: 3 years
Oak leaf lettuce
Rotation break: 3 years
Pepper
Rotation break: 3 years
Pole bean
Rotation break: 3 years
Radish
On chalky soils, radishes grown after potatoes easily get scab. Leave a year's gap there.
Rotation break: 1 year
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute, Specialist book
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
Romaine lettuce
Rotation break: 3 years
Runner bean
Rotation break: 3 years
Strawberry
Rotation break: 3 years
Tomatillo
Rotation break: 3 years
Tomato
increased risk of brown rot
Rotation break: 3 years
Very bad successors
Asparagus
Can harbour Rhizoctonia fungus
Rotation break: 3 years
Diseases and pests
Susceptible to
Stem nematode
Harvest and processing
Nick Pecker/Shutterstock.com
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