Potatoes are one of those great crops that can be grown many different ways, and are pretty easy to grow. They are one of the early crops of the year, so make sure you know when to plant potatoes in your gardening zone so you don’t miss out on this easy crop!
What Month Do You Plant Potatoes?
There are two ways to decide when to plant something. One way is to look at a chart for your zone and to plant based on that chart. The other is to look for indicator species in your neighborhood that will help you know when conditions are right.
For potatoes, traditional wisdom holds that you should plant them when the dandelions start blooming. All sources agree that they should be planted two weeks before the last freeze. Traditionally this turns out to be near Saint Patrick’s Day, which is fairly easy to remember!
For me here in San Antonio they could probably be grown all winter, as we rarely get below 28 degrees. The bigger risk here is the heat of summer. Potatoes do not do well in intense heat. If you live in a hot area, make sure you plant early enough that you can get a crop in before the heat starts!
How long does it take to grow potatoes?
Potatoes need 15-20 weeks before they are ready to harvest, so you can calculate the last possible planting date if you know the typical temperatures in your area. If your area gets hotter than 95, plant your potatoes so they have long enough to mature before the heat hits.
Planting Dates For Potatoes By Zone
Zones 2a through 6b – Plant your potatoes in April and May.
Zone 7a – Plant from January through March and again in August for a fall crop.
Zone 7b – Plant from January through March.
Zones 8a and 8b – Plant in January and February, and a fall crop in August.
Zones 9a and 9b – Plant your spring crop in January and your fall crop in October and November.
Zones 10a and 10b – Plant your potatoes in January and February and again in November.
Zones 11a and 11b – You can plant one crop from December through February.
Zones 12a through 13b – These areas are too warm to grow potatoes, and there is no recommended planting date
When Can You Plant Potatoes For The Fall?
Potatoes can also be planted in the fall for a second crop of the year in some areas. To find out when you can plant a fall crop of potatoes in your area you need to know your first frost date. Count back 15-20 weeks and start planting your potatoes at that time.
Potatoes do very well as a fall crop in warmer areas. If you are in zone 8a through 10b, you should definitely plant a fall crop of potatoes! If you live in colder areas, you may still be able to grow a second crop of the year with the use of season extenders such as row covers or greenhouses.
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Thank you for the informationn.
You are welcome!
Hello. Thank you for this information. I live in southern part of New Mexico and I have some potatoes with eyes. I’d like to plant them but I think it’s already way too hot here. Most days are already in the 90s. So my question is would it be possible to grow them in my garage In a container under a lamp?
Because you will likely not have an early frost in your area you can probably plant them outside with no issues.
I’m in Kentucky. I’ve just finished constructing a raised bed. Am I wasting my time getting some potatoes in? It could be 90 here in three or four weeks and stay that way until October – now only about 20 weeks away.
They will grow, but will need a lot of water and might not form as many potatoes.
In San Antonio when should I plant potatoes? Can I use store bought potatoes that have started to sprout?
Generally they are planted in January. However, it only takes 90-120 days until harvest so you could probably still get a fall crop in before a frost. Store bought potatoes will grow, but they will not produce as much as seed potatoes.
I live in Florida, central part. Is it really too hot already to plant now?
Tubers don’t form well when the soil is warm, but you have plenty of time before the first frost if you want to try for a fall crop.
Hi
I live in Virginia. Can I plant potatoes in June is it a good idea to plant know ?
Thank you
Hi. I’m in zone 8b, western Washington. I’d like to plant some potatoes in a pot on my balcony but can’t find anywhere that sells them! Can I just wait until my baby dutch yellow potato grows eyes and then plant it? Or do I continue searching for seed potatoes on the internet? No having much luck there. Any suggestions? Appreciate your help!
You can wait until your potato grows eyes. I’ve done it myself. I believe Johnny Seeds does sell seed potatoes, and most places are back in stock after the rush to buy seeds that happened this spring. https://www.johnnyseeds.com/vegetables/potatoes/
It would be helpful to see photos in stages of what you describe. Sometimes description doesn’t make sense to 1st time gardeners. Especially with things like the potatoes.
If you are looking for more details and pictures on how to plant potatoes, feel free to check out this post: https://farmingmybackyard.com/plant-potatoes/
I’m in Arkansas, 7b. I tried last year, but I didn’t really follow directions. I just picked up red and Yukon yellow at the store today. I’m planting this weekend. Thank you for the post it is very informative. Wish me luck!
Good luck, and hopefully you get a good crop!
Hi,
I’m in central Colorado with about 2 ft of snow on the ground. Nights are still in the mid teens. I do have a greenhouse built with raised beds. My seed potatoes just came in today. Should I start growing the potatoes in the greenhouse or wait until the snow is gone?
Thanks you
Troy
Potatoes don’t transplant well, so only start them in the greenhouse if you plan to keep them in there. Potatoes can be planted in your area most likely between April and May. You can plant them as early as two weeks before the last frost, but should wait until the soil temperature has warmed up to at least 40 degrees.
Thank you for sharing a very informative article! It helps a lot.
Glad it was useful!
How late in Kentucky can I plant potatoes?
Potatoes needs 90 days before you can harvest them. So you’ll want to get them planted about three months before your first frost. You can plant them in the spring about 3 weeks before the last frost. I’m not super familiar with Kentucky, so here is a website that includes a planting calendar: https://thegardeningdad.com/best-time-to-plant-potatoes-in-kentucky/
I live in a hardiness zone 9-10 in San Diego County – should I plant potatoes now or wait longer?
You can probably get a spring crop in before it gets too hot if you plant right away.
We supposedly live in zone 9b on the beach in Northern California. Today August 31, 2024 our high is expected to be 59 degrees. We go months without seeing the sun here. In our 7years here it has never been above 75 and I could count those days on my fingers. But I can get usually 2 crops of smallish potatoes in 3 to 5 big pots each year. Frost is pretty rare and is short lived. Thanks for the info.
That’s awesome you are able to get two crops in each year. Microclimates can sometimes be so different than what the zone for the general area is sometimes!