Potatoes are a good cool-season crop in Alabama. They grow best before hard summer heat arrives. Good soil, steady water, and enough room between plants can help you get a better crop.
This guide is for regular potatoes, not sweet potatoes. Regular potatoes like cool weather and loose soil. That makes spring timing very important.
When to Plant Potatoes
In much of Alabama, potatoes are planted from February into early March. Local weather can move that date a little. If the soil is very cold, wet, or soggy, wait.
Use seed potatoes made for planting. Cut large ones into pieces. Each piece should have at least one good eye. Let the cut side dry for a short time before planting.
If you want a warm-season crop, see our guide to growing sweet potatoes in Alabama.
Prepare the Soil
Potatoes need loose soil that drains well. Heavy, wet soil can cause rot. Add finished compost if the soil needs more organic matter.
A garden soil test can help you know if lime or plant food is needed. This is better than guessing.
How to Plant Potatoes
Plant seed pieces about 3 to 4 inches deep. Space them about 10 to 12 inches apart. Leave about 3 feet between rows.
As the plants grow, pull loose soil up around the lower stems. This is called hilling. It keeps new potatoes covered from light.
Water and Feed with Care
Keep the soil evenly moist while the crop grows. Do not let it stay soggy. Also try not to let it get bone dry and then flood it with water.
Use plant food only when needed. Too much nitrogen can make big tops and a weak crop below the soil.
When to Harvest
You can dig small new potatoes while the tops are still green. For full-size potatoes, wait until the tops turn yellow and begin to die back.
Dig with care. A garden fork works well if you keep it away from the main clump. Try not to cut or bruise the potatoes.
After harvest, let the skins dry in a cool, shady place with good air flow. Then store the crop in a cool, dark place. Our guide to storing potatoes explains how to keep the harvest longer.
Potatoes are not hard to grow. Plant in cool weather, keep the soil loose, water with care, hill the plants, and harvest before summer heat gets too strong.