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State × crop calendar

Potatoes planting in North Dakota.

Primary cropZone 4a125-day seasonLast frost May 20VegetableSemi-Hardy

Potatoes planting in North Dakota is shaped by the state's 4a dominant hardiness zone, last frost date around May 20, and a 125-day growing season. Potatoes is widely grown in North Dakota — commercially significant or common in home gardens and food plots.

Planting dates on this page are climatological estimates from USDA frost-date norms and zone-typical planting offsets. Verify against NDSU Extension for variety- and county-specific guidance.

Planting calendar — 2026

Potatoes · North Dakota · planting calendar
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeclast frostfirst frostSPRING PLANTINGFALL PLANTING
Ideal windowEarliest / latest tailsFrost zone

Planting windows shift earlier in southern parts of the state and later in northern parts. Use last frost date in your specific county as the reference.

Planting windows

Spring planting

Potatoes
Earliest
April 29
Ideal start
May 6
Ideal end
May 27
Latest
June 10
Soil-temp triggerPlant when soil reaches 45°F at 4-inch depth — often 2-4 weeks before last frost. Cool-season crop.

Fall planting

Potatoes
Earliest
June 22
Ideal start
July 7
Ideal end
July 22
Latest
August 6
Soil-temp triggerPlant when soil reaches 45°F at 4-inch depth — often 2-4 weeks before last frost. Cool-season crop.

Harvest window

Typical start
July 15
Typical end
August 24

Harvest timing varies with planting date and seasonal weather — these dates are typical for the ideal planting window.

Growing notes

Potatoes grows well in North Dakota's typical climate. North Dakota's 125-day growing season and 4a hardiness zone support reliable production with appropriate variety selection.

Potatoes is widely grown in North Dakota — commercially significant or common in home gardens and food plots.

Agronomy reference

Soil-temp minimum
45°F
Soil-temp optimum
50–70°F
Days to maturity
70–110
Water (in/wk)
1–1.5"
Soil pH
5–6.5
Nitrogen demand
moderate

Cool season — plant 2-4 weeks before last frost. Fall potato crop is possible in southern states.

Common pests to watch

  • Colorado potato beetle
  • Wireworms
  • Aphids

Pest pressure varies by region and year. Confirm current outbreaks with NDSU Extension.

Common diseases

  • Late blight
  • Early blight
  • Scab

Resistance varieties shift each year. Check the current variety trial report for your state.

Variety selection

Variety selection

Potatoes varieties for North Dakota live with your extension service.

Variety performance is micro-regional and changes with each year’s trial cycle. We don’t republish variety lists — instead, we point directly at the source.

Search the extension site for “potatoesvariety trial” or “recommended potatoes varieties” to find the current report.

Yield varies significantly by variety, soil, fertility, and management. Consult your state extension service for variety performance trials in your region.

Potatoes timing. Live alerts.

Bield: Farm ties weather and soil-temperature stations in your county to crop planting thresholds — get notified the day soil temp clears your target window.