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When to plant potatoes
Plant potatoes 1–4 weeks before the last spring frost. Wait until the soil is at least 45°F. That works out to zone 5b (early April to late April), zone 7a (mid March to early April) and zone 9a (early February to late February).
Potatoes planting dates by zone
| Zone | Plant outdoors | potatoes ready from |
|---|---|---|
| 4a | Apr 17 – May 8 | Jul 7 |
| 4b | Apr 15 – May 6 | Jul 5 |
| 5a | Apr 13 – May 4 | Jul 3 |
| 5b | Apr 7 – Apr 28 | Jun 27 |
| 6a | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | Jun 21 |
| 6b | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | Jun 15 |
| 7a | Mar 18 – Apr 8 | Jun 7 |
| 7b | Mar 9 – Mar 30 | May 28 |
| 8a | Feb 27 – Mar 20 | May 18 |
| 8b | Feb 16 – Mar 9 | May 8 |
| 9a | Feb 2 – Feb 23 | Apr 24 |
| 9b | Jan 7 – Jan 28 | Mar 29 |
How to plant potatoes
| Plant as | seed potatoes |
|---|---|
| Soil temperature | 45°F or warmer |
| Depth | 4 in (then hill soil up) |
| Spacing | 12 in in rows 30–36 in apart |
| Light | Full sun |
| Time to harvest | 70–120 days |
Cut seed potatoes to 1–2 eyes per piece and let them dry a day before planting.
Hill soil over the stems as they grow so tubers stay covered; sun turns them green and bitter.
Potatoes tolerate light frost on emerging leaves, so they go in a few weeks before the last frost.
When to harvest potatoes
Dig 'new' potatoes 7–8 weeks after planting. For storage, wait until the vines die back, then leave the tubers in the ground two more weeks to toughen their skins.
Planting potatoes in warm climates
In zones 8–10 plant in January–February, or in late summer (August–September) for a fall crop.
Exact dates for your town: planting calendar · frost dates by state.
More vegetables to plant
Tomatoes · Bell peppers · Pumpkins · Cucumbers · Okra · Zucchini · Watermelon · Green beans