By Lindah
New Zealand 
Hi I planted potatoes a good couple of months ago now (I am in New Zealand) and only one has a shaw growing. When i dug down to investigate if they had rotted there were little potatoes forming but still no shaws. Do you think the shaws will appear sometime? I have never seen this before, this is only my second time growing potatoes though I saw plenty growing as a child.
17 Jun, 2010
Answers
hi, sorry I only know the stems as being called shaws! Only one has produced a stem which it did pretty quickly from being planted but nothing from the rest. They are all from the same bag of seed potatoes. :-)
17 Jun, 2010
Ian, shame on you. Tattie Shaws are the stems of the potato plant. The potatoes should be growing by now, lindah, so I don't know what is wrong.
17 Jun, 2010
Hi Lindah as you are going into autumn in New Zealand it isn't really surprising that the potatoes aren't doing well. They need to be planted in spring i.e. late September early October for you - possibly even late October depending on your weather and the soil temperature. Ian I always call the potato tops 'shaws' or 'haims'.
17 Jun, 2010
My apologies Lindah, it was 3:30 (ish) am when I wrote my answer and I wasn't firing on all cylinders then! Lol
17 Jun, 2010
Whoops, missed the NZ bit. Sorry.
17 Jun, 2010
thanks for the replies....according to my trusty Yates garden guide potatoes can be planted in my area into March...admittedly I was a little later in getting them in but our summer was still going well into March. I will just see what happens I guess :-)
23 Jun, 2010
Hi Lindah I've just done a google search and this website http://2womenon2acres.com/how-to-grow-maori-potatoes/
clearly states planting September/October and harvesting January/February. I recognise it is talking about Maori potatoes but indicates they are grown in the same way as regular potatoes.
The Gardenate website advises folk in Australia to plant potatoes as follows:
Sep Oct Nov Dec
(Best months for planting Potato in Australia - cool/mountain regions)
Sow direct in garden where they are to grow.
Harvest in 15-20 weeks.
I'd try again at the right time of year.
23 Jun, 2010
Previous question
Hi guest, I am a little confused by the term "shaws" what does this mean?
Potatoes will first grow a stem and leaves and from this get the energy to produce more tubers (potatoes!) Depending on if you have earlies, second earlies or main crop they can take quite a while (several months) for the tubers to mature.
If you can give us more info then we will try our best to help!
17 Jun, 2010