When to Plant Potatoes
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GardenSays
Direct-sow potato plants outside Apr 14 – May 5 — light frost won't hurt them.
- Spring sowing
- Apr 14 – May 5
- Last frost (typ.)
- May 5
In Minneapolis, MN, the typical last frost lands around May 5, and potato plants are tolerant of light frost — so unlike tomatoes, you don't wait for frost to pass. Sow 0-21 days before the last frost: Apr 14 – May 5, as soon as soil is workable and around 45°F.
- This year's spring sowing window (Apr 14 – May 5) has passed — dates shown are for planning ahead.
Do this this week
- 1.Passed for this season — plan next spring: sow Apr 14 – May 5
Calculated result · 3 verified sources · Checked 2026-07-16 · How we decide
Why
Sow a short row every 2 weeks inside the window for a steady harvest instead of one glut.
- Potato plants germinate in cold soil (~45°F) and tolerate frost that would kill warm-season crops — waiting until after the last frost wastes their best growing weather.
- The 50% frost date is a planning midpoint — for hardy crops an early start risks little.
When this doesn't apply
- Plant certified seed potatoes, not grocery-store spuds — and hill soil over the row as shoots grow so tubers never see sunlight (green potatoes are mildly toxic).
- Cold, waterlogged soil rots seed — 'workable' means it crumbles in your hand, not mud.
How this was calculated
- 1. Last spring frostMay 5Source guidance
Minneapolis, MN: typical (50% probability) last 32°F frost
- 2. Direct-sow windowApr 14 – May 5Calculated result
Potato is tolerant of light frost: sow outside 0-21 days before the last frost, once soil reaches ~45°F
Data sources
- University of Minnesota Extension — Growing potatoes in home gardens — Plant seed potatoes in early spring once soil reaches about 45°F, typically in the weeks before the last frost; shoots emerge after frost risk fades. (checked 2026-07-16)
- NOAA NCEI — 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals (freeze date probabilities) (checked 2026-07-15)
- National Gardening Association — frost date lookup (checked 2026-07-15)
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