Potatoes hate hot weather. If the soil temperature hits 80°F (27°C), they stop growing. They just pout. And if it gets too cold—under 40°F (4°C)—they rot. They’re Goldilocks again. Perfect range: 60 to 70°F (15 to 21°C). So if you live in Texas, plant early spring or late fall. If you’re in Scotland, you’re basically a potato farmer by birth.
Potato Leaves: A Visual Guide To Identifying Their Appearance – JBVG
How to speed things up (like a potato ninja)
Want to harvest faster? Use chitting. That’s a fancy word for letting your seed potato sprout in a bright, cool spot for a few weeks before planting. It’s like giving it a head start. You can shave off 10 to 14 days from the growing time. Ninja move.
Another trick: plant in raised beds or containers. The soil warms up faster. Potatoes love warm but not hot soil. So containers can give you a jump of a week or more.
