Potatoes, cherished across continents for their culinary versatility, have traditionally been sown in the spring in North America. Yet, for some gardeners, planting potatoes in fall is a long-standing tradition. You know… the way it’s always been done.

Historical or Traditional Perspectives on Fall Potato Planting

In regions with milder winters, fall potato planting has been a common agricultural practice for generations.

Historical evidence suggests that indigenous tribes in parts of North and South America, adopted fall planting to ensure an early spring harvest. Same for farmers in the climatically milder European regions.

Such practices were rooted in local ecological knowledge, understanding seasonal cycles, pest activity, and soil health.

Naturally, some of the colder regions may not benefit from this practice, and there are pros and cons to consider in general. In this article we explore the advantages and disadvantages of planting potatoes in fall.

Indigenous American tribes in milder regions, planted potatoes in fall to produce an early spring harvest.

Planting Potatoes in Fall

Below, we delve into the unique benefits of autumn potato sowing, suitable zones, and optimal timings.

Benefits of Fall Potato Planting

1. Early Spring Growth: Potatoes sown in the fall establish roots before the winter freeze, priming them for a brisk growth spurt come spring. This preparatory phase can often translate into an earlier harvest than spring-sown counterparts, so you could be enjoying homegrown potatoes sooner.
2. Reduced Pest Presence: Early potatoes often grow before the peak of potato pests, such as those of the Colorado potato beetle. This early vigor can provide a natural resistance to pests during their more active phases.
3. Avoiding Soil-Borne Diseases: Fall planting might sidestep the active phases of some soil-borne pathogens. Certain diseases are less prevalent in cooler conditions, making fall planting a strategic choice for healthier crops.
4. Improved Soil Management: The tuber growth of fall-planted potatoes can help mitigate soil compactness, enhancing soil aeration and quality for subsequent crops.

While there are benefits to planting potatoes in the fall, there are also potential disadvantages to consider. Let’s review those next.

Disadvantages of Planting Potatoes in Fall

1. Risk of Frost Damage: If potato shoots emerge before the first heavy frost, they can be damaged or killed by the cold temperatures. This can compromise the growth of the potato plants in the spring.
2. Rodent Damage: Over the winter, potatoes left in the ground can become a food source for rodents like voles and mice. These pests can damage or eat the tubers, reducing the yield.
3. Soil Rot: Wet and soggy winter soils, especially in regions with heavy winter rains, can lead to tuber rot. Proper drainage is essential to prevent this issue.
4. Potential Yield Reduction: If the winter season is particularly harsh or if the potatoes face other challenges, the yield from fall-planted potatoes can sometimes be less than spring-planted ones.
5. Storage Difficulties: Potatoes harvested early in spring might need to be consumed quickly if ambient temperatures rise, as they won’t store as well in warmer conditions.
6. Limited Varieties: Not all potato varieties are suitable for fall planting. Gardeners might have a restricted choice when it comes to selecting potato types for fall sowing.
7. Lack of Dormancy Break: Potatoes have a dormancy period after harvest, during which they won’t sprout even under ideal conditions. If potatoes are not sufficiently dormant when planted in the fall, they might sprout prematurely.

Impact of a Harsh Winter on Buried Potatoes:

1. Depth of Freeze: While the soil can act as an insulator, very harsh winters can cause the ground to freeze deeper than usual. If the frost line reaches the depth at which the potatoes are buried, the tubers can be damaged or killed by the cold.
2. Ice Formation: In areas with fluctuating winter temperatures, repeated freezing and thawing can lead to the formation of ice crystals in the soil. These ice crystals can damage the cells of the potato tubers, affecting their quality and potentially rendering them inedible.
3. Extended Dormancy: Very cold temperatures or extended periods of cold can prolong the dormancy of potatoes, delaying their sprouting and growth when warmer weather arrives.

Other Challenges Faced by Fall-Planted Potatoes:

1. Unexpected Growth: In regions with mild winters or unexpected warm spells, fall-planted potatoes might break dormancy and start growing prematurely. If a subsequent frost occurs, these sprouts can be damaged, setting back the growth of the plant.
2. Nutrient Depletion: Depending on the soil quality and the crops planted earlier in the year, the ground might be depleted of essential nutrients by the time fall-planted potatoes start growing in spring. This can affect their growth and yield unless the soil is amended appropriately.
3. Waterlogging: Winters in some regions can be very wet. Constantly saturated soils can lead to poor root health and increase the risk of diseases like potato rot, especially in clay soils which drain poorly.
4. Disease Carryover: If the previous spring and summer saw a high incidence of potato diseases, there’s a risk that pathogens might still be present in the soil in fall. Fall-planted potatoes can be more susceptible to these diseases, especially if crop rotation practices aren’t followed.

Whether you start potatoes in the ground directly after the last frost or begin them indoors largely depends on your region, goals, and resources. Both methods have their merits. Let’s compare:

Comparing Direct Sowing of Potatoes vs. Starting from Seed Indoors

Direct Planting in the Ground After the Last Frost

Advantages:

1. Natural Growth Cycle: Directly planting potatoes outdoors aligns with their natural growth cycle, ensuring that they benefit from increasing daylight, which is conducive to tuber formation.
2. Less Labor Intensive: You bypass the extra steps involved in starting potatoes indoors, such as transplanting, which can be labor and time-intensive.
3. Reduced Transplant Shock: Direct sowing eliminates the risk of transplant shock, which can set back plants or reduce yields.

Disadvantages:

1. Later Harvest: Potatoes started directly outdoors might yield a later harvest than those started indoors, especially in regions with a short growing season.
2. Pest & Disease Exposure: Directly sown potatoes might be more exposed to soil-borne diseases and pests prevalent during the growing season.

Starting Indoors from “Seed”

Advantages:

1. Earlier Harvest: This method can give you a head start, especially in regions with shorter growing seasons, allowing for an earlier harvest.
2. Protection from Late Frosts: If your region is prone to unpredictable late frosts, starting indoors can protect young plants from unexpected cold snaps.
3. Better Monitoring: Growing potatoes indoors initially allows for better monitoring of pests, diseases, and growth conditions.
4. Potentially Higher Yields: The head start can sometimes result in better yields, especially for varieties that require a longer growing season.

Disadvantages:

1. Transplant Shock: Transplanting can stress plants, which might set back growth or reduce yields if not done carefully.
2. Space & Resource Intensive: Starting potatoes indoors requires space, pots, good-quality potting soil, and possibly grow lights, which can be resource-intensive.
3. Requires More Attention: Monitoring moisture levels, ensuring adequate light, and hardening off plants before transplanting requires more attention and care.

If you live in a region with a reliably long growing season and few late frosts, direct planting after the last frost might be the simplest and most effective approach. On the other hand, if you’re in a region with shorter growing seasons or unpredictable late frosts, starting potatoes indoors could offer advantages.

Recommended Zones & Timings for Fall Potato Planting

1. Hardiness Zone 7:
   • Planting: Aim for mid to late October. Ensure that potatoes have ample time to root without the shoots breaking the soil surface before the first frost.
   • Harvest: Typically, by late April to early May. Depending on variety and local conditions, this could vary slightly.
2. Hardiness Zone 8:
   • Planting: Late October to early November is ideal, given the region’s warmer conditions.
   • Harvest: You can anticipate a harvest around April.
3. Hardiness Zone 9:
   • For Zones 9 and above, fall potato planting remains feasible, though you’ll need to adjust timing according to local climate specifics.
   • Planting: Zone 9 growers should target late November to early December.
   • Harvest: Come March, Zone 9 planters can look forward to their yield.
4. Hardiness Zone 10:
   • Planting: Late fall to early winter.
   • Soil: Well-draining with compost amendment.
   • Varieties: Short-season or heat-tolerant.
   • Watering: Regular, without overwatering.
   • Pests/Diseases: Vigilance required due to year-round risks.
   • Harvest: Late winter to early spring, depending on variety and planting time.

For spring planting information, you may enjoy our article on When to Plant Potatoes by Zones and States.

How Long for Potatoes to Mature?

As for the harvest duration, from the time soil temperatures consistently hit around 45°F (7°C), potatoes typically take 70-120 days to mature, depending on the variety (early, mid-season, or late).

Other Article on Potatoes:

• When to Plant Potatoes by Hardiness Zones & States
• Growing Potatoes in Bags and Containers
• How to Plant Potatoes With Sprouts
• How to Grow Purple Majesty Potatoes

Contributions from the Community

“I planted the sprouts of some potatoes I had bought in the store and had a nice little crop—that I harvested while they were still small because it was getting too hot for them. The planting time was determined by the state of the parent potatoes—which would have had to be thrown out in another week; but I still got their little offspring that went very well with roast and with chicken.”
~Olive Bolivar

You may enjoy reading our article on Planting Potato Sprouts.

I’m 100% through with digging trenches and burying potato plants as they come up. Since I never get all of the potatoes harvested, I always have volunteers. Now, if I find a stray potato that’s small, I just push it deep into the dirt. I plan on replanting this week and letting them overwinter. Zone 8 PNW.
~April Reeves Tower

In Summary

If you’ve never tried planting potatoes in fall, it’s worth a try.

Our take is that it seems that the potential disadvantages outweigh the advantages. So a good way to try this could be to experiment with potatoes you may have that have started sprouted. Rather that toss them in the compost, you could carve out an experimental area to plant those in and then see what comes up in spring.

That’s our plan. It’s now fall and we have some potatoes with sprouts, so we’re going to give it a go! We’d love to hear if you’re planting potatoes in fall and how it’s going for you.

Wishing you great gardens and healthy harvests!