Do you want to grow potatoes in Connecticut, but don’t know when to plant them?
Planting potatoes is not as easy as it seems.
Here’s why:
Potatoes are not able to survive frost or cold weather under 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
So if you plant them outside too early in the spring they will die. And if you plant them too late, your potatoes won’t produce a harvest before the first frost arrives in the fall.
Today, I’m going to teach you the ideal time to plant potatoes in Connecticut:
To Learn More About HOW to Grow Potatoes, Check Out This GUIDE!
When to Plant Potatoes in Connecticut
As you may have already guessed, you need to pay very close attention to your local weather in the spring. Specifically, you are going to need to watch when the last frost occurs.
In general, when there hasn’t been a frost for two weeks, you are SAFE to plant your potatoes outside in Connecticut!
For your reference, I have created this table for average frost dates for most major cities in Connecticut. If your city is not listed below you can find its Last & First Frost Dates HERE.
Unfortunately, Mother Nature plays cruel tricks on us every year.
It should be noted that the above dates are just averages.
There are years when the last frost comes MUCH later. Sometimes, the last frost happens much earlier and you can get your potatoes planted outside in Connecticut much quicker.
Like I said before, you need to be very diligent in checking your local weather.
So what happens if a frost comes AFTER you plant your potatoes?
When you know a frost is coming you need to take action.
If potatoes are in pots, bring them inside
If potatoes are in the ground, cover them in burlap and hope they survive
Also, make sure not to plant your potatoes in your garden too late.
Planting potatoes too late will cause small potatoes or even worse, no potatoes.
When Should You Start Your Potatoes Seeds Indoors?
Depending on the type of potatoes, it takes roughly 30-40 days to grow potatoes from seed indoors and then transplant them to your garden.
For a specific date that you should start potatoes seeds indoors you should:
Not only this, but I recommend again paying close attention to your local weather report.
It should also be noted that the best technique for bringing your potatoes plants outside is to introduce them (in their pots) outside for an hour. And then increase the amount of time they spend outside each day by an hour until they have been outside for 8 hours.
This will “hardened” your potatoes plant, increasing its chances of fighting off diseases, insects, droughts, and wet conditions.
If you want to learn WHEN to plant ANY Vegetable in Connecticut, head over to HERE and just type in the vegetable you want to grow.
Late March to early May is a good time to plant potatoes in the northern states. In the warmer areas of the South they can be planted in late fall or early winter.
Potatoes grow best during cooler weather. Plant potatoes 2-4 weeks before the last frost in the spring, when the soil temperature is at least 40 degrees F. In warm climates, potatoes are planted from January to March and harvested between March and June.
Potatoes like a balanced fertilizer, such as a 2-3-3. If you're trying to take a natural approach to growing your own potatoes, finding a natural 2-3-3 fertilizer can be a challenge, which is why we recommend a 4-3-2 NPK fertilizer such as chicken manure pellets.
Potatoes need 1 to 2 inches of water a week. Too much water right after planting and not enough as the potatoes begin to form can cause them to become misshapen. Stop watering when the foliage begins to turn yellow and die off.
Most gardeners plant in March, April or May, and expect a harvest about four months later, starting to dig new potatoes about two to three weeks after plants flower.
To avoid rodent damage, plant seed potatoes in tall, wooden raised beds. Beds raised 3 feet tall, and lined on the bottom with hardware cloth, are perfect for potatoes. Mice and voles avoid getting into the beds and you get a better harvest because of all the great compost and topsoil you added.
Extra-large varieties may need up to 18” of space between plants, while fingerlings and smaller potatoes can be spaced as close as 8”. When potatoes are planted too close, they can become overcrowded, stressed out, and more susceptible to disease.
To begin with, dig a trench that is 6-8 inches deep. Plant each piece of potato (cut side down, with the eyes pointing up) every 12-15 inches, with the rows spaced 3 feet apart. If your space is limited or if you would like to grow only baby potatoes, you can decrease the spacing between plants.
How Many Potatoes Form Per Plant? You can expect at least five to six new potatoes for each potato you plant. If only every plant multiplied this way! There's something so magical about pulling up a potato plant and seeing so many new potatoes attached to the small one you planted months ago.
The amount of Epsom salt you should apply to your potato crop depends on several factors, such as soil magnesium content, potato variety, and growing conditions. However, as a general rule, 1 tablespoon of Epsom salt per gallon of water is a safe and effective dosage for most potato varieties.
Adding organic matter (compost, cover crops, well-rotted manure or leaves) is a good way to improve soil before growing potatoes. Go easy on organic matter sources high in nitrogen (such as manure) and nitrogen fertilizer as too much nitrogen can encourage lush foliage at the expense of tuber production.
Potatoes need fertile, well-drained soil. Prepare in-ground garden soil by mixing 3 inches of Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics® All Purpose In-Ground Soil into the top 6 inches of native soil. Enriched with aged compost, this will give potatoes a head start on nutrition.
Potatoes like slightly acidic soil (5.8-6.5 pH). Add fertilizer or composted manure for best results. If you want to make the task of weeding easier (and you have the space), plant your potatoes at least two feet apart so that you can weed around them easily.
Hilling helps cover any potatoes that are close to the surface from the sunlight. Potatoes exposed to sunlight, even through a light layer of soil, turn green. Green potatoes produce a chemical called solanine that is poisonous to humans in small amounts.
You can hill your potatoes 1-3 times per season/crop. Just loosen surrounding soil in the bed and pull up around the leaves and stems. Try to hill before the stems grow too long and start to flop over. You should pull between 2”-6” new soil up around the plants each time you hill.
vegetables can be started indoors in March and transplanted outside to the garden in April. Begin tomatoes and peppers inside. May: Begin beans, corn and cucumber inside. June: Plant beans, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, corn, cucumber, onions, peppers and tomatoes outside.
Potatoes can be grown as an early crop for new potatoes and as a late crop for storage. Choose an early-maturing variety and a medium- to late-maturing variety for a more continuous harvest. Plant potatoes from March 15 to May 1, depending on your location.
Plant potatoes where they will receive full sun, and choose and well-drained, acidic soil. Avoid planting in the same spot in which peppers, eggplants, or tomatoes were grown in the previous season, as potatoes are particularly susceptible to diseases carried by those plants. Potatoes need fertile, well-drained soil.
Introduction: My name is Tyson Zemlak, I am a excited, light, sparkling, super, open, fair, magnificent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
