Potato
White Potato, Russet Potato, Red Potato, Fingerling, Yukon Gold, Irish Potato
Plant certified seed potatoes 4–6 weeks before last frost. Hill soil around stems as they grow, keeping tubers covered (light exposure turns them green and toxic). Water consistently — drought followed by rain causes cracking and hollow heart. Harvest new potatoes when plants flower; wait until foliage dies back for full-size storage potatoes. Cure for 2 weeks before long-term storage.
- Harvest after planting
- 60–120 days
- Spacing
- 25–35 cm
When to plant potato
Plant 2–4 weeks before your last spring frost.
Dashed line: typical last spring frost in zone 7 (Apr 5). Zone dates are averages; most of the UK is zone 8–9, central Europe 6–7 and the Baltics and Scandinavia 4–6. In the app, Tomatograph uses your garden's own frost dates.
How to grow potato
- 1
Plant seed potatoes
Plant certified seed potatoes 10 cm deep and 30 cm apart, 2–4 weeks before the last frost, once the soil is about 7 °C.
- 2
Earth up
As shoots grow, draw soil up around the stems to keep tubers covered. Tubers exposed to light turn green and toxic.
- 3
Water
Water steadily once flowering starts. A dry spell followed by heavy rain cracks tubers and causes hollow heart.
- 4
Harvest
Dig new potatoes when plants flower, from about 60 days. For storage potatoes, wait until the foliage dies back, then dry them for two weeks before storing.
Growing conditions
Light
Full sun
Water
Medium water
Temperature
5–25 °C
Frost tolerance
Frost-sensitive — protect below 0 °C
Days to maturity
60–120 days
Ideal soil pH
7.5–8
How Tomatograph watches your potato
Tomatograph checks your local forecast every morning and only speaks up when one of these applies to your garden.
- Forecast of 2 °C or lowerFrost alert the evening before: cover plants with fleece or bring pots inside.
- 3 days at 35 °C or aboveHeat-wave alert while plants are flowering or fruiting: shade and water early.
- Humidity above 80% for 48 hoursCheck for late blight, which thrives in those conditions.
- Within a week of maturityHarvest-window reminder based on when you planted.
Potato questions
- When should I plant potato?
- Plant 2–4 weeks before your last spring frost.
- How long until I can harvest potato?
- About 60–120 days after planting out, depending on variety and weather.
- How far apart should I plant potato?
- Allow 25–35 cm between plants.
- What grows well with potato?
- Good neighbours include horseradish, beans, corn, marigold.
Growing guide written by Tomatograph. Planting figures from openplantdb (CC0 1.0). Zone frost dates are averages from openplantdb (CC0 1.0).