When to Plant Potato in Brisbane, Subtropical Guide
Sow February to April and July to August. Right now in October it is out of season. The next sowing month is February.
Grow Potato in your space
Also called spud.
- Planting window
- Plant certified seed potatoes in late summer to autumn, or again in late winter, avoiding the hot, wet months of summer. Hill the soil up...
- 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 Subtropical zone, which takes in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Sydney Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
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 Subtropical
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | - | - |
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
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Current Growing Conditions
Soil temperature: 21.7°C (optimal range: 8–25°C) ✓ Ready to plant
That figure is read off our own weather station in South East Queensland at 15:55 yesterday, not a model.
What this month normally looks like
In October the Subtropical zone normally runs 27°C by day and 15°C overnight, with about 77 mm of rain over 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, 33 postcodes, SILO.
How to Grow Potato in Subtropical Australia
When to Plant
Plant certified seed potatoes in late summer to autumn, or again in late winter, avoiding the hot, wet months of summer. Hill the soil up as the plants grow, and dig when the tops yellow.
- 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.
Subtropical Growing Tips for Potato
Recommended Varieties
- Sebago
- Desiree
- Pontiac
- Kipfler
- Dutch Cream
Key Challenges
- 28-spotted ladybird
- Potato moth
- Late blight in wet winters
- Warm soil reducing tuber size
Pro Tips
- Autumn planting (March-April) often gives the best results in SEQ
- Use straw mulch heavily (15-20cm) to keep soil cool and tubers covered
- The no-dig straw method works brilliantly in subtropical gardens
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.
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.
Where to next
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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Open the planting dashboard Join GardenBuddy.auCommon 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:
- Tropical (Cairns): Apr to Jun
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Feb to Apr, Jul to Aug
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jan to Feb, Jul to Sep
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Sep to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Sep to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Feb to Mar, Sep
- Mediterranean (Perth): Feb to Mar, Jul to Oct
Does potato grow all year round in Brisbane?
No. In the Subtropical zone the planting months are Feb to Apr, Jul to Aug. 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 Subtropical zone, Brisbane is its reference city.