When to Plant Potatoes: Dates by Frost, Soil Temperature and Fall Crops

Potatoes like cool soil and cool nights, and the tubers form best before summer heat arrives. Plant into cold, soggy ground and seed pieces can rot; plant too late and the plants hit hot weather just as they should be filling out. Here is how to pick your window.

Step 1: go by soil, not the calendar

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension says to plant when the soil 4 inches deep reaches about 50°F. University of Minnesota Extension says to plant as soon as the soil warms in spring, and Iowa State says as soon as the ground can be worked. A simple squeeze test helps: if a handful of soil crumbles rather than forming a sticky ball, it is dry enough to plant.

Step 2: planting dates by last frost

Our planting calendar places potatoes in the 4 weeks before your average last spring frost. The table shows that window, with Texas A&M's "about 3 weeks before" date as a middle target. Shift later if the soil is still cold or waterlogged.

Regional examples from extension sources: February or early March in most of Texas (Texas A&M); mid-March to mid-May in central Maryland (UMD); early April around the Twin Cities and into May further north (UMN); early to mid-April in central Iowa, about a week earlier in the south of the state and a week later in the north (Iowa State).

Step 3: a fall crop in hot-summer areas

In the South, spring potatoes are harvested before the worst heat, and a second crop can go in late summer. Texas A&M says to plant a fall crop about 110 days before the first expected frost, which is mid-August in most of Texas. Small whole seed potatoes are often used for fall planting because cut pieces are more likely to rot in hot soil. University of Florida IFAS lists potatoes for January in North Florida and December to January in Central Florida.

Step 4: prepare seed potatoes

• Buy certified seed potatoes. UMN advises against grocery-store or saved potatoes, which can carry disease or be treated to stop sprouting.
• Cut large potatoes into pieces about 1¼ inches across with at least one eye; UMN says two or three eyes is better. Small potatoes can go in whole.
• Let cut pieces heal. UMN cures them for a few days at 60 to 70°F; Texas A&M cuts seed 5 or 6 days before planting and keeps it somewhere airy so the cut surfaces seal over.

Step 5: depth, spacing and hilling

Step 6: when to harvest

UMN says you can dig small new potatoes about 7 to 8 weeks after planting. For storage potatoes, wait until the vines yellow and die back; Iowa State notes most varieties mature in 90 to 120 days. Let the skins set, then cure the potatoes for about 2 weeks at 50 to 60°F before storing them somewhere dark and cool, around 40°F (Iowa State).

Where potatoes go in the garden

Potatoes are in the nightshade family with tomatoes, peppers and eggplant, and share diseases such as late blight. UMN suggests not planting potatoes where any of those crops grew in the last 3 to 4 years. See what to plant with potatoes for good neighbors, and what not to plant together for the pairs to keep apart.

Frequently asked questions

When should I plant potatoes?

In the 4 weeks before your average last spring frost, once the soil can be worked and is about 50°F at 4 inches deep. Texas A&M suggests roughly 3 weeks before the last frost.

Can I plant potatoes before the last frost?

Yes. Potatoes are planted before the last frost because they are underground for the first couple of weeks. If shoots are up and frost is forecast, cover them with soil or a row cover.

Is it too late to plant potatoes in May?

Not in northern areas, where UMN says May planting is normal. In warm areas, May planting means the plants hit summer heat while forming tubers, so yields usually suffer.

Can I plant potatoes in the fall?

In hot-summer areas, yes. Texas A&M plants a fall crop about 110 days before the first expected frost, usually mid-August in Texas.

Should I plant potatoes on Good Friday?

The tradition is popular, but Iowa State notes that Easter moves by several weeks each year, so soil conditions and your frost date are better guides.

Can I plant potatoes from the grocery store?

UMN recommends certified seed potatoes instead. Grocery potatoes may carry disease or be treated to slow sprouting.

How deep should I plant potatoes?

About 3 to 5 inches deep and 10 to 12 inches apart, then hill soil around the stems as they grow.