Home » Misc » When to start potatoes

When to start potatoes


Growing Potatoes: Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Potatoes

The taste and texture of homegrown potatoes are far superior to those of store-bought spuds! Garden “taters” also provide a bounty of nutrients. Here’s how to grow and harvest potatoes in your home garden.

About Potatoes

The potato (Solanum tuberosum) is a member of the nightshade family, which includes tomato, pepper, and eggplant. This cool-weather vegetable typically yields bigger crops in the northern portion of the U.S., however, they can be grown as a winter crop in warmer climates.

The edible part of the potato is the underground “tuber” which is an enlarged underground storage portion of the potato plant. The tuber develops from underground stems called stolons once the plants are 6 to 8 inches tall, or around 5 to 7 weeks after planting.

Potatoes are an ancient vegetable that was first documented by the Incas in Peru. According to the Maine Potato Board, this vegetable arrived in the American Colonies in 1621 when the Governor of Bermuda sent potatoes to the Governor of Virginia at Jamestown.

Now America’s #1 vegetable, potatoes are a fat-free, cholesterol-free source of carbohydrates (energy). But it’s the skin that you should not discard; the skin provides 45% of your daily vitamin C and 18% of potassium, as well as thiamin, riboflavin, folate, niacin, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc.

Learn more about planting potatoes below. 

Planting

Plant potatoes in a sunny place with at least 6 hours of directly sunlight each day. The tubers need to grow in fertile, loose, well-drained soil; hard or compacted soil leads to misshapen tubers. Ideally, soil is slightly acid (pH 5.8 to 6.5) and the soil temperature is at least 45º to 55ºF  (7° to 13°C). Before planting (preferably in the fall), mix compost or organic matter into the soil. Learn more about compost, soil amendments, and preparing soil for planting.)

When to Plant Potatoes

Garden potatoes can be planted as soon as the soil can be worked. For many gardeners, this is about 2 weeks after the last spring frost. But aware that early crops may be ruined by soil that’s too wet as the potato seeds will rot. Pay more attention to the soil than the calendar to determine planting time. The soil should not be so wet that it sticks together and is hard to work. Let it dry out a bit first. If you have a late and wet spring, you can plant later—through April (depending on location) or even June, especially in containers. 

In cooler 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. These varieties can withstand frost.

In warmer 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. For example, 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.

How to Plant Potatoes

Note: Potatoes are usually planted in the ground, but they also can be grown in large containers or baskets. The same planting information applies.

Use certified (disease-resistant) seed potatoes from which eyes (buds) protrude. (Do not confuse seed potatoes with potato seeds or grocery produce.

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

for a bumper crop |

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Knowing when to plant potatoes is important to ensure a good harvest. A cook's staple, potatoes can be grown in most soil types provided they have a sunny spot. Potatoes can also be grown in bags or in pots on a patio if you do not have an area of open ground. They’re also relatively easy to care for, which makes them a perfect vegetable for beginners to grow. 

There's a huge variety of potatoes you can grow from fast-growing early varieties such as 'Swift' that provide small new potatoes in summer, to maincrops like the popular 'King Edward' that can be stored for the winter months. With some planning and successive planting you can be harvesting and enjoying potatoes from June right through to Christmas.

If you're learning how to grow potatoes knowing when to plant them is key, and this is the lowdown.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

When to plant potatoes

As with knowing when to plant vegetables in general, when you plant potatoes will depend on your climate, soil conditions and the estimated date of the last frosts in your area. Potatoes are not hardy plants, so in general they are planted in spring from mid March to late April and can be harvested anywhere between June and October. In milder regions potatoes may be planted earlier than in colder regions.

'In general, potato plants are usually planted two to three weeks before the last frost date,’ says gardening expert Mary Jane Duford , known for her step-by-step guides. ‘The plants take about two to three weeks to sprout up above the soil, meaning that the timing works out so that potato plants sprout outdoors around the time of the local last frost date. ' 

Before planting potatoes you can give them a head start by 'chitting' them. This is a process which encourages seed potatoes to develop shoots before they are planted. To do this lay the seed potatoes in trays (you could use egg boxes) with their eyes pointing upwards and place the trays in a cool, light, frost-free place. In northern latitudes chitting is generally done six weeks before planting.

Potato seeds are ready to plant when the shoots are about three-quarters of an inch (2cm) long but they can be planted at any length, and they’re ideal as potato companion plants alongside flowers for beneficial effects.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

What is the best month to plant potatoes?

When you plant potatoes will depend on your climate and growing zone, but it will also depend on what type you are looking to grow.

Potatoes are split into three types depending on how long they take to mature: first early, second early and maincrops. 

First early potatoes: plant in mid-to late March ready for harvesting in June or July 

Second earlies: plant early to mid April for lifting in July or August

Maincrop varieties: plant in mid to late April and harvest in August for immediate use or lift in September/October for storing.

'Gardeners in the south usually plant potatoes in mid to late February. March to April are the most common planting months for potatoes in temperate regions. Gardeners in particularly cold climates may have to wait until May to plant potatoes,' explains Mary Jane Duford.

(Image credit: Miracle-gro)

Tips on when to plant potatoes

While looking at calendars can be a useful guide for planning when to plant potatoes, it is important to pay attention to the weather, in particular the temperature of your soil. 'Early (or 'new') potatoes are best planted as soon as the ground is ready in March or April. “Ready” means workable and not cold to touch,' explains gardening expert Monty Don, author of The Complete Gardener .

To help you determine when the soil is ready consider buying a soil thermometer, suggest the gardening experts at glasshouse makers Hartley Botanic . 'Even potatoes have a temperature requirement of 43°F (6°C) at a 4 inch depth at least three days before planting,' they explain.

Early potatoes are likely to sprout above the surface of the soil before the frosts have passed; in this case they will need to be 'earthed up' to help protect the plants from frost damage. This is where soil is mounded up around the plants leaving all but the tips exposed. Earthing up also stops the growing tubers from turning green and encourages a larger crop.

(Image credit: RHS/Paul Debois)

How late can you plant potatoes?

If you’re wondering when to plant potatoes later on in the year, be aware that they are best planted in spring, but can be planted as late as mid-summer for a small crop of early or 'new' potatoes. Generally early potatoes will be ready to lift 10 to 13 weeks after planting while maincrop varieties mature in around 22 weeks. Potatoes planted in summer will not need chitting.

'While the overall production will be diminished, you could certainly plant potatoes as late as July for a small harvest of new potatoes in September-October,' says Mary Jane Duford.  

Similarly, Monty Don, writing in The Complete Gardener , has said of his early potatoes that he has, 'planted as late as the second week in June and still got a decent crop’. 

(Image credit: Andrew Shaylor / Getty Images)

Can you grow potatoes all year round?

Potatoes can be grown outdoors all year round in warm climates such as in their native region of South America, but in northern latitudes with shorter growing seasons they are best planted in spring and harvested from June to October.

'Even in their native growing environment, potatoes follow an annual lifecycle of growth-harvest in which growth is aligned with the longest days of the year in terms of sunshine,' says Mary Jane Duford. 

Pippa is Content Editor on Homes & Gardens online contributing to Period Living and Country Homes & Interiors print issues. A graduate of Art History and formerly Style Editor at Period Living, she is passionate about architecture, creating decorating content, interior styling and writing about craft and historic homes. She enjoys searching out beautiful images and the latest trends to share with the Homes & Gardens audience. A keen gardener, when she’s not writing you’ll find her growing flowers on her village allotment for styling projects.

When to dig potatoes and start harvesting

You need to harvest vegetables on time, otherwise the fruits will begin to deteriorate, rot, become unsuitable for storage and consumption. However, if ripe cucumbers and tomatoes are immediately visible, then beginner gardeners have difficulty with potatoes: when to dig potatoes?

Contents

How do you know when to dig potatoes?

It is not possible to give specific dates, as the timing of potato harvesting depends on many factors: which varieties were chosen (early or late), when the potatoes were planted, how you looked after them during the summer, and what were the weather conditions.

Someone starts digging in July-August, others wait until the end of September. One thing is for sure: in the summer you should dig up individual potato bushes only to immediately use it for cooking - boiled young potatoes are crumbly and tender. But potatoes dug out ahead of time are not suitable for storage, since their peel is too thin. The slightest damage to tubers can subsequently lead to their decay and damage to stocks for the winter.

Most gardeners start harvesting potatoes when the leaves turn yellow and dry. But what to do if part of the tops is still green, part has turned yellow, and part has completely died? Such an uneven drying of the tops is due to the fact that neither during storage nor when planting potatoes, amateur potato growers select root crops according to varieties and ripening dates. All potatoes are planted at the same time and harvested after about 70-100 days.

Most gardeners start harvesting potatoes when the leaves turn yellow and dry

However, withered tops do not always indicate the ripening of potatoes. It can lie down with an excess of moisture or nitrogen - then the upper part grows very powerful, while the root crops do not have time to fully ripen. In some varieties, the tops remain green until the end of September, although the tubers can already be dug up. Therefore, the best option is digging potatoes, starting from the end of August, until mid-September.

If in doubt, just try digging up a bush or two and see how ripe the tubers are. Having found potatoes of a sufficiently large size with a dense skin in the hole, you can start harvesting the entire crop.

Is it really easier to harvest potatoes with a walk-behind tractor than with a shovel?

It is long and hard to dig potatoes with a shovel - if you are not used to it, you can put a lot of pressure on your back. It’s good if the area with potatoes is small and there are a lot of helpers, but what if you have to dig several acres together? Many vegetable growers have long come to the conclusion that it is easier and faster to dig potatoes with a walk-behind tractor, and planting potatoes can also be done using a walk-behind tractor, which greatly facilitates the process.

Digging potatoes with a walk-behind tractor requires compliance with certain rules:

Many vegetable growers have long come to the conclusion that it is easier and faster to dig potatoes with a walk-behind tractor. Difficulties in managing the cultivator you are unlikely to have.

Useful tips for harvesting potatoes

Before you start digging potatoes, it is recommended to cut the tops with weeds 10-14 days in advance, leaving the above-ground part 10 cm high. This step is very important for two reasons. Firstly, with beveled tops, nutrients from the aerial part will begin to pass into the tubers, due to which the peel will ripen faster and the keeping quality of the potato will increase. Secondly, the diseases accumulated over the summer on the tops will not penetrate into the tubers, which will also favorably affect the quality of crop storage.

After digging up all the potatoes, do not leave uprooted weeds and leaves on the field, especially if you grow potatoes in the same place every year. Scattered plant waste will become a reservation for various viral, fungal and bacterial diseases that can damage a new crop next year. And the small weeds remaining in the soil will ripen and complicate your work in the new season. Therefore, the tops and weeds are collected, dried and burned after a couple of days.

After digging up all the potatoes, do not leave uprooted weeds and tops on the field

Potatoes are harvested, if possible, in dry, warm weather so that the dug up tubers can be ventilated and dry right on the field. Dried potatoes are laid out in bulk (with a layer of no more than half a meter) or put in bags in a dark place for a couple of weeks - the so-called healing period, during which the skin of the tubers will become denser, and diseases will have time to appear, if any. After the treatment period, it will be necessary to re-sort the potatoes, removing infected or damaged tubers, and you can store the potatoes for storage at a temperature not higher than + 2 + 5 degrees.

Rate the article:

[Votes: 2 Average: 4.5]

When to dig potatoes?

Let's talk about potatoes. Beginning summer residents ask: when to dig potatoes? How to determine that the tubers are ready for harvest? How to harvest a good potato crop? Let's try to answer all these questions.

Any gardener knows that the crop harvested on time is better stored, potato tubers get sick less, which means they will not deteriorate.

Signs by which you can determine that potatoes need to be dug

Potato harvesting time depends on many factors: potato variety, planting time, growing conditions, weather and other factors. Therefore, it is impossible to say the exact number when you need to dig potatoes. However, there are a number of signs by which you can determine that the tubers are ready for digging.

Young potatoes, which are immediately used for food, can be dug up as early as the beginning of July. Potato flowers have begun to crumble - it's time to dig young potatoes "for food". True, the peel on such a potato is very tender and thin. It is easy to clean, and the tubers are crumbly and tender when cooked. But it’s not worth storing such tubers, because. thin skin is easily injured and the tubers can rot. Therefore, it is impossible to harvest potatoes for storage in early July.

If you know exactly your potato varieties and planting date, then you can start harvesting after 70 days from the start of planting. The tubers will ripen during this time, the peel on the potatoes will become dense and such a crop will be better stored in winter.

However, many summer residents do not sort potatoes into varieties and both early and late varieties may be mixed on the field. In this case, it is better to wait with cleaning than to start digging earlier.

Gardeners often say that you need to start harvesting potatoes when the tops turn yellow and die. This is not entirely correct. The fact is that the above-ground green mass of potatoes can wither and turn yellow with improper feeding, from diseases (late blight) or under adverse conditions. And the tops of some varieties of potatoes remain green until the very end of the growing season.

The most optimal time for harvesting potatoes is the end of August - mid-September. At the same time, you need to keep an eye on the weather. So, with prolonged rainfall, tubers can begin to rot right in the ground. Therefore, choose dry warm weather and dig potatoes on time.

In addition, you can always dig up one or two bushes in different places of the potato field to see if the tubers are ripe, if it's time to dig all the potatoes.

Is it better to dig potatoes: with a shovel or a walk-behind tractor?

No one argues that digging potatoes with a shovel is difficult, especially if there are few helpers, and the back is no longer young. It is easier and easier to harvest potatoes with the help of machinery. Special attachments for harvesting potatoes will allow you to harvest with less effort, so digging potatoes with a walk-behind tractor is more profitable.

However, keep in mind that it is possible to harvest potatoes with the help of equipment only if the potatoes were planted in advance for such harvesting. That is: rows of potatoes should be even, the distance between them should correspond to the width of the wheels of the walk-behind tractor, and the potato digger on the equipment will be set to the desired depth.

Potato harvesting tips and tricks

  1. Mow 10 cm of tops before harvesting potatoes

    Why. First, you remove the above-ground mass and all rows of potatoes immediately become visible. Secondly, if the tops are affected by late blight or other diseases, then you need to burn it so as not to spread the disease throughout the area.

  2. Prepare material or tarpaulin on which you will dry and sort tubers

    Fold the selected potatoes in one row. So the tubers will dry faster and sort them much easier.

  3. Do not throw the tubers

    Try not to throw the tubers when harvesting. Pour them in carefully. Mechanical damage can significantly reduce your yield in storage.

  4. Discard bad potatoes immediately

    It is better to cull diseased and cut tubers immediately at the stage of digging and drying, than to waste time later sorting out bagged potatoes.

    Learn more