# Potato (Solanum tuberosum)

Canonical: https://plantguide.ae/plants/potato · Updated: 2026-10-29
Source: Plant Guide (https://plantguide.ae/plants/potato)

Potato · بطاطس  
vegetable · exotic · family Solanaceae · grows 0.4–0.9 m tall, 0.3–0.6 m wide · moderate growth  
full sun · moderate water need  
Ratings for Dubai (1–5, 5 is best): heat 2 · salt 2 · drought 2 · shade 1 · ease of care 3  
Sow or plant: Oct–Nov  
Uses: edible, container

## Also known as

- **English:** Irish potato, White potato
- **Arabic (العربية):** بطاطس, بطاطا (Batata)
- **Hindi (हिन्दी):** आलू (Aloo)
- **Urdu (اردو):** آلو (Aloo)
- **Malayalam (മലയാളം):** ഉരുളക്കിഴങ്ങ് (Urulakizhangu)
- **Tamil (தமிழ்):** உருளைக் கிழங்கு (Urulaikizhangu)
- **Tagalog:** Patatas
- **Bengali (বাংলা):** আলু (Alu)
- **Persian (فارسی):** سیب‌زمینی (Sib-zamini)

A winter tuber for Dubai raised beds and deep grow bags: plant seed potatoes in October to November, hill the stems as they grow, and dig from December to March before the heat.

## About

Meet the potato, the most surprising crop in a Dubai winter bed. You bury a lumpy, sprouting tuber in the cool of November, and weeks later a bushy green plant appears with white or purple flowers, hiding a harvest underground.

Its character is fuss-free but time-sensitive. It wants full sun, loose soil that drains, steady water and a mound of earth around the stems. It does not want heat, and it will turn its energy into leaves instead of tubers once the days warm.

What it brings is a small act of treasure hunting. Run a fork through the bed in February and lift potatoes still dusted with soil, which no shop-bought bag can match. Even a deep grow bag can hold a crop.

Potatoes are a winter crop in the Gulf, and the timing matters. The UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment's calendar lists potato for October to November and gives 100 to 120 days to harvest, which puts the digging in late January to March. A Dubai villa gardener profiled by Gulf News grows potatoes among his vegetables. Researchers at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, working with planting dates between November and January, describe potato as a relatively new crop in the Arabian Gulf that faces unusual exposure to heat stress, and found that tuber number followed the minimum temperature and tuber weight followed the maximum.

Start with proper seed potatoes. UF/IFAS and NC State both say not to use supermarket potatoes, which are often treated to stop them sprouting. Cut large tubers so each piece has at least one eye (UF/IFAS) or two (NC State), and let the cut surface dry for a day or more. Plant in a trench about 6 inches (15 cm) deep in full sun, then mound soil around the stems as the plants grow; NC State says to hill when the plants are about a foot tall, and once or twice more. Tubers turn green and toxic if left uncovered. Raised beds give the drainage potatoes need, and NC State says grow bags should be at least 2 feet deep and hold at least 30 gallons.

Heat is the limit. A Washington State University study reports that higher soil and air temperatures at the start of tuberization encourage vine growth at the expense of tubers, and that heat during bulking promotes heat sprouts, misshapen tubers and likely more disease, so plant at the start of the Ministry's window and finish the crop before the weather warms. FAO rates potato as moderately sensitive to salt, with a yield threshold of about 1.7 dS/m, so use clean water and a sweet-soil bed.

## Through the year

Potatoes are planted in October to November as cut, dried seed pieces in a trench or a deep grow bag. Through November and December the stems are fed, watered and hilled, and the plants flower as the weather cools. New potatoes can be dug from about seven to eight weeks, from December, and the main crop is ready after 100 to 120 days, from late January to March. Check for leaf miners, aphids and blight from December. By April, with the average high at 34°C, the plants fade and the bed is cleared.

| When | What | Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Oct–Nov | Plant: Plant seed potatoes | Ministry calendar: October–November. Use seed potatoes, cut with one or two eyes per piece (UF/IFAS, NC State) and set in a 15 cm trench in full sun. |
| Nov–Feb | Feed: Water, feed and hill | UF/IFAS: water and fertilise regularly and mound soil around the stems. NC State: hill at about 30 cm tall, then once or twice more. |
| Dec–Mar | Pest watch: Leaf miners, aphids and blight | Dubai Garden Centre names aphids, whitefly and leaf miners as common in the UAE. NC State adds flea beetles, wireworms, leafhoppers and late blight. |
| Dec–Mar | Harvest: New potatoes, then the main crop | NC State: new potatoes from 7–8 weeks, mature tubers in 3–4 months. Ministry calendar: 100–120 days, so the main digging runs from late January. |
| Apr–May | Heat stress: Too warm for tubers | Higher soil and air temperatures at the start of tuberization favour vines over tubers (Washington State study). Dubai's average high reaches 34°C in April. |

## Care in Dubai

- **Watering in summer:** Not grown in summer in Dubai; the crop is dug by about March.
- **Watering in winter:** Water and fertilise regularly (UF/IFAS). NC State says light soil kept consistently moist grows large, evenly shaped potatoes.
- **While establishing:** Keep the planted pieces and young shoots evenly moist but never waterlogged; NC State says poorly drained soil rots tubers.
- **Soil:** Loose, well-drained, slightly acidic soil, such as sweet soil and compost in a raised bed (NC State). Poorly drained soil rots tubers.
- **Feeding:** Fertilise on a regular basis (UF/IFAS), with compost at planting and a balanced feed as the plants grow.
- **Pruning:** None. Hill soil or mulch around the stems at about 30 cm tall, then once or twice more, so developing tubers stay covered (NC State).
- **Planting:** Plant certified seed potatoes from October to November, cut with one or two eyes per piece, dried for a day, in a 15 cm trench or deep grow bag, 13–15 cm apart with the eyes facing up (NC State).
- **Pests and problems:** Aphids; Whitefly; Leaf miners; Flea beetles; Wireworms; Late blight
- **Toxicity:** The tubers are a standard food when stored and cooked properly. NC State rates the plant as having high severity poison characteristics: every green part contains solanine, in the sprouts, stems, leaves, berries and the green skin of tubers. Tubers turn green and toxic if left uncovered or stored in light (NC State, Wikipedia), so hill the stems and keep harvested potatoes in the dark. No ASPCA listing was found, so do not treat the plant as pet-safe; keep children and pets away from the foliage, berries and green potatoes.

## Good and bad

**Pros**
- Ministry calendar gives a clear window: October–November planting, 100–120 days
- New potatoes can be dug about 7–8 weeks after planting (NC State)
- Grows in raised beds or deep grow bags: 60 cm deep, 30 gallons (NC State)
- Grown in the Gulf: Omani trials tested Nov–Jan planting dates (SQU)

**Cons**
- Warm soil and air favour leaves over tubers (Washington State study)
- Needs true seed potatoes: supermarket potatoes are often sprout-treated (UF/IFAS)
- Green tubers and all green parts are toxic (NC State)
- Moderately salt-sensitive (FAO threshold about 1.7 dS/m); needs clean water

## Common mistakes

- Planting supermarket potatoes. UF/IFAS and NC State say they are often treated to stop sprouting, so buy certified seed potatoes.
- Planting too late. Higher soil and air temperatures at the start of tuberization favour vines over tubers, so stay inside the October to November window.
- Leaving tubers uncovered. NC State says exposed tubers turn green and produce toxic compounds, so hill the stems and keep stored potatoes dark.
- Growing in poorly drained soil. NC State says it rots tubers; use a raised bed or grow bag of sweet soil and compost.
- Planting potatoes where tomatoes, chillies or eggplants grew last year. The Ministry lists potato in the Solanaceae with them, so rotate beds.

## Good to know

- The Ministry's calendar lists potato under the Solanaceae, the family of tomato, pepper and eggplant.
- Omani trials with planting dates from November to January showed that tuber number followed the minimum temperature and tuber weight the maximum (SQU, 2003).
- NC State says potatoes can be dug as thin-skinned new potatoes from about 7 to 8 weeks after planting.
- A deep grow bag works: NC State says containers should be at least 2 feet deep and hold at least 30 gallons.

## Using it in a garden

Roles: Raised-bed winter crop, Deep grow-bag crop, Kitchen staple for a rotation

Give potatoes a sunny raised bed or a deep grow bag of at least 60 cm and 30 gallons (NC State), with sweet soil and compost and a drip line on a timer. Keep them out of the salty native sand. Because the tubers must stay covered, leave room to mound soil around the stems as they grow, and move them to a different bed next year.

- [Onion](https://plantguide.ae/plants/onion.md): A different family with the same autumn planting season, so the two share the bed calendar.
- [Green beans](https://plantguide.ae/plants/green-beans.md): The Ministry gives beans the same October to November window, so a bed can hold both.
- [Lettuce](https://plantguide.ae/plants/lettuce.md): A quick winter salad crop for the gaps around young potato plants, cleared before the vines need the room.
- [Cauliflower](https://plantguide.ae/plants/cauliflower.md): A cool-season brassica on the same calendar that can follow potatoes in the rotation.

## FAQ

**When should I plant potatoes in Dubai?**  
The Ministry's calendar lists October to November. Researchers in Oman tested planting dates from November to January, because potato is a heat-sensitive crop in the Gulf.

**How long do potatoes take to grow?**  
The Ministry's calendar gives 100 to 120 days. NC State says new potatoes can be dug at 7 to 8 weeks and mature tubers take 3 to 4 months.

**Can I plant a potato from the supermarket?**  
It is better not to. UF/IFAS and NC State say shop potatoes are often treated to prevent sprouting, so they may not grow reliably. Buy certified seed potatoes.

**Why are my potatoes green?**  
They were exposed to light. NC State says tubers turn green and produce toxic compounds if not covered by soil, so hill the stems and do not eat green potatoes.

**Can I grow potatoes in a pot in Dubai?**  
Yes, in a deep container. NC State says grow bags and containers should be at least 2 feet deep and hold at least 30 gallons. Keep the soil evenly moist and finish the crop before April's heat.

**Are potato plants poisonous?**  
The green parts are. NC State says sprouts, stems, leaves, berries and the green skin of tubers all contain solanine. Keep children and pets away from the foliage and from green potatoes.

## Related plants

[Onion](https://plantguide.ae/plants/onion.md) · [Garlic](https://plantguide.ae/plants/garlic.md) · [Tomato](https://plantguide.ae/plants/tomato.md) · [Carrot](https://plantguide.ae/plants/carrot.md) · [Green beans](https://plantguide.ae/plants/green-beans.md)

## Photos

![Rows of potato plants growing in a field](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Potatoes_in_the_field.jpg)  
Photo: Cut angles / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons ([source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Potatoes_in_the_field.jpg))

![Three farm workers tending a potato field with date palms on the horizon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/Potato_cultivation_1.jpg)  
Photo: Yousef Naser Mohamed Mohamed / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons ([source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Potato_cultivation_1.jpg))

![White potato flowers with yellow centres above dark green leaves](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Potato_Flower_on_the_field.jpg)  
Photo: Ezhuttukari / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons ([source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Potato_Flower_on_the_field.jpg))

![A potato plant in flower, with white blooms and compound leaves](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/-2018-09-04_Flowering_potato_plant%2C_Trimingham%2C_Norfolk.JPG)  
Photo: Kolforn / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons ([source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:-2018-09-04_Flowering_potato_plant,_Trimingham,_Norfolk.JPG))

## Sources

- [UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment: Dates for Planting Vegetables and Fruits in the UAE](https://moccae.gov.ae/assets/download/56f7a89b/agriculture_calender_page_en.pdf.aspx)
- [Gulf News: Gardening tales from the UAE, how to grow a kitchen garden on your balcony this summer](https://gulfnews.com/friday/home/gardening-tales-from-the-uae-how-to-grow-a-kitchen-garden-in-your-balcony-this-summer-1.1679993345418)
- [FAO: Crop salt tolerance data (Annex 1)](https://www.fao.org/4/y4263e/y4263e0e.htm)
- [The National: Garden frenzy (Dubai Garden Centre advice on soil and sowing dates)](https://www.thenationalnews.com/lifestyle/garden-frenzy-1.553767)
- [Wikipedia: Climate of Dubai (1991 to 2020 normals)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Dubai)
- [Sultan Qaboos University (Acta Horticulturae 619): Interactions between temperature and yield components in exotic potato cultivars grown in Oman](https://squ.elsevierpure.com/ar/publications/interactions-between-temperature-and-yield-components-in-exotic-p)
- [PMC: Cultivars and developmental phases interact with temperature fluctuations to modulate growth, productivity and seed tuber physiology of potatoes](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11901846/)
- [ASPCA: Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants list (no entry found for this plant)](https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants)
- [UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions: Potatoes](https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/edibles/vegetables/potatoes/)
- [NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: Solanum tuberosum](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/solanum-tuberosum/)
- [Wikipedia: Potato](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potato)
- [Arabic Wikipedia: بطاطا](https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A8%D8%B7%D8%A7%D8%B7%D8%A7)
- [Hindi Wikipedia: आलू](https://hi.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A4%86%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%82)
- [Urdu Wikipedia: آلو](https://ur.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A2%D9%84%D9%88)
- [Malayalam Wikipedia: ഉരുളക്കിഴങ്ങ്](https://ml.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B4%89%E0%B4%B0%E0%B5%81%E0%B4%B3%E0%B4%95%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%95%E0%B4%BF%E0%B4%B4%E0%B4%99%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%99%E0%B5%8D)
- [Tamil Wikipedia: உருளைக் கிழங்கு](https://ta.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%AE%89%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B3%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8D_%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B4%E0%AE%99%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%81)
- [Tagalog Wikipedia: Patatas](https://tl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patatas)
- [Bengali Wikipedia: আলু](https://bn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%81)
- [Persian Wikipedia: سیب‌زمینی](https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%B3%DB%8C%D8%A8%E2%80%8C%D8%B2%D9%85%DB%8C%D9%86%DB%8C)