TL;DR: Plant seed potatoes in spring once soil has warmed, in a trench 6-8 inches deep5, spacing them about 12 inches apart with eyes facing up6. Mound soil around the stems as they grow, a technique called earthing up1, and harvest earlies through maincrops for a summer-to-autumn potato season1.
What you're growing
The potato (Solanum tuberosum) is a garden staple prized for productivity and reliable results in home plots1,2. It's grown as a tender perennial, non-toxic, and thrives in full sun with moderate water needs2.
Varieties fall into two broad groups: earlies, often called new potatoes, and maincrops, depending on when they mature1. Earlies split further into first and second earlies1. Growing a mix lets you dig fresh potatoes from summer into autumn1.
Starting with seed potatoes
Potatoes are grown from small tubers called seed potatoes, usually planted in spring1.
For early varieties, you can chit the seed potatoes first, meaning you encourage them to sprout before planting1. This head start helps produce an earlier crop1.
Preparing the trench
Dig a trench 6-8 inches deep for your seed potatoes5. Some gardeners work with a slightly shallower six-inch trench instead6.
Place the seed potatoes about 12 inches apart, with the eyes (the small buds that will sprout) facing upward6. Cover them with roughly two inches of soil to start6.
Potatoes grown in rows tend to perform well and make hilling and harvest easier later5.
Timing your planting
Potatoes have seasons within seasons: early, mid-season, and late varieties can all be grown in the same plot for a rolling harvest4.
Wait until the soil has warmed before planting. Potatoes that go in cold, stressed soil emerge slowly, while those planted once soil is warmer come up quickly and grow steadily3.
If a heavy frost does hit emerged plants, they'll put up new shoots, but each dieback produces a smaller, later harvest3.
A light frost is generally tolerated, but cover young plants if a hard, late-season freeze is forecast5.
Earthing up as plants grow
As potato plants grow, gradually pile soil up around the stems, a practice known as earthing up1.
Keep an eye on soil moisture through this stage. Potatoes prefer moderate, even watering rather than letting the bed dry out or stay soggy2.
Family and safety notes
Potato plants are non-toxic as a species2, which is reassuring in a garden shared with children and pets.
If you ever plan to use a treatment on your potato patch, check the label for guidance on dose and timing rather than guessing, and follow local rules for use near vegetables.
Harvesting your crop
Because potatoes come in early, mid-season, and late varieties, you can plant several types to spread the harvest window across summer and into autumn1,4. Some gardeners plant everything on the same day and let each variety mature at its own pace, harvesting mid-season crops first while storage varieties keep going4.
Digging up the buried harvest is one of the most satisfying moments of the vegetable garden, whichever approach you take1.
Quick recap for your own plot
Start with seed potatoes, chitting the earlies if you want a head start1. Dig a trench 6-8 inches deep5, space tubers about 12 inches apart with eyes up, and cover with a couple of inches of soil6.
Earth up as the plants grow1, keep watering moderate and even2, and wait for soil to warm before you commit your seed potatoes to the ground3. Choose a spread of early and maincrop varieties to enjoy potatoes over a longer stretch of the growing season1,4.