Growing Potatoes

Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Potatoes

Our Potato Growing Guide covers planting, growing, and harvesting one of our favorite vegetables! Also, see tips on how to store potatoes to keep them fresh—and some homemade potato recipes.

Potatoes can be planted very early in the gardening season—as you soon as the frost is out of the soil and you are able to work the soil!

Folklore offers many “best days” for planting potatoes:

Old-timers in New England planted their potato crops when they saw dandelions blooming in the open fields.
The Pennsylvania Dutch considered St. Gertrude’s Day (March 17, aka St. Patrick’s Day) to be their official potato-planting day.
Many Christians believed that Good Friday was the best day to plant potatoes because the devil holds no power over them at this time.

See more information about planting potatoes below.

Planting Dates for POTATOES

Planting Calendar for all Plants

Planting

When to Plant Potatoes

Potatoes prefer cool weather.

In Northern regions, some gardeners will plant the first crop of early-maturing potatoes in early to mid-April, 6 to 8 weeks before the average last frost date or as soon as the soil can be worked; they can survive some cool weather but the threat of frost is a gamble. If there is a threat of frost at night, temporarily cover any sprouted foliage with mulch or an artificial covering such as old sheets or plastic containers (and be sure to remember to remove the coverings in the morning).

To avoid frost, consider starting potatoes 0 to 2 weeks after your last spring frost. You may plant earlier, as soon as soil can be worked, but be aware that some crops may be ruined by a frost or overly wet soil.
The soil, not the calendar, will tell you when it’s time to plant. The temperature of the soil should—ideally—be at least 50°F (10°C). The soil should also not be so wet that it sticks together and is hard to work. Let it dry out a bit first. Like other seeds, potato seed pieces will rot if planted in ground that’s too wet.

In Southern regions, potatoes can be grown as a winter crop and planting times range from September to February. Where winters are relatively mild, you can plant a fall crop in September. In central Florida, gardeners plant potatoes in January; and in Georgia they plant in February.

See our Planting Guide for the best dates to plant by zip code or postal code.

Preparing the Planting Site

Potatoes grow best in cool, well-drained, loose soil that is about 45° to 55°F (7° to 13°C).
Choose a location that gets full sun—at least 6 hours of sunlight each day.
Grow potatoes in rows spaced about 3 feet apart.
With a hoe or round-point shovel, dig a trench about 6 inches wide and 8 inches deep, tapering the bottom to about 3 inches wide.
Spread and mix in fully-rotted manure or organic compost in the bottom of the trench before planting. (Learn more about soil amendments and preparing soil for planting.)

Man planting potatoes. Photo by tanyss/Getty Images. — *Preparing seed potatoes for planting. Photo by tanyss/Getty Images.*

How to Plant Potatoes

In each trench, place a seed potato piece (cut side down) every 12 to 14 inches and cover with 3 to 4 inches of soil.
If your garden soil is very rocky, put the seed potato pieces directly on the ground. Sprinkle with a mix of soil and compost. Cover them with straw or leaves, hilling the material up as the potatoes grow.
The best starters are seed potatoes. Do not confuse seed potatoes with potato seeds or grocery produce! Select seed potatoes which have protruding eyes (buds).
Use a clean, sharp paring knife to cut large potatoes into pieces that are roughly the size of a golf ball, making sure that there are at least 2 eyes on each piece. (Potatoes that are smaller than a hen’s egg should be planted whole.)
If you are cutting up potato pieces yourself, do so 1 to 2 days ahead of planting. This will give them the chance to “heal” and form a protective layer over the cut surface, improving both moisture retention and rot resistance.
12 to 16 days after planting, when sprouts appear, use a hoe to gently fill in the trench with another 3 to 4 inches of soil, leaving a few inches of the plants exposed. Repeat in several weeks, leaving the soil mounded up 4 to 5 inches above ground level (this is called “hilling” and is explained more here.).
After the potato plants have emerged, add organic mulch between the rows to conserve moisture, help with weed control, and cool the soil.

Check out this excellent video to see how to plant potatoes.

Care

How to Grow Potatoes

Hilling Potatoes

A critical part of growing potatoes is to not let their tubers (i.e., the potato crop) be exposed to sunlight for too long. Exposed tubers will turn green and produce a toxic compound called solanine, which makes them bitter, inedible, and potentially nausea-inducing.

To combat this, we employ a technique called hilling.

Hilling is simple: As a potato plant grows, it produces a main stem with leaves and flowers aboveground. Meanwhile, underground, tubers form on secondary stems that branch off from the main stem. In order to prevent shallow tubers from being exposed to sunlight and to encourage the plant to keep producing more tubers, a few inches of soil are periodically “hilled” up around the base of the stem. This is typically done three to four times during the season.

Tips for growing and hilling potatoes:

Do the hilling in the morning, when plants are at their tallest. During the heat of the day, plants start drooping.
Maintain even moisture, especially from the time when sprouts appear until several weeks after they blossom. The plants need 1 to 2 inches of water per week. If you water too much right after planting and not enough as the potatoes begin to form, the tubers can become misshapen.
The last hilling should be done before the potato plants bloom, when the aboveground part of the plant is at least a foot tall. Hoe the dirt up around the base of the plant in order to cover the tubers as well as to support the plant.
Practice yearly crop rotation with potatoes.

Pests/Diseases

Potato Scab: Most likely caused by a high soil pH. Remember: Potatoes like acidic soil (do not plant in soil with a pH higher than 5.2). Dust seed potatoes with sulfur before planting. Some readers suggest adding pine straw on top of the potatoes when planting for natural anti-bacterial elements.
Colorado potato beetles need to be hand-picked and predatory birds will often eat them. While they’re in the nymph state, they can be controlled with diatomaceous earth (food grade) which is a non-toxic way to control pests in the garden. If they continue to be a problem, a few sprays of Spinosad, an organic pesticide, will get rid of the beetles. Always use products at dawn or dusk to avoid harming beneficial insects.
Aphids
Flea Beetles
Early/Late Blight

Harvest/Storage

When to Harvest Potatoes

Regular potatoes are ready to harvest when the foliage begins to die back. (See each variety for days to maturity.) The tops of the plants need to have completely died before you begin harvesting.
- “New potatoes,” which are potatoes that are purposefully harvested early for their smaller size and tender skin, will be ready for harvest 2 to 3 weeks after the plants stop flowering. New potatoes should not be cured and should be eaten within a few days of harvest, as they will not keep for much longer than that.
Toughen up potatoes for storage before harvest by not watering them much after mid-August.
Dig up a test hill to see how mature the potatoes are. The skins of mature potatoes are thick and firmly attached to the flesh. If the skins are thin and rub off easily, your potatoes are still too new and should be left in the ground for a few more days.
Potatoes can tolerate light frost, but when the first hard frost is expected, it’s time to get out the shovels and start digging potatoes.

How to Harvest Potatoes

Cut the brown foliage off and leave the potatoes for 10 to 14 more days before you harvest. This allows the potatoes to develop a thick enough skin. Don’t wait too long, though, or the potatoes may rot (especially in moisture-laden soil).
Dig potatoes up on a dry day. Dig up gently, being careful not to damage the tubers. Avoid cutting or bruising potato skin. Damaged potatoes will rot during storage and should be used as soon as possible. The soil should not be compact, so digging should be easy.
If the soil is very wet, let the potatoes air-dry as much as possible before putting them in bags or baskets.
Don’t leave the potatoes that you have dug in the sun for long after they have been dug up from your garden, otherwise your potatoes may turn green. Green potatoes have a bitter taste due to the presence of solanine, and if enough is eaten, can cause vomiting and diarrhea. Small spots can be trimmed off, but if there is significant greening, throw the potato out.

Curing Potatoes

Allow freshly dug potatoes to sit in a dry, cool, dark place (45 to 60°F / 7 to 15°C) for up to two weeks. This allows their skins to cure, which will help them keep for longer.
After curing, make sure you brush off any soil clinging to the potatoes.
Whether you dig your own potatoes or buy them at a store, don’t wash them until right before you use them. Washing potatoes shortens their storage life.
After curing, do not put potatoes near apples; the apples’ ethylene gas will cause potatoes to spoil and go bad.

Storing Potatoes

If you’re buying potatoes to eat within a few days, storage is not an issue. You can store anywhere.

For long-term storage, potatoes need the following conditions: ventilation, cool temperatures, high humidity, and no light. Storing potatoes in your home isn’t easy unless you have a root cellar. Most home temperatures are kept at 65 to 75 degrees F and potatoes need be stored at cool temperatures to avoid sprouting.

Recommendation for Home Storage

Store at cool temperatures (42 to 55 degrees F). Warm temperatures encourage sprouting and disease. Storage options include: an extra refrigerator set a few days higher than normal; an unheated entrance, spare room, closet, attic, cabinet, basement, or garage insulated to protect potatoes from freezing.
The room must have high humidity. Potatoes are 80% water so it’s too dry, potatoes wither and dry out. Options are a damp cellar OR you can elevate humidity by storing tubers in plastic bags that are perforated (with many holes cut in the side) to provide fresh air OR/AND placing large pans of water in front of air source.
Avoid all light to prevent greening. The location must be dark or use dark-colored, perforated plastic bags with many holes cut in the side to allow for air movement.
Potatoes need ventilization. Even after harvest, potatoes still use oxygen and give of carbon dioxide so they must have fresh air. Never put potatoes in airtight containers Use perfermated bags as mentioned in steps above.

Find more tips on getting potatoes ready for the root cellar.

Recommended Varieties

There are more than 100 varieties of potatoes! In the home garden, most people grow tan-skinned or red-skinned potatoes with white flesh.

To chose a potato to grow, think about how you like to eat them.

Russets and long white potatoes are used to make baked, boiled, or fried potatoes.
Round white potatoes are used for either boiled potatoes or potato chips.
Red-skinned potatoes are often used for boiling or for potato salads.

There are also speciality potatoes in many shapes, sizes, and colors, including all-blue potatoes as well as potatoes with red or yellow flesh. We also love All Blue Potatoes! They’re delicious and, well, they’re truly blue!

Early Varieties:

‘Irish Cobbler’: tan skin, irregular shape (great heirloom potato for delicious mashed potatoes!)
‘Norland’: red skin, resistant to potato scab
‘Mountain Rose’: red skin and pink flesh, resistant to some viruses

Mid-Season Varieties

‘Red Pontiac’: red skin, deep eyes (easiest and most adaptable red potato there is to grow)
‘Viking’: red skin, very productive
‘Chieftan’: red skin, resistant to potato scab, stores well

Late Varieties

‘Katahdin’: tan skin, resistant to some viruses
‘Kennebec’: tan skin, resistant to some viruses and late blight
‘Elba’: tan skin, large round tubers, resistant to blight and potato scab

See our page on how to choose the best potatoes to grow in your garden for more information on recommended varieties.

Wit & Wisdom

Before planning your garden, take a look at our plant companions chart to see which veggies are most compatible with potatoes.
Did you know: Potato promoter Antoine Parmentier convinced Marie Antoinette to wear potato blossoms in her hair.
Grated potatoes are said to soothe sunburnt skin.

“What I say is that if a man really likes potatoes, he must be a pretty decent sort of fellow.”
–A. A. Milne, English writer (1882–1956)

Recipes

Cooking Notes

Potatoes are naturally healthy. Not only are they fat-free and cholesterol-free but also an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of potassium.
Check out our recipe archives to find potato recipes that range from plain to fancy!

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Reader Comments

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red potatoes- fall harvest

Well, I planted red potatoes in spring. Something, guessing either rat or frog, dug in and my hills died back. So went ahead and harvested any potatoes that I found underground (June). In August I noticed potatoes growing in the same area. I must have missed some. I have been hilling them since I found them. We just had 2 hard frosts and today I'm digging them up. More to follow.

mild winter?

What temp range are we talking about that constitutes living in a region that has "mild winters?" I have looked Google over and I can not find a straight answer. Someone must know though because the term is thrown around all over the gardening world. Can someone please answer this?

Mild Winter

We consider somewhere with a “mild winter” to be an area that experiences only a few (if any) frosts or snowfall during the year. Temperatures may dip into the high 20s or low 30s (Fahrenheit) occasionally, but generally temperatures should stay above freezing.

Fertilizer?

I didn't read anything about fertilizing potatoes on this article.... I've heard that if you fertilize at the wrong time, your plants will be large, and will flower, but there will be no tubers. So what is the right time to fertilize? I use Monty's Root and Bloom - NPK of 2-15-15. It's a liquid, foliar spray that I use every 1 -2 weeks. I am also growing my potatoes in crates, so they tend to dry out quicker than they would in a garden. Answers appreciated!

potato fertilizer

Your question, a good one, points to the importance of proper soil pH. For an answer, we consulted Cooperative Extension Services and others. These are the most succinct answers; others were similar:

• A soil test will tell you whether to use fertilizer and, if so, how much. If you don’t have a current soil test, you might apply a balanced fertilizer (for instance, 10-10-10) at a rate of about 30 pounds per 1,000 square feet, or about one pound per every 10 feet of row. Potatoes will respond well to high-fertility gardens but can produce lots of leaves and tubers that don’t keep well if plants are over-fertilized. Potatoes grown in gardens with low fertility may need fertilizer.

Ideally, fertilizer should be placed in two “bands,” each band two inches to the side of the planting and one inch below the seed piece. You can put fertilizer in the planting furrow and cover it with an inch of soil before planting the seed piece. Another option is broadcasting the fertilizer and mixing it into the soil. Either way, avoid direct contact with the seed piece. The fertilizer can cause rapid seed piece decay.

Manure is not recommended on potatoes. It tends to encourage scab development. Save the manure for other garden crops. –University of Maine

• Follow the results of a soil test to maintain a soil pH between 5.8 and 6.5 and optimal fertility levels. In gardens where potato scab is a problem, keeping the pH of the soil between 5.0 and 5.3 can significantly decrease the level of disease in susceptible varieties. If a soil test has not been taken, remember that potatoes are heavy feeders and a complete fertilizer high in phosphorus (1 tablespoon of 10-20-10 per 10 feet of row) should be added before planting. Work the fertilizer into the furrow and mix with the soil before planting. Sidedress about six weeks after planting (when tubers begin forming) with a high nitrogen fertilizer (5 tablespoons 33-0-0 per 10 feet of row). –Clemson U

Number of Eyes and Size of Tubers

I understand the guidance is to cut seed potatoes to golf ball size chunks with a couple eyes, but I have a question. My father in law is a farmer in Korea. There is some belief among farmers there that the more eyes a seed potato has, the smaller its produced tubers will be.

Does the number of eyes on a seed potato inhibit the growth of tubers on the plant? For example, if one seed potato has 6 eyes and another has 2, with all other conditions constant, will the 2 eye potato grow larger tubers than the 6 eye?

Number of Eyes Affecting Growth

Hi Brian,

So the number of eyes on a seed potato can affect the growth of the potatoes it produces. The more eyes there are, the more potatoes it will produce, but the potatoes will be smaller. The fewer the eyes there are, the fewer potatoes it will produce, but the potatoes will be larger. We hope this helps!

Potatoes getting eaten by pests

I planted potatoes last year and when I dug them up, many had been half eaten by something. Is there a way to protect the potatoes from being eaten while they are growing in the ground?

POTATOES ,

Hi I'm growing Potatoes in containers in San Diego there is so much vegetation growing from them and every day when its warm they are wilting. Can I cut them back? They still have a long time till they are ready to harvest.
thank you!

Does anyone know if potatoes

Does anyone know if potatoes are "vegan"? My grandson has just come back from France and he is now "vegan", I want to cook him something nice but don't know if potatoes are "vegan". Thank you, Barbra.

Potatoes Are Vegan

Yes, potatoes are most definitely vegan—just be sure to rid them of any hitchhiking insects before cooking.

when to plant potatoes

I'm an experienced farmer, but have never grown potatoes. I was surprised that this article mentioned that "In the Northern regions, some gardeners will plant the first crop of early maturing potatoes in April, usually 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost; they can survive snow and cold temperatures." I'm in southern coastal SC (zone 8b), and this article mentioned that gardeners in Florida often plant in January and in Georgia, February. I planted potatoes in mid February this year because daytime temperatures were in the upper 70s. Then we had a late freeze last week, and all the potato leaves that had come up froze and died. The tubers still seemed ok, so I dug them up and replanted them much deeper. How can potatoes be planted 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost if frost kills the foliage? I'm trying to get my potatoes planted early because we sometimes get triple digit temperatures by May, but I also don't want another late frost to kill them. Thanks for clarifying.

Planting Potatoes

That’s too bad that frost got your potatoes’ foliage. As long as the tubers were still firm, they shouldn’t have a problem regrowing.

Frost is an unknown factor, so it’s always a gamble between planting early and having frost potentially affect your crops or planting late and facing the warmer temperatures of summer. Traditionally, some folks planted potatoes around St. Patrick’s Day (March 17). If a frost occurs, some gardeners just let the early foliage die back and then regrow, while others will take steps to protect the potatoes’ foliage (with sheets, plastic coverings, etc.).

In any case, we’ve revised the planting section above to clarify that the risk of frost is significant if planting potatoes early, and we’ve included information on protecting young plants from frosts. Thank you for your question!

Growing taters

Loved growing potatoes! After starting out in a raised bed only to have ground squirrels and raccoons tear them up, I purchased growing bags developed for growing potatoes! I still had to encase them in a chicken wire cover/cloche to keep crittters out, but was able to grow many per bag. Each bag has an opening on one side where tubers could be harvested, making it easier to get those buggers out! They were delish, fun to grow!

Very informative

potatoe storage

One of the comments was not to keep the potatoes in the fridge. I always keep them there and never had a problem. Especially in the summer when it's warm and humid.

Potato growing in pots

I live on the central coast of California and we have mild weather all year round and never get any frost. I have to do all my gardening in pots on my deck because of the deer who eat everything! When I have potatoes from the store that are going bad I cut them up with eyes on all the pieces and plant them in any pot that has room. I get potatoes coming up all the time during the year depending on when I plant them. Most of them are pretty small but they still taste good. I didn't know about "hilling" the potatoes and will try that hoping I get some larger ones. Thanks for your potato growing article.

replanting potatoes

I have just begun to harvest my early crop of potatoes, I tried it in pots which didn't turn out so well, about 2 decent sized potatoes per pot (yukon golds which don't yield much anyway) but lots of tiny potatoes which would make great seed potatoes. My question is can I replant those right now for a second harvest or do potatoes need chill hours before they will sprout again? I have not been able to find the answer to this anywhere on the internet so please reply :) Thank you!

replanting or using harvested potatoes

Potatoes don’t need chill hours per se but they do need a dormancy-type period. The growing period is spring to summer, when the soil and air are cool. It’s too hot to plant now and the daylight hours are on the wane. You can save some spuds to plant next season; be sure they are free of disease. Certified seed potatoes usually are; don’t underestimate the value of that. Brush, don’t wash, off any dirt. Store them in the dark at temps between 34°F and 38°F.

Replanting potatoes

I've never heard they need a chilling time, so I don't think so. I recommend you give it a shot, nothing to lose. Only thing might be it's too hot & they don't like it, or not enough time between now & winter to fully develop. But, you'd still get something, I'm sure.

Hilling

How high can I continue to hill redskin potatoes. They are about 3 1/2 feet tall now, and I am continuing to add to the hilling. When should I stop if at All?> Thanks

"New" Potatoes

I am growing potatoes mostly for "new" potatoes. My plants have just started to flower. Should I stop watering them? How long do I wait to harvest them? Thank you!

Planting potatoes

If I were to dig at 8 inch deep hole by 6 inches wide and then plant the potato which is then covered by 3 inches. How do you keep the trench from filling up with water when it rains since there is only 3 inches covering the potatoes?

Rain

If your soil is well-draining and not compacted, short periods of rain shouldn’t be an issue. However, if your soil is more on the clayey side and it looks like it will be very rainy when you intend to plant potatoes, plant them in a shallower trench (5–6 inches deep) and fill the trench completely at planting time to keep water from pooling. Be sure to still add more soil over top of the plant as it grows.

Too much rain

I planted my potatoes a week ago and did the trench method. A few days later, we got soaking rains and the trenches filled with water and it sat like that for the next day. It's drained since but it's still extremely wet and there's more rain in the forecast. Would you suggest digging up the potatoes and using another method for planting, filling the trenches with soil, or something else?

sroring potatoes

I store potatoes in the refrigerator drawer against advice and have no problems.

2nd planting

My first round of potatoes this season are starting to die it’s mid July. Can I plant a second go round of tubers. I’m on the East Coast of MD. and our first frost usually comes in late October early November.

start potatoes now?

It’s a tough call, that’s what makes gardening interesting. Try it. Remember that potatoes like a cool start; they are usually planted 2 to 4 weeks before the last spring frost. They’ll also need 6 hours of sun per day … as the days grow shorter… It will depend, too, on the days to maturity of the variety you plant. Finally, we wouldn’t plant them in the same bed; remember the value of rotation. Test the soil wherever you do put them. And good luck! You won’t know if you don’t try.

Potato flowers

Should I dead head the flowers that have formed on my potato plants?

Potatoes

I planted a white potato and got red potatoes... How did this happen? I mean they are still delicious, but I'm confused on how this happens.