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Vegetable Full Sun Regular water

Potato

Written by the GrowByCity Editorial Team · Updated April 2026
2 min read

Underground tuber crop. Best suited for moderate climates, potato grows optimally between 15°C and 22°C and can handle temperatures from 4°C to 28°C. Give it full sun (6-8 hours of direct light daily) and regular watering to keep soil consistently moist, and expect to harvest in roughly 70-120 days. Widely grown in home gardens around the world, it adapts to a range of soil types and growing conditions.

Harvest 70-120 days
Temp Range 4°C — 28°C

Quick Answer: How to Grow Potato

Potato takes 70-120 days to harvest. It grows best in 15–22°C with full sun and regular watering. Potato is not frost tolerant — wait until after the last frost to plant. It can be grown in 350 cities worldwide.

Find the best time to plant Potato in your city →

Growing Requirements

☀️
Sun
Full Sun
💧
Water
Regular
❄️
Frost
Sensitive
📅
Harvest
70-120 days

Temperature Range

15-22°C
-10°C 45°C
Optimal: 15–22°C Tolerates: 4–28°C
Tropical suitable: No
Cities growing: 350 of 350

Growing Tips

💡

Expert Tips

Hill soil around stems as they grow. Don't plant near tomatoes (disease sharing). Wait until soil warms to at least 15°C before transplanting outdoors — cold soil stunts growth and can invite root rot. Aim for about 2.5 cm of water per week, adjusting for rainfall. Organic mulch around the base helps maintain even moisture.

Quick Facts

  • Grows in 350 of 350 cities
  • Available in 7 regions worldwide
  • Temperature range: 4°C to 28°C
  • Optimal growing: 15°C to 22°C
  • Harvest in 70-120 days

Did You Know?

  • 🌱 Potato needs at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal growth.

Step-by-Step Growing Guide

Potatoes grow best in loose, well-drained, slightly acidic soil at pH 5.0–6.0 — lower pH than most vegetables, as it significantly reduces the incidence of common scab. Incorporate compost deeply but avoid fresh manure which promotes scab. Plant certified seed potatoes (not supermarket potatoes, which may carry disease) 10–12cm deep in trenches 90cm apart, spacing seed pieces 30–35cm apart in the trench. Cut large seed potatoes into pieces with at least 2 'eyes' each and cure cut surfaces for 24 hours before planting. As soon as shoots emerge and reach 15–20cm, hill soil up around stems leaving only the top 5cm exposed — repeat this process 2–3 times as plants grow. Hilling prevents tubers greening in sunlight (green potato is toxic). Water regularly — 2.5–3.5cm per week — and critically maintain consistent moisture during tuber development to prevent hollow heart and cracking. Stop watering 2 weeks before harvest to toughen skins.

Common Pests & Problems

Late blight (Phytophthora infestans) — the same disease that caused the Irish Famine — shows as dark, water-soaked leaf lesions with white mould on the undersides in cool, wet weather. Remove infected plants immediately; spray neighbouring plants with copper fungicide. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) is a yellow-striped beetle whose larvae devastate foliage — handpick adults, squash orange egg clusters on leaf undersides, and spray larvae with Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis var. tenebrionis). Common scab (Streptomyces scabies) causes corky, roughened skin patches — maintain pH below 6.0, avoid lime near potato beds, and rotate on a 4-year cycle.

Harvest & Storage

Harvest new (immature) potatoes 2–3 weeks after plants finish flowering, carefully feeling around in the soil with your hands to select tubers. For main crop storage potatoes, wait until 2 weeks after the foliage has completely died back — this allows skins to set firm. Dig on a dry day with a fork, working outward from the plant to avoid stabbing tubers. Cure harvested potatoes in a dark, well-ventilated space at 15–18°C for 10–14 days to harden skins. Store in the dark at 4–8°C in hessian sacks or wooden crates for 4–6 months. Light causes greening — never store in light.

Popular Varieties

Yukon Gold is a buttery, yellow-fleshed, all-purpose potato with thin skin and exceptional flavour — outstanding for roasting, mashing, and boiling. Russet Burbank is the classic floury baking potato — thick-skinned, high-starch flesh that crisps beautifully when baked or fried. Desiree is a red-skinned, waxy European variety with firm, creamy flesh and good disease resistance — excellent for salads and gratins. Charlotte is a salad potato with firm, waxy flesh and a nutty flavour that holds its shape perfectly in cooked dishes.

Companion Plants for Potato

Good Companions

These plants grow well alongside Potato:

Avoid Planting Near

Keep these plants away from Potato:

Learn more about companion planting.

Where to Grow Potato

Potato can be grown in 350 cities across 7 regions worldwide

🌍 Europe (80 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Aarhus, DK medium
Amsterdam, NL medium
Ankara, TR medium
Antalya, TR medium
Athens, GR medium
Barcelona, ES medium
Bari, IT medium
Belgrade, RS medium
Bergen, NO medium
Berlin, DE medium
Bilbao, ES medium
Bologna, IT medium
Bordeaux, FR medium
Bratislava, SK medium
Brussels, BE medium
Bucharest, RO medium
Budapest, HU medium
Catania, IT medium
Cologne, DE medium
Copenhagen, DK medium
Corfu, GR medium
Cork, IE medium
Dublin, IE medium
Dubrovnik, HR medium
Edinburgh, GB medium
Florence, IT medium
Frankfurt, DE medium
Gdansk, PL medium
Genoa, IT medium
Glasgow, GB medium
Gothenburg, SE medium
Hamburg, DE medium
Helsinki, FI medium
Heraklion, GR medium
Istanbul, TR medium
Izmir, TR medium
Krakow, PL medium
Kyiv, UA medium
Limassol, CY medium
Lisbon, PT medium
Ljubljana, SI medium
London, GB medium
Lyon, FR medium
Madrid, ES medium
Malaga, ES medium
Marseille, FR medium
Milan, IT medium
Munich, DE medium
Naples, IT medium
Nice, FR medium
Nicosia, CY medium
Oslo, NO medium
Palermo, IT medium
Paris, FR medium
Porto, PT medium
Poznan, PL medium
Prague, CZ medium
Reykjavik, IS medium
Riga, LV medium
Rome, IT medium
Seville, ES medium
Sofia, BG medium
Split, HR medium
Stockholm, SE medium
Strasbourg, FR medium
Stuttgart, DE medium
Tallinn, EE medium
Thessaloniki, GR medium
Tirana, AL medium
Toulouse, FR medium
Turin, IT medium
Turku, FI medium
Valencia, ES medium
Valletta, MT medium
Verona, IT medium
Vienna, AT medium
Vilnius, LT medium
Warsaw, PL medium
Zagreb, HR medium
Zurich, CH medium

🌏 Asia (79 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Ahmedabad, IN medium
Almaty, KZ medium
Bali, ID medium
Bandung, ID medium
Bangalore, IN medium
Bangkok, TH medium
Beijing, CN medium
Busan, KR medium
Cebu, PH medium
Chandigarh, IN medium
Chengdu, CN medium
Chennai, IN medium
Chiang Mai, TH medium
Chittagong, BD medium
Chongqing, CN medium
Coimbatore, IN medium
Colombo, LK medium
Da Nang, VN medium
Dalian, CN medium
Davao, PH medium
Delhi, IN medium
Dhaka, BD medium
Dharan, NP medium
Fukuoka, JP medium
Galle, LK medium
Guangzhou, CN medium
Hangzhou, CN medium
Hanoi, VN medium
Harbin, CN medium
Ho Chi Minh City, VN medium
Hong Kong, HK medium
Hyderabad, IN medium
Incheon, KR medium
Indore, IN medium
Islamabad, PK medium
Jaipur, IN medium
Jakarta, ID medium
Jeju, KR medium
Johor Bahru, MY medium
Karachi, PK medium
Kathmandu, NP medium
Kochi, IN medium
Kolkata, IN medium
Kuala Lumpur, MY medium
Kunming, CN medium
Kyoto, JP medium
Lahore, PK medium
Lucknow, IN medium
Manila, PH medium
Mumbai, IN medium
Nagoya, JP medium
Nanjing, CN medium
Nha Trang, VN medium
Okinawa, JP medium
Osaka, JP medium
Pattaya, TH medium
Penang, MY medium
Phnom Penh, KH medium
Pune, IN medium
Sapporo, JP medium
Seoul, KR medium
Shanghai, CN medium
Shenzhen, CN medium
Siem Reap, KH medium
Singapore, SG medium
Surabaya, ID medium
Surat, IN medium
Taipei, TW medium
Tashkent, UZ medium
Tbilisi, GE medium
Tokyo, JP medium
Ulaanbaatar, MN medium
Varanasi, IN medium
Vientiane, LA medium
Visakhapatnam, IN medium
Wuhan, CN medium
Xi'an, CN medium
Xiamen, CN medium
Yangon, MM medium

🌎 North America (78 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Albuquerque, US medium
Anchorage, US medium
Atlanta, US medium
Austin, US medium
Baltimore, US medium
Baton Rouge, US medium
Boise, US medium
Boston, US medium
Bridgetown, BB medium
Buffalo, US medium
Calgary, CA medium
Cancun, MX medium
Charleston, US medium
Charlotte, US medium
Chattanooga, US medium
Chicago, US medium
Denver, US medium
Des Moines, US medium
Detroit, US medium
Edmonton, CA medium
El Paso, US medium
Fargo, US medium
Fresno, US medium
Guadalajara, MX medium
Halifax, CA medium
Hartford, US medium
Havana, CU medium
Honolulu, US medium
Houston, US medium
Jacksonville, US medium
Kansas City, US medium
Kingston, JM medium
Knoxville, US medium
Las Vegas, US medium
Little Rock, US medium
Los Angeles, US medium
Louisville, US medium
Lubbock, US medium
Madison, US medium
Memphis, US medium
Mexico City, MX medium
Miami, US medium
Milwaukee, US medium
Minneapolis, US medium
Monterrey, MX medium
Montreal, CA medium
Nashville, US medium
New Orleans, US medium
New York, US medium
Oaxaca, MX medium
Oklahoma City, US medium
Omaha, US medium
Ottawa, CA medium
Panama City, PA medium
Phoenix, US medium
Pittsburgh, US medium
Portland, US medium
Puebla, MX medium
Quebec City, CA medium
Raleigh, US medium
Richmond, US medium
Sacramento, US medium
Salt Lake City, US medium
San Diego, US medium
San Francisco, US medium
San Jose, CR medium
Santo Domingo, DO medium
Saskatoon, CA medium
Savannah, US medium
Seattle, US medium
Spokane, US medium
St. Louis, US medium
Tampa, US medium
Toronto, CA medium
Tucson, US medium
Vancouver, CA medium
Victoria, CA medium
Winnipeg, CA medium

🌍 Africa (39 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Abidjan, CI medium
Accra, GH medium
Addis Ababa, ET medium
Algiers, DZ medium
Antananarivo, MG medium
Arusha, TZ medium
Bamako, ML medium
Bloemfontein, ZA medium
Cairo, EG medium
Cape Town, ZA medium
Casablanca, MA medium
Dakar, SN medium
Dar es Salaam, TZ medium
Douala, CM medium
Durban, ZA medium
Entebbe, UG medium
Fez, MA medium
Freetown, SL medium
Harare, ZW medium
Johannesburg, ZA medium
Kampala, UG medium
Kigali, RW medium
Kinshasa, CD medium
Lagos, NG medium
Libreville, GA medium
Lilongwe, MW medium
Lome, TG medium
Luanda, AO medium
Lusaka, ZM medium
Maputo, MZ medium
Marrakech, MA medium
Mombasa, KE medium
Nairobi, KE medium
Ouagadougou, BF medium
Port Louis, MU medium
Pretoria, ZA medium
Tunis, TN medium
Windhoek, NA medium
Zanzibar, TZ medium

🌎 South America (39 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Arequipa, PE medium
Asuncion, PY medium
Barranquilla, CO medium
Belem, BR medium
Bogota, CO medium
Brasilia, BR medium
Buenos Aires, AR medium
Cali, CO medium
Campinas, BR medium
Caracas, VE medium
Cartagena, CO medium
Concepcion, CL medium
Cordoba, AR medium
Curitiba, BR medium
Cusco, PE medium
Fortaleza, BR medium
Georgetown, GY medium
Goiania, BR medium
Guayaquil, EC medium
La Paz, BO medium
Lima, PE medium
Manaus, BR medium
Medellin, CO medium
Mendoza, AR medium
Montevideo, UY medium
Paramaribo, SR medium
Port of Spain, TT medium
Porto Alegre, BR medium
Quito, EC medium
Recife, BR medium
Rio de Janeiro, BR medium
Rosario, AR medium
Salvador, BR medium
Santa Cruz, BO medium
Santiago, CL medium
Sao Paulo, BR medium
Sucre, BO medium
Trujillo, PE medium
Valparaiso, CL medium

🌊 Oceania (19 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Adelaide, AU medium
Alice Springs, AU medium
Auckland, NZ medium
Brisbane, AU medium
Cairns, AU medium
Canberra, AU medium
Christchurch, NZ medium
Darwin, AU medium
Dunedin, NZ medium
Gold Coast, AU medium
Hamilton, NZ medium
Hobart, AU medium
Melbourne, AU medium
Noumea, NC medium
Perth, AU medium
Suva, FJ medium
Sydney, AU medium
Townsville, AU medium
Wellington, NZ medium

🕌 Middle East (16 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Abu Dhabi, AE medium
Amman, JO medium
Baghdad, IQ medium
Beirut, LB medium
Doha, QA medium
Dubai, AE medium
Erbil, IQ medium
Jeddah, SA medium
Kuwait City, KW medium
Manama, BH medium
Muscat, OM medium
Riyadh, SA medium
Sana'a, YE medium
Tabriz, IR medium
Tehran, IR medium
Tel Aviv, IL medium

When should I plant potato in my city?

The best time to plant potato depends on your local climate zone. It thrives in temperatures between 15°C and 22°C. Wait until after the last frost in your area. Check your city's planting calendar on GrowByCity for exact dates.

Can I grow potato in winter?

Potato is not frost tolerant and cannot survive winter outdoors in most temperate climates. In tropical areas (USDA Zones 10+), it may grow year-round.

Get Potato Seeds & Plants

Ready to start growing? Find Potato seeds and starter plants online.

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Similar Growing Requirements

Frequently Asked Questions about Potato

When should I plant potato?

The best time to plant potato depends on your local climate. Potato grows best in temperatures between 15°C and 22°C (can tolerate 4°C to 28°C). Potato is not frost tolerant, so wait until after the last frost in your area. Check your city's planting calendar on GrowByCity for exact planting months.

Can potato grow in tropical climates?

Potato is not well-suited for tropical climates. It prefers cooler conditions with temperatures between 15°C and 22°C. In tropical areas, it may bolt, fail to fruit, or suffer from heat stress. Consider growing it in cooler seasons or at higher elevations.

How long does potato take to grow?

Potato typically takes 70-120 days from planting to harvest. It requires full sun and regular watering. Hill soil around stems as they grow. Don't plant near tomatoes (disease sharing). Wait until soil warms to at least 15°C before transplanting outdoors — cold soil stunts growth and can invite root rot. Aim for about 2.5 cm of water per week, adjusting for rainfall. Organic mulch around the base helps maintain even moisture.

Find the Best Time to Plant Potato

See the planting calendar for Potato in these popular cities:

Last updated: March 2026 · Climate data from NOAA, FAO, USDA

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