How to grow potato
Hill soil over stems as they grow; tubers exposed to light turn green and bitter.
Your potato dates
Companions
Bush beanCabbageMarigoldSweet corn
Keep apart from
Rotation and family
Potato belongs to the nightshades (Solanaceae). Heavy feeders that share early blight, late blight and soil-borne wilts.
In a four-bed crop rotation it goes in the fruiting-crop bed. Avoid growing it where any nightshades grew in the last three years.
When to plant potato by zone
| Zone | Sow / plant out |
|---|---|
| 3 | Apr 29 – May 20 |
| 4 | Apr 21 – May 12 |
| 5 | Apr 9 – Apr 30 |
| 6 | Mar 30 – Apr 20 |
| 7 | Mar 18 – Apr 8 |
| 8 | Mar 5 – Mar 26 |
| 9 | Feb 1 – Feb 22 |
| 10 | Jan 11 – Feb 1 |
Based on typical frost dates for each zone; b half-zones run about a week earlier in spring. Zones 11–13 are frost-free in most years.
Potato questions
When should I plant potato?
Plant potato outdoors 3 weeks before your last spring frost.
How far apart should I plant potato?
About 12 inches apart, or 1 per square foot in a square foot garden.
What grows well with potato?
Traditional companions include bush bean, cabbage, marigold, sweet corn. Keep it away from cucumber, melon, sunflower, tomato, turnip, winter squash, zucchini.
How long does potato take to grow?
Typically 70–120 days from sowing to first harvest, depending on variety and weather.