Potato Solanum tuberosum

Reviewed June 2026 · how we check this

The cool-season workhorse of the vegetable garden — a frost-tender perennial grown as an annual for the starchy tubers that swell underground on buried stems. Plant a few seed potatoes in spring and a single hill can return a bucketful of new and storage potatoes by summer's end.

Light

Potatoes are sun-driven crops — give them a minimum of 6 hours of direct sun and ideally 8 or more for the heaviest tuber set. The leafy tops above ground are the engine that fuels the tubers below, so the more light the foliage captures, the bigger the harvest. Plant in the most open, unshaded part of the garden, well clear of buildings, fences, and tall neighboring crops. In low light the plants grow tall and floppy, flower poorly, and yield small, sparse tubers. In very hot southern regions, light afternoon shade during a heat wave can keep soil temperatures down and tubers forming, but for most gardeners full, uninterrupted sun simply means more and larger potatoes at lifting time.

Watering

Potatoes want deep, even moisture — roughly 1–2 inches per week — and consistency matters more than volume. The critical window is from flowering onward, when tubers are bulking up: let the soil swing dry-then-wet during this stage and you'll get knobbly, cracked, or hollow-hearted potatoes. Water deeply at the base 2–3 times a week rather than a daily sprinkle, keeping the soil evenly moist but never waterlogged, which invites rot and scab. A straw mulch over the hills conserves moisture and steadies soil temperature. Then change tack at the end: once the foliage yellows and dies back, stop watering entirely for a week or two so the tuber skins cure and toughen for storage before you dig them.

Soil & potting

Potatoes crave loose, fertile, well-drained soil on the acidic side — aim for a pH of 5.0–6.0, which also helps suppress scab. Work in plenty of compost and break up any compaction, because tubers can only swell freely in soft, friable ground; heavy clay produces small, misshapen potatoes. Plant seed potatoes 3–4 inches deep, then 'hill' soil up around the stems as they grow to keep developing tubers covered. Any tuber exposed to light turns green and bitter, so hilling is essential. Avoid fresh manure and beds where potatoes, tomatoes, or peppers grew the previous year, both of which raise the risk of soilborne disease. Raised beds and even grow bags work well where native soil is poor.

Humidity & temperature

Potatoes are a cool-season crop, and soil temperature drives the harvest more than air temperature. Tubers form and bulk up best when the soil sits between 60–70°F; above about 80°F tuber formation stalls and yields drop. Plant 2–4 weeks before your last spring frost in cool regions, or in fall and winter in hot southern zones where summer is too warm. The young shoots are frost-tender — if a late freeze threatens emerged foliage, mound soil over the tops or cover with frost cloth overnight. In hot climates, mulch heavily and time the crop so tubers bulk during the cooler months, harvesting before peak summer heat arrives.

Fertilizing

Potatoes are moderate-to-heavy feeders that reward steady, balanced nutrition. Mix a balanced or slightly potassium-forward fertilizer into the planting trench, then side-dress once or twice as the plants grow and again at hilling. Avoid heavy nitrogen — it pushes lush, leafy top growth at the expense of tuber size, and can delay maturity. Potassium and phosphorus support strong tuber development, so a fertilizer formulated for root crops or tomatoes works well. Stop feeding once the plants flower and tubers are bulking; late nitrogen only encourages soft, watery potatoes that store poorly. Compost-rich soil supplies much of what the crop needs, so don't overdo supplemental feed.

Pruning & maintenance

Potatoes need no conventional pruning, but they do need hilling — the closest equivalent. As the stems reach 6–8 inches tall, mound loose soil, compost, or straw up around them, leaving just the top few inches of foliage exposed. Repeat every couple of weeks until the hills are 8–12 inches high. This buries more stem to produce more tubers and, crucially, keeps developing potatoes in the dark so they don't green up. You can pinch off flowers if they form — they cost the plant a little energy but pruning them isn't essential. When the tops naturally yellow and flop over at season's end, leave them; that die-back is the signal that the tubers are mature and curing underground.

Propagation

Potatoes are grown from 'seed potatoes' — certified disease-free tubers, not true seed. A few weeks before planting, set them in a bright, cool spot to 'chit' (sprout) until short green shoots appear, which gives them a head start. Cut larger seed potatoes into chunks, each with at least one or two eyes (the dimpled buds), and let the cut faces dry and callus for a day or two to resist rot. Plant the pieces eyes-up, 3–4 inches deep and about a foot apart in rows. Each eye grows into a new plant that produces its own cluster of tubers. Always start from certified seed potatoes rather than grocery-store ones, which may carry disease or be sprout-inhibited.

Common problems

Green potatoesLight exposure turns tubers green and bitter — hill deeply and keep them covered.→Potato scabRough, corky patches on the skin, usually from alkaline or dry soil during tuber set.→

Through the year

Spring

Chit seed potatoes, then plant 2–4 weeks before the last frost; begin hilling once shoots reach 6–8 inches and cover emerged foliage if frost threatens.

Summer

Peak bulking season — water deeply and evenly, keep hilling to cover tubers, and harvest tender new potatoes a few weeks after flowering.

Fall

As tops yellow and die back, stop watering for a week or two, then dig the main crop and cure the tubers in a cool, dark place for storage.

Winter

Out of season in most zones — store cured potatoes cool and dark, plan next year's varieties, and order certified seed potatoes.

Companion planting

Good companions: beans, peas, corn, and brassicas; keep potatoes away from tomatoes and away from where tomatoes or peppers grew last year.

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