🥔 Potato
Solanum tuberosum
vegetables
tuber (root vegetable)
☀️ Sun
Full sun (6, 8 hours)
💧 Water
Medium, high; 1, 2 inches per week; consistent moisture especially during tuber initiation (when plants flower); reduce water near harvest to toughen skins
🗺️ Zones
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
🧪 Soil pH
4.8, 6.5 (acidic to slightly acidic , potatoes tolerate and often prefer more acidic soil than most vegetables)
🪴 Soil Type
Loose, well-drained sandy loam; deeply cultivated; high organic matter
🚿 Drainage
Excellent drainage critical , potatoes rot in waterlogged soil; raised beds or hilled rows recommended
📏 Spacing
Seed pieces 10, 12 inches apart in rows 30, 36 inches apart; cover with 3, 4 inches soil, hill as plants grow
⏱️ Maturity
75-120 days (from seed potatoes); early varieties 75-90 days, main crop 100-120 days
🍴 Edible Parts
🍽️ Tubers (do NOT eat green tubers , solanine is toxic)
🍽️ Leaves and stems are POISONOUS (solanine)
Key:🤝 Grows well together❌ Keep apart☀️ Sun needs💧 Water🗺️ Hardiness zone
🤝 Companions (13)
Broccoli's tall plants provide partial shade for potatoes; different root zones reduce competition.
Beans repel Colorado potato beetle; potatoes repel Mexican bean beetle , a truly mutual pest-repelling partnership; beans fix nitrogen
Catnip repels Colorado potato beetles and aphids; strong aromatic deterrent.
Attracts hoverflies and parasitic wasps that prey on potato beetle larvae
Comfrey's deep roots mine nutrients for potatoes; comfrey leaves make potassium-rich mulch.
Fava beans fix nitrogen for potatoes; beans finish before potatoes need full space.
Fenugreek fixes nitrogen and deters potato pests; quick-growing beneficial companion.
Repels Colorado potato beetle; improves potato growth
Peas fix nitrogen in the soil, benefiting nitrogen-hungry potatoes; peas are harvested early, freeing space for potatoes to expand. A well-documented companion pair per WVU Extension and the Almanac.
Increases potato disease resistance; horseradish contains antimicrobial compounds that may reduce potato blight; plant at corners of potato patch
Suppresses nematodes; repels Colorado potato beetle and flea beetles
Trap crop for aphids; repels Colorado potato beetle and flea beetles IMPORTANT management caveat: without active management, nasturtiums can become a SOURCE of aphids that migrate to nearby crops. Either remove aphid-infested nasturtium plants promptly, or treat the trap crop itself to eliminate the aphid colony before it spreads. Strategic placement within 4-5 feet of protected crops is key.
Repels potato beetles and leafhoppers; beautiful addition to the garden
⚠️ Keep Apart (18)
Artichoke shares blight and disease susceptibility with potatoes, increasing risk of cross-infection.
Asparagus is a heavy feeder whose roots are disturbed by potato harvesting; both compete for potassium and phosphorus.
Potatoes compete heavily for nutrients; harvesting potatoes damages cucumber roots
Eggplant shares blight and disease susceptibility with potatoes, increasing risk of cross-infection.
Melon shares blight and disease susceptibility with potatoes, increasing risk of cross-infection.
Pumpkin shares blight and disease susceptibility with potatoes, increasing risk of cross-infection.
Radish competes with potatoes for nutrients and can harbor shared pests and diseases.
Raspberries can harbor Verticillium wilt which affects potatoes; also blight sharing
Rutabaga is a heavy feeder whose roots are disturbed by potato harvesting; both compete for potassium and phosphorus.
Spinach competes with potatoes for nutrients and can harbor shared pests and diseases.
Summer Squash shares blight and disease susceptibility with potatoes, increasing risk of cross-infection.
Sunflowers may stunt potato growth through allelopathy or competition; conflicting evidence
Swiss Chard is a heavy feeder whose roots are disturbed by potato harvesting; both compete for potassium and phosphorus.
Both Solanaceae , share early blight (Alternaria) and late blight (Phytophthora infestans); tomatoes may stunt potato growth; never plant in same soil sequentially
Turnip is a heavy feeder whose roots are disturbed by potato harvesting; both compete for potassium and phosphorus.
Watermelon is a heavy feeder whose roots are disturbed by potato harvesting; both compete for potassium and phosphorus.
Winter Squash shares blight and disease susceptibility with potatoes, increasing risk of cross-infection.
Zucchini shares blight and disease susceptibility with potatoes, increasing risk of cross-infection.
💊 Medicinal Uses
Medicinal Properties
- High in vitamin C (historically prevented scurvy); one medium potato = ~45% daily vitamin C
- Excellent source of potassium (more than bananas per serving)
- Rich in vitamin B6, fiber (with skin), and resistant starch (when cooled , feeds gut bacteria)
- Traditional: raw potato poultice for burns, skin inflammation, and eye puffiness
📝 Growing Notes
Potatoes are grown from 'seed potatoes' (not true seeds) , certified disease-free tubers cut into pieces with at least 2 eyes each. Always rotate Solanaceae (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant) on a 3, 4 year cycle. Hilling (mounding soil around stems) is essential , tubers exposed to light turn green and toxic (solanine). Major diseases: late blight (historic Irish Potato Famine), early blight, scab (reduced by acidic soil).
🛒 Buy Seeds & Plants
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Johnny's Selected Seeds
Botanical Interests
True Leaf Market
Burpee
Territorial Seed Company
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