When to plant potatoes
Potatoes are a cool-season crop that tolerates light frost and prefers to grow in cool weather. Plant seed potatoes when soil reaches about 45°F; shoots that emerge before the last frost can be covered with soil.
- Sow seeds outdoors 3 weeks before the last spring frost, up to the date itself.
About 90 days from planting to harvest.
Get exact dates for your garden
Planting dates by hardiness zone
| Zone | Typical last frost | Start indoors | Sow outdoors | Fall crop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2a | May 24 | — | May 3 – May 24 | — |
| 3b | May 17 | — | Apr 26 – May 17 | — |
| 4a | May 12 | — | Apr 21 – May 12 | — |
| 4b | May 8 | — | Apr 17 – May 8 | — |
| 5a | May 3 | — | Apr 12 – May 3 | — |
| 5b | May 1 | — | Apr 10 – May 1 | — |
| 6a | Apr 29 | — | Apr 8 – Apr 29 | — |
| 6b | Apr 22 | — | Apr 1 – Apr 22 | — |
| 7a | Apr 16 | — | Mar 26 – Apr 16 | — |
| 7b | Apr 5 | — | Mar 15 – Apr 5 | — |
| 8a | Mar 29 | — | Mar 8 – Mar 29 | — |
| 8b | Mar 16 | — | Feb 23 – Mar 16 | — |
| 9a | Mar 3 | — | Feb 10 – Mar 3 | — |
| 9b | Feb 20 | — | Jan 30 – Feb 20 | — |
| 10a | Mar 2 | — | Feb 9 – Mar 2 | — |
Zone rows use the median frost dates of all ZIP codes in that zone. Zones measure winter cold, not season length, so two places in the same zone can have frost dates weeks apart — use your ZIP code for real dates.
When to plant potatoes in major cities
| City | Median last frost | Plant seed potatoes |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle, WA | Mar 13 | Feb 20 – Mar 13 |
| Portland, OR | Feb 25 | Feb 4 – Feb 25 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | Apr 25 | Apr 4 – Apr 25 |
| Denver, CO | Apr 30 | Apr 9 – Apr 30 |
| Minneapolis, MN | Apr 23 | Apr 2 – Apr 23 |
| Chicago, IL | Apr 10 | Mar 20 – Apr 10 |
| Detroit, MI | Apr 27 | Apr 6 – Apr 27 |
| Kansas City, MO | Apr 4 | Mar 14 – Apr 4 |
| Columbus, OH | Apr 20 | Mar 30 – Apr 20 |
| Boston, MA | Apr 4 | Mar 14 – Apr 4 |
| New York, NY | Mar 30 | Mar 9 – Mar 30 |
| Philadelphia, PA | Mar 30 | Mar 9 – Mar 30 |
| Washington, DC | Mar 29 | Mar 8 – Mar 29 |
| Charlotte, NC | Mar 30 | Mar 9 – Mar 30 |
| Nashville, TN | Apr 1 | Mar 11 – Apr 1 |
| Atlanta, GA | Mar 25 | Mar 4 – Mar 25 |
| Dallas, TX | Mar 2 | Feb 9 – Mar 2 |
Growing potatoes: quick facts
| Frost tolerance | Half-hardy: tolerates light frost (about 28–32°F) |
|---|---|
| Soil temperature | at least 45°F at planting |
| Planting depth | seed pieces 3–4 in deep |
| Spacing | 10–12 in, rows 30 in apart |
| Germination | shoots in 2–4 weeks |
| Days to harvest | about 90 days from planting |
Typical figures from university extension planting guides. Seed packets give the best numbers for a specific variety.