When to Plant Potato in Perth, Mediterranean Guide

Sow February to March and July to October. Right now in October you can sow.

Also called spud.

Planting window
The main planting runs from late winter into spring, with an autumn planting in frost-free coastal gardens. Perth's frost-free sands allow...
Days to harvest
about 10 weeks
Sunlight
Full sun (minimum 6 hours)
Water needs
Consistent moisture is critical during tuber formation (flowering stage). Water deeply...
Spacing
35cm apart, 70cm between rows
Soil pH
5.0-6.0
Shop price
$2.25/kg average

Published · Last reviewed · By GardenBuddy.au
Growing advice is reviewed by hand. Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.

This Potato guide is written for the Mediterranean zone, which takes in Perth, Adelaide and Bunbury. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.

Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs

Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.

Potato

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Potatoes are Australia's most important vegetable crop and one of the most rewarding to grow at home. They are grown from certified seed potatoes (not true seed), produce generous yields in most climates, and store well. Planting times vary dramatically by zone, with subtropical growers planting in autumn/winter and temperate growers in spring.

See what grows now in your own postcode

Planting Calendar for Mediterranean

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
- ✓ ✓ - - - ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ - -

S = Seed Tray   T = Transplant   D = Direct Sow

Want a nudge when it is Potato sowing time in Perth?

One email a week with what is worth planting in the Mediterranean zone right now, Potato included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.

Current Growing Conditions

Soil temperature: 15.6°C (optimal range: 8–25°C) ✓ Ready to plant

Modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Perth), not a live sensor.

What this month normally looks like

In October the Mediterranean zone normally runs 22°C by day and 10°C overnight, with about 38 mm of rain over 6 or 7 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -0.2°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 19 postcodes, SILO.

How to Grow Potato in Mediterranean Australia

When to Plant

The main planting runs from late winter into spring, with an autumn planting in frost-free coastal gardens. Perth's frost-free sands allow both crops. In the Adelaide Hills, keep to the spring planting because of frost.

Soil
Well-drained, loose, fertile loam enriched with compost. Slightly acidic soil reduces scab. Avoid waterlogged or compacted soil. Do not lime potato beds.
pH Range
5.0-6.0
Sunlight
Full sun (minimum 6 hours)
Spacing
35cm apart, 70cm between rows
Watering
Consistent moisture is critical during tuber formation (flowering stage). Water deeply 2-3 times per week during dry periods. Reduce watering as foliage yellows and dies back. Irregular watering...

Companion plants: Beans, Peas, Horseradish, Marigold, Basil

Avoid planting near: Tomato, Eggplant, Capsicum (shares diseases), Pumpkin

Grow before, grow after

Potato belongs with the nightshades, the fruiting crops turn of a four turn bed rotation.

Grow before it
Leafy greens and brassicas (Lettuce, Silverbeet, Broccoli)
Grow after it
Roots and alliums (Carrot, Beetroot, Onion)

Give the bed 3 turns before nightshades go back in. Tomato, capsicum, eggplant and potato share wilts and blights that live on in the soil.

Mediterranean Growing Tips for Potato

Recommended Varieties

  • Kipfler
  • Desiree
  • Dutch Cream
  • Nicola
  • Sebago

Key Challenges

  • Dry springs requiring supplementary irrigation
  • Common scab in alkaline soils
  • Storage challenges in warm summers

Pro Tips

  • Perth and Adelaide conditions suit potatoes well during the cooler months
  • Irrigate consistently during tuber formation. Water stress reduces yield dramatically
  • Test soil pH - many Perth/Adelaide soils are too alkaline for potatoes

Harvesting Potato

When ready: Foliage yellows and dies back naturally. For 'new' potatoes, harvest when plants are flowering (about 10-12 weeks). For storage potatoes, wait 2-3 weeks after foliage has completely died to allow skins to set.

How to harvest: Use a garden fork inserted 30cm from the stem to avoid spearing tubers. Lift carefully and remove tubers by hand. Leave harvested potatoes on the soil surface for 1-2 hours to dry (no longer or they will green). Brush off soil but do not wash until ready to use.

Preserving: pressure canning

2 tested pressure-canning recipes for Potato: 2 where it is the crop being canned. Each one comes from published home canning guidelines. The conversion to Australian units is ours, with psi beside every kPa. Always follow your pressure canner's manual.

Recipes in this set

  • Potatoes, peeled, cubed or whole
  • White Potatoes

The full recipe details are for members on a paid plan: jar sizes, headspace, process time, the pressure for a weighted or dial gauge at your altitude, the ingredients, the preparation steps and the safety notes.

See the plans

Worth growing?

A 2.4 m × 1.2 m bed fits 12 plants, about $27 worth at today’s Aldi, Coles, IGA and Woolworths prices, checked today.

That is roughly 12 kg at $2.25 a kilo.

Draw your potato bed → No account needed.

Common Potato Pests in Mediterranean Zones

Late Blight, risk: MODERATE (score: 67/100)

In the pest library for potato:

Late Blight, critical severity Bacterial Wilt, critical severity Tomato-Potato Psyllid, high severity Root-knot Nematode, high severity Early Blight, high severity Aphids (Green Peach, Cabbage, Cotton), moderate severity Mealybug, moderate severity Wireworms, moderate severity Slugs, moderate severity Rats and Mice, moderate severity Curl grub (scarab beetle larvae), moderate severity

Organic prevention (Late Blight): 5-year rotation minimum. Plant certified disease-free seed potatoes. Grow resistant varieties (Sarpo Mira, Sarpo Axona if available). Avoid overhead watering. Ensure good airflow between plants...

View all pest alerts →

Where to next

What potato costs in the shops right now, retailer by retailer, updated daily.

Also worth sowing in the mediterranean zone this October: Lemongrass, Dwarf Beans (Bush), Eggplant (Aubergine) and Parsnip.

The pest most likely to find your potato: Early Blight.

Supermarket Price

Current average retail: $2.25/kg (12-month range: $0.80–$5.33)

Grow your own and save on grocery bills.

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Common Questions About Potato

When do you plant potato in Australia?

It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:

Does potato grow all year round in Perth?

No. In the Mediterranean zone the planting months are Feb to Mar, Jul to Oct. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.

What else is potato called?

Potato is the usual Australian name. Overseas seed packets and recipes call it spud. Same plant, same growing advice.

Which zone am I in?

Type your postcode into the box under the heading and the page tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Mediterranean zone, Perth is its reference city.