New Jersey · zones 6b–7b
When to plant potatoes in New Jersey.
Sow between Mar 8 to Apr 10 in a typical year, keyed to New Jersey's median last frost around Apr 15. A second, fall sowing fits Jul 10 to Jul 23. Dates below are state medians; your ZIP code shifts them by days to weeks.
The 2026 windows
Potatoes dates for a typical New Jersey season.
Direct sow
Mar 8 to Apr 10
Keyed to the ~Apr 15 last frost. Sow 4" deep, 12" apart.
Fall round
Jul 10 to Jul 23
Counted back from the ~Oct 28 first frost.
Harvest
~90 days later
~3 lb per plant over ~1 weeks.
New Jersey spans more than one climate: Zone 7 is the most common zone, but the state runs 6b to 7b. That's why the planner works from your ZIP code's frost dates, not your zone: mountain and coastal gardens in the same state can be three weeks apart.
In New Jersey: watch for
The pests that find potatoes here.
A middle-length season, about 196 frost-free days, means potato overlaps colorado potato beetle for a stretch each summer. Check plants every week or two and treat early.
Striped beetles and orange grubs eating the leaves.
Organic fix: Handpick adults, crush the orange egg clusters, dust with diatomaceous earth.
Dark greasy blotches after cool, wet spells.
Organic fix: Pull infected plants fast, keep leaves dry, use neem as a preventive.
Common scab
Rough, corky patches on the skin, raised on some tubers and sunk into pits on others.
Organic fix: Keep the bed evenly moist through the weeks right after tubers set, rotate away from potatoes, and pick a scab-resistant variety next time.
Your season math: New Jersey gives potatoes about 196 frost-free days, and it needs roughly 90 days to a first harvest. It's a one-planting crop, so time that single sowing well.
Planting potatoes in New Jersey: questions
When should I plant potatoes in New Jersey?+
In a typical New Jersey year, sow potatoes between Mar 8 to Apr 10, keyed to the state's median last frost around Apr 15. There's also a fall window: Jul 10 to Jul 23. Your exact dates shift with your ZIP code and microclimate.
What USDA zone is New Jersey?+
New Jersey spans zones 6b–7b, mostly zone 7. But frost dates, not zones, set planting time. The free planner uses your ZIP code's actual frost dates.
How many potatoes plants do I need?+
Depends who you're feeding. The crop page has exact counts per household size, or the free planner does the math for your family in about 60 seconds.