When a sudden hard frost looms on the horizon, your potato plants just might be able to survive with a little help. How to Protect Potato Plants from Frost and Cold In that case, there are some ways to protect your plants from the cold. Sometimes, you need to risk planting potatoes in the cold if you live in an area with a short growing season. Although a cold-damaged plant can still send up new growth, it will cost precious energy to do so.Įven if a potato’s shoots above ground do not survive frost, it can still send up new growth within 2 weeks. In addition to slow growth, potatoes planted too early in the season are subject to late spring frosts. Even if the potato is already sprouted when you plant it, the growth will be slow in such cold temperatures. What Temperature Is Too Cold To Plant Potatoes?Īs mentioned earlier, potatoes will fail to sprout in soil temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius). This table summarizes the temperature ranges for growing potatoes. The table below summarizes the temperature ranges for growing potatoes (producing tubers), in both Fahrenheit and Celsius temperatures, along with some notes on each range. At a temperature of 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius), fewer roots will grow, and tuber production will practically stop. On the other hand, warm temperatures will also inhibit the growth of potato plants. Even if a hard frost in the spring causes damage to your potato plants, all is not lost.Īccording to the Iowa State University Extension, new shoots will grow within 2 weeks to replace ones that are damaged by cold. This means less green growth above ground and slower tuber formation underground.Īlthough their growth will slow, potato plants can survive cold, and they may tolerate a light frost. However, when soil temperatures stay low for a long time, the potato plant will grow more slowly both above ground and below ground. Potato tubers form best in cooler soil at temperatures of 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit (16 to 21 degrees Celsius). You can learn how to plant sprouted potatoes in my article here. Then, wait for the cut potatoes to “heal” (form a harder layer) before planting them outdoors. To get around this, you can sprout your potatoes indoors before cutting them into pieces. However, the University of Idaho suggests that any temperature below 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7 degrees Celsius) slows wound healing in potato plants. It is also important if you live in an area with a short growing season – in that case, you might want to choose early season potato varieties.Īccording to Cornell University Extension, 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius) is the minimum temperature for potatoes to sprout and germinate. This is especially important for late-season potato varieties, which take a longer time to develop. Planting earlier in the season, when the soil is cooler, will leave more time for the plant to grow and for tubers to form. To be on the safe side, the University of Maine suggests waiting until the soil warms to 50 degrees Fahrenheit (7 degrees Celsius) to plant potatoes. The ideal temperature for planting sprouted potatoes (or pieces if you cut them up) is 45 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit (7 to 10 degrees Celsius).
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