How to Plant Potatoes in the Fall for a Late-Season Harvest, According to Farmers

Growing potatoes is a rewarding gardening endeavor that even beginner gardeners can successfully undertake. But if you missed planting these tubers in spring, there's still time to enjoy them before the year ends. Fall planting is a smart way to extend your harvest, yielding a bountiful crop of fresh potatoes as cooler weather sets in. Ahead, experts explore the benefits of fall planting, specific techniques you need to know, and how to successfully cultivate potatoes for a late-season harvest.

Can You Plant Potatoes in the Fall?

Although potatoes are typically planted in the spring, they can also be planted in the fall in certain climates. "Historical locations for fall-planted potatoes are where winter's worst conditions remain relatively mild," says Jim Gerritsen, founder and farmer at Wood Prairie Family Farm. "This includes states along the Mid and Lower Atlantic, the Gulf Coast, and the coastal Pacific."

Planting potatoes in the fall offers several benefits, including reduced pest pressure, cooler temperatures, and the abundance of a second harvest (if you also planted potatoes in the spring). The cool temperatures of fall are ideal for growing potatoes, promoting rapid tuber formation and resulting in fully grown, nutrient-rich potatoes.

In areas with mild winters, the key to successful fall planting is to select a short-season variety and to sow seed with enough time to harvest before the first frost. This will help ensure your crop avoids frost damage while benefiting from the cool temperatures.

How to Select Potato Seed for Fall Planting

A seed potato is a piece of the potato tuber, or a small potato itself, that is planted to grow a new, genetically identical potato plant. "One of the challenges of planting potatoes in the fall has been finding good seed," says Gerritsen, as most seed companies only sell seed potatoes for a matter of weeks during the spring. He notes a good alternative to buying is to save some of your own seed from your spring crop harvest. Additionally, consider reaching out to local farmers or potato seed suppliers, as some sell potato seed year-round.

How to Plant Potatoes in the Fall

As cold weather approaches in the fall, Gerritsen notes that the safest seed choices are short-season or mid-season potato varieties, such as Yukon Gold, Purple Viking, or Dark Red Norland, which grow tubers quickly. "Wherever you get your seed from, it’s essential for fall crops to only plant seed tubers that are both warmed up to room temperature and have sprouts beginning to grow out from the eyes," he says. Planting tubers that have sprouted is crucial, as it provides proof that tuber dormancy issues will not hinder your crop.

1. Select a planting site: Choose a location that receives six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily with well-draining soil. If you have clay soil, Gerritsen recommends mixing peat moss, compost, or sand to help lighten it up and provide adequate drainage.
2. Dig a hole or trench: Using a garden spade or shovel, dig a hole 4 inches deep and add a quality organic fertilizer to the hole. You can also dig a trench, which allows you to move more quickly during the planting process.
3. Plant the seed: Place the potato seed in the hole or trench with the eye facing up. Space the seeds about 10 to 12 inches apart, then backfill the soil.
4. Water thoroughly: If the soil is dry, water it adequately but sparingly until the plants emerge through the soil. After emergence, Gerritsen recommends keeping the soil moist by watering two to three times per week if rainfall is sporadic.
5. Add mulch: Mulch potato plants by applying a 2- to 4-inch layer of straw to protect developing tubers from frost and sunlight.
6. Keep an eye on the temperature: Gerritsen notes that potato plants are killed by temperatures below 28 degrees Fahrenheit, so be sure to harvest before the temperature drops that low. "Harvest your crop before cold weather can freeze the ground over and injure tubers," he says. 

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Caring for Potatoes in the Fall

Caring for potatoes in the fall is straightforward, with the most important factor being protecting the garden bed with adequate straw.

Sun

Select a spot that receives six to eight hours of full sun daily.

Soil

Potatoes grow best in soil that drains well and is rich in organic matter, like compost, with a slightly acidic pH range of 5.0 to 6.5.

Water

Water the soil when it is dry. After plants emerge, maintain moisture by watering two to three times a week, unless it is raining. Be sure not to leave the soil soggy, as this can cause tuber rot.

Temperature

Potatoes prefer soil temperatures ranging from 50 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. "If a cold night is in the forecast, protect plants from frost by temporarily throwing a blanket over the potatoes anytime temperatures could dip below 28 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit,” says Gerritsen.

Fertilizer

Apply a 2- to 4-inch layer of compost over the potato bed in the fall, which will provide a slow release of nutrients into the soil.

Mulch

As the tubers grow, continue to add more straw "hilling" them with additional 4- to 6-inch layers whenever their foliage reaches about 6 to 12 inches high. This process continues until the plants die back.

When and How to Harvest Potatoes

Harvest fall-planted potatoes when the foliage turns yellow or brown and dies back, which typically occurs in late fall or early winter. Jeff Klinger, director of potato farming operations at Sterman Masser, Inc., explains that while the harvesting date can vary depending on the variety, full-sized potatoes are generally ready for harvest 90 days after planting.

Using a shovel or pitchfork, carefully drive the tool into the ground around the outside edges of the plant, gently lifting the soil to expose the potatoes. Look carefully around the loosened soil for smaller potatoes that may be hiding. "If the soil is dry, you can gently pull the plant out of the ground, and the potatoes will come with it," says Klinger.

How to Store Potatoes

Store potatoes in a cool, dark place with good ventilation, away from direct sunlight. It is best to store potatoes unwashed, keeping the dirt on them, as this can help prevent rot due to excess moisture. If you plan to store potatoes, wait to harvest them until after the vines die down. This gives the skin time to cure, extending the storage life of your potatoes, says Klinger.