When to plant potatoes in Missouri
Missouri’s average last spring frost is April 15, and the first fall frost typically arrives around October 18 — about 186 frost-free days (USDA zones 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a). Potato needs 70–120 days to mature, which fits comfortably within Missouri's growing season.
When to plant potatoes in Missouri: the short answer
For a spring planting, sow Mar 27 – Apr 15. Seeds germinate in soil from 45 to 80°F.
Windows are ~1–2 week bands around each date. Frost dates are a statewide average from NOAA/NCEI normals; your town may differ by two weeks or more. Calendar year 2026.
How to grow potatoes in Missouri, step by step
- Prepare the bed. They need at least six to eight hours of direct sun a day and loose soil at least 18 inches deep, with a pH between 4.8 and 6.5. Dig in compost before planting.
- Sow outdoors (Mar 27 – Apr 15). Space plants about 12 inches apart in rows 32 inches apart, sowing seed 4 inches deep. It tolerates a light frost but not a hard freeze. As a cool-season crop it does best before summer heat arrives in Missouri.
- Water and feed. Give it steady, even moisture, about an inch of water a week from rain or the hose.
- Watch for pests and problems. Pests: Colorado potato beetle, flea beetle, wireworm, aphids. Diseases and disorders: late blight, early blight, common scab, blackleg.
- Harvest (from about Jun 10 – Jul 30). Potato takes 70-120 days to reach harvest. Plant certified seed potatoes, not grocery-store ones. Hill soil or mulch over the stems as they grow to stop greening. New potatoes ~10 weeks in; storage potatoes after the tops die back.
Figures come from our crop data; dates use Missouri’s average frost dates. More in the full potato growing guide.
Potato planting dates by USDA zone in Missouri
Missouri spans USDA zones 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a. Colder zones, usually higher or further inland, have a later last spring frost and an earlier first fall frost than the state average, so the potato dates shift with them.
When to plant potatoes in nearby states
Questions gardeners in Missouri ask
When is the best time to plant potatoes in Missouri?
Sow potatoes in Missouri between March 27 and April 15. That timing is set by Missouri's average last spring frost of April 15.
When will potatoes planted in Missouri be ready to harvest?
Planted on time, potatoes are usually ready from about June 10 to July 30, 70-120 days after sowing.
When is the last frost in Missouri?
On average around April 15, with the first fall frost around October 18 - about 186 frost-free days. Your town may differ by two weeks or more.