====== Potato ====== 
 ===== Botanical Information ===== 
^Botanical Information^^
^Order | Solanales| 
^Family | Solanaceae| 
^Genus | Solanum| 
^Common Name | Potato| 
^Species | S. tuberosum| 
 ===== Maturity days ===== 
  * 70
 ===== Planting Months ===== 
^Planting months^^^^^^^^^^^^
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|     |     |     | X   | X   | X   | X   |     |           |           |           |         | 

{{tag> april may june july}}
 ===== Permaculture uses ===== 
^Permaculture uses^^^
| Usage 1| Usage 2 | Usage 3 | 
| | Staple_Food| Vegetable| 
 ===== Growing condition comments ===== 
^Growing Condition ^Comment^
|Drought Tolerant | | 
| Humidity tolerant | | 
| Planting area | Garden_bed| 
|Sunlight | Full_sun| 
 ===== Photos ===== 
^ Photos ^^^
| {{ :wiki:Potato1.JPG?200|}}| {{ :wiki:Potato2.JPG?200|}}| {{ :wiki:?200|}}| 
 ===== Short comments ===== 
Starchy tuber of plant. Damp, not wet soil. Leave in sun to green before planting to improve success. Can only be grown in the cool dry season in Townsville, the heat and humidity in the topics introduces disease and stunts plant growth making reliable yields difficult.
 ===== General comments ===== 
Space plants: 30 - 40 cm apart 

Compatible with (can grow beside): Peas, Beans, Brassicas, Sweetcorn, Broad Beans, Nasturtiums, Marigolds 

Avoid growing close to: Cucumber, Pumpkin, Sunflowers, Tomatoes, Rosemary  

Before planting expose seed potatoes to light to start shoots growing, however be careful of direct sunlight which can burn the tender new shoots. Let the potatoes grow shoots up to 1cm long. Large seed tubers can be cut into pieces - just make sure each piece has at least one 'eye' or shoot. Let the cut pieces dry for a few days before planting or else they will probably start rotting.  Potatoes accumulate cadmium and other heavy metals.
 ===== Tags ===== 
{{tag>Solanales Solanaceae Solanum Potato Annual  Staple_Food Vegetable Full_sun Garden_bed }}