When to plant Potato
Grown from seed potatoes (small tubers) rather than seed. Mounding soil up around the stems as they grow ('hilling') gives more tubers and keeps them out of the light. Early types crop fast; maincrop types store through winter.
Companions: Beans, corn, cabbage — avoid tomatoes and squash family
How to grow Potato
Potato is best direct-sown straight into the garden, as it dislikes being transplanted. Give it full sun and space plants about 12 inches apart. It takes roughly 90 days from planting to its first harvest, so count that against your frost dates to be sure it can finish. Classic companions include beans, corn, cabbage — avoid tomatoes and squash family.
Grower's tip: Plant seed potatoes around the last frost and hill soil over the stems as they grow.
When to plant Potato by USDA zone
Timing shifts with your climate — the same potato goes in weeks earlier in a mild zone than a cold one. Find your zone below for its planting window, or open that zone's full calendar.
| Zone | When to plant |
|---|---|
| Zone 1a | Direct sow outdoors Jun 1–Jun 29 |
| Zone 1b | Direct sow outdoors May 27–Jun 24 |
| Zone 2a | Direct sow outdoors May 22–Jun 19 |
| Zone 2b | Direct sow outdoors May 16–Jun 13 |
| Zone 3a | Direct sow outdoors May 11–Jun 8 |
| Zone 3b | Direct sow outdoors May 6–Jun 3 |
| Zone 4a | Direct sow outdoors May 1–May 29 |
| Zone 4b | Direct sow outdoors Apr 26–May 24 |
| Zone 5a | Direct sow outdoors Apr 21–May 19 |
| Zone 5b | Direct sow outdoors Apr 16–May 14 |
| Zone 6a | Direct sow outdoors Apr 7–May 5 |
| Zone 6b | Direct sow outdoors Apr 1–Apr 29 |
| Zone 7a | Direct sow outdoors Mar 24–Apr 21 |
| Zone 7b | Direct sow outdoors Mar 18–Apr 15 |
| Zone 8a | Direct sow outdoors Mar 8–Apr 5 |
| Zone 8b | Direct sow outdoors Mar 1–Mar 29 |
| Zone 9a | Direct sow outdoors Feb 14–Mar 14 |
| Zone 9b | Direct sow outdoors Feb 1–Mar 1 |
| Zone 10a | Direct sow outdoors Jan 17–Feb 14 |
| Zone 10b | Direct sow outdoors Jan 1–Jan 29 |
| Zone 11a | Direct sow outdoors Dec 18–Jan 15 |
| Zone 11b | Direct sow outdoors Dec 18–Jan 15 |
| Zone 12a | Direct sow outdoors Dec 18–Jan 15 |
| Zone 12b | Direct sow outdoors Dec 18–Jan 15 |
| Zone 13a | Direct sow outdoors Dec 18–Jan 15 |
| Zone 13b | Direct sow outdoors Dec 18–Jan 15 |