Growing Potatoes in the Northwestern United States: Tips and Tricks

Flowering Potato Plants

Potatoes are a great vegetable to grow in the cool, dry climate of the Northwestern United States because they don't need as much moisture and heat as many other vegetable plants. In fact, potatoes prefer cooler climates. Potato plants will often die if cultivated too late in regions where summer temperatures reach into the mid-90's. The potato, however, can be successfully grown as a winter crop in warmer climate zones.

Many different varieties of potato are available for growing, a number of which may be unavailable in supermarkets, making growing the humble potato an excellent choice for the home gardener. Potatoes are a staple food for many households and they are also good for you as they are high in Vitamin C. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps reduce hazardous chemicals in the body known as free radicals, which cause cellular damage.

 The following hints will help you make the most of your potato gardening experience:

• Before you start, check with your local extension office or another reliable source for best planting dates in your area. This spring frost zone map will help you approximate the last spring frost in your area. As you can see from the map below, unless you are along the coast, last frost dates in the northwestern part of the U.S. may be as late as May 30 or after.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens 

• Although you can use grocery store potatoes, it's best to use seed potatoes purchased from your local garden store. Many seed potatoes are organic, which is preferable, and will have the distinctive potato eyes, making them ready to plant in your vegetable garden. 

• Prepare your seed potatoes by cutting them into pieces, leaving two or more eyes on each section. After cutting to prevent disease, dust them with an organic fungicide like Neem Oil or use a teaspoon or two of powdered sulfur and gently toss them in a paper sack to coat. Let the potato pieces dry a day or two before planting.

• Plant seed potatoes in loose soil with eye side up. Plant 1' apart in 4" deep  trenches.

•  Before plants flower and the vines are about 6" to 8" tall, start hilling your potatoes by hoeing dirt around the base of the plant. The object is to cover the root well and support the plant. This also helps to keep the potato plant from getting sunburned. Proper hilling will create a place for potatoes to grow large and abundantly.

• Water regularly, but don't over water or you will have watery tasting potatoes.

• When plants bloom, around seven to eight weeks for early varieties, potatoes may be ready. Gently poke around in the soil to see if you can find one. If you do, you may take a potato or wait until the ideal time to harvest, which is when the vines are dead at the end of the growing season. 

• When harvesting, harvest gently as to not damage the potato. It is best to harvest when soil is dry and in the morning when it is cool.

• After harvesting, do not wash the mud off of the potato skins. The soil helps to lengthen their storage life. Store in a cool, dry, dark place. A basement or root cellar is ideal. Do not store potatoes next to apples as apples put off ethylene gas that will cause potatoes to spoil. Also avoid storing next to onions, so as not to have your potatoes absorb their odors. 

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Product Recommendation:

Red Pontiac Seed Potatoes are a popular seed potato that is easy to grow in the cool conditions of the Northwest. We've grown them in our Community Garden Project in NW Montana with great success.

Red Pontiac Seed Potatoes- 5lb Bag