help with timing for planting potatoes!

aimeruni · April 23, 2012

I know they're a cool weather crop. Normally w/my zone and where I'm located, they're planted at the beginning of our growing season, which is May 28th.

However the winter has been mild, and spring has arrived early, so I'm wondering If I can grow them now, or is it too early for where I'm at?
Normally I wouldn't grow anything at this time of year for where I'm at, but the weather has warmed very early for where I'm at, there's no snow on the ground. What few 'frosts' there are are just light snow (less than an inch).

The varieties I'd be growing are sweet potatoes, Yukon Gold, Red, blue, and 'new' (white) potatoes. They'd be harvested at full maturity, as well as 'baby' potatoes.

Lcottomsvcs · April 23, 2012

For the sweet potatoes, I would suggest visiting Sandhill Preservation Center's sweet potato page, he is very good at explaining how to time sweet potato planting (www.sandhillpreservation.com).

For the Irish potatoes, wait until 2 weeks before your last anticipated freeze date . That way your soil will have time to warm up. If you have plants emerged and a freeze is imminent, you can always hill a little soil over the plants( or cover them with row cover).

The farmers have gone crazy here in Indiana with the warm weather, and have planted much earlier than usual. But just because April has been unseasonably warm, does not mean May will be. I know people who already have the tomatoes out, a month early for us.

Good luck with your potatoes,and happy gardening!

wmontanez · April 24, 2012

I plant potatoes around May 1st and I am in zone 6b , this year I put some tubers around April 14 and some others April 21. I probably plant a late crop around May 20.

kath · April 24, 2012

I'm in 6b and plant some Red Norland and Yukon Gold (or any early type) for new potatoes in late March only using whole, small tubers. For storage, any variety that keeps well can be planted until mid-May or so. I can't plant too late here because of leaf disease taking out the plants in the summer. Sweet potato slips go in at the same time as peppers as the leaves are extremely frost sensitive and the plants love the heat.

April 23, 2012	#1
aimeruni Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Brooksville FL, zone 9a Posts: 67	help with timing for planting potatoes! I know they're a cool weather crop. Normally w/my zone and where I'm located, they're planted at the beginning of our growing season, which is May 28th. However the winter has been mild, and spring has arrived early, so I'm wondering If I can grow them now, or is it too early for where I'm at? Normally I wouldn't grow anything at this time of year for where I'm at, but the weather has warmed very early for where I'm at, there's no snow on the ground. What few 'frosts' there are are just light snow (less than an inch). The varieties I'd be growing are sweet potatoes, Yukon Gold, Red, blue, and 'new' (white) potatoes. They'd be harvested at full maturity, as well as 'baby' potatoes.

April 23, 2012	#2
Lcottomsvcs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Southern Indiana Posts: 123	For the sweet potatoes, I would suggest visiting Sandhill Preservation Center's sweet potato page, he is very good at explaining how to time sweet potato planting (www.sandhillpreservation.com). For the Irish potatoes, wait until 2 weeks before your last anticipated freeze date . That way your soil will have time to warm up. If you have plants emerged and a freeze is imminent, you can always hill a little soil over the plants( or cover them with row cover). The farmers have gone crazy here in Indiana with the warm weather, and have planted much earlier than usual. But just because April has been unseasonably warm, does not mean May will be. I know people who already have the tomatoes out, a month early for us. Good luck with your potatoes,and happy gardening! __________________ Gardening is not a rational act. Margaret Atwood

April 24, 2012	#3
wmontanez Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: MA Posts: 776	I plant potatoes around May 1st and I am in zone 6b , this year I put some tubers around April 14 and some others April 21. I probably plant a late crop around May 20. __________________ Wendy

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April 24, 2012	#4
kath Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: zone 6b, PA Posts: 5,664	I'm in 6b and plant some Red Norland and Yukon Gold (or any early type) for new potatoes in late March only using whole, small tubers. For storage, any variety that keeps well can be planted until mid-May or so. I can't plant too late here because of leaf disease taking out the plants in the summer. Sweet potato slips go in at the same time as peppers as the leaves are extremely frost sensitive and the plants love the heat.