Bield:Farm
State × crop calendar

Potatoes planting in Pennsylvania.

Primary cropZone 6b175-day seasonLast frost April 25VegetableSemi-Hardy

Potatoes planting in Pennsylvania is shaped by the state's 6b dominant hardiness zone, last frost date around April 25, and a 175-day growing season. Potatoes is widely grown in Pennsylvania — 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 Penn State Extension for variety- and county-specific guidance.

Planting calendar — 2026

Potatoes · Pennsylvania · 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 4
Ideal start
April 11
Ideal end
May 2
Latest
May 16
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
July 17
Ideal start
August 1
Ideal end
August 16
Latest
August 31
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
June 20
Typical end
July 30

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

Growing notes

Potatoes grows well in Pennsylvania's typical climate. Pennsylvania's 175-day growing season and 6b hardiness zone support reliable production with appropriate variety selection.

Potatoes is widely grown in Pennsylvania — 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 Penn State 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 Pennsylvania 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.