Almost time to plant potatoes in Minnesota

If you’ve lived through more than one Minnesota spring, you’ve learned not to trust the calendar, no matter what tradition says. A lot of gardeners rely on the adage: Good Friday is potato-planting day, if the weather allows.

Some years, this actually works. Other years, Good Friday shows up with frozen ground, a stiff north wind, and snow piled where the garden ought to be.

This year, Easter Sunday was beautiful, sunny, and warm, and people are asking, “Can I plant my potatoes yet?” The honest answer is “not quite yet.” But we’re close enough to talk about it.

Potatoes are not flashy like tomatoes or fussy like peppers. They’re steady. They don’t mind cooler soil, they can handle a little frost, and they don’t ask for much. Give them decent soil and some patience, and your harvest will be bountiful later in the summer. 

Seed potatoes of Red Norland, Yukon Gold, Kennebec, and the reliable russet are now available for purchase in area stores. Even if your garden is still a soggy mess, you can grab a bag of seed potatoes and start planning your garden.

Some people let their potatoes sprout on a sunny windowsill first. Is it necessary? No. Does it feel like progress? Definitely.

Potato basics

• Plant potatoes when the soil is thawed and no longer muddy, usually late April to mid-May in Minnesota.
• Place seed potatoes a few inches deep and about a foot apart in loose soil, with no need to be perfect. 
• As plants grow, mound soil around the stems and water during dry weather. 
• Potatoes handle cool weather well and mostly need space underground and steady moisture. 
• Harvest early for small new potatoes or wait until the plants die back for a full harvest.

One day soon, you’ll step outside, push a shovel into soil that finally gives, and know it’s time to plant. When that happens, don’t overthink it. Plant a row, get some dirt under your nails, and let the season begin.

Prepare for the season by reading more about planting a vegetable garden.