When & How to Harvest Potatoes
Potatoes can be harvested either as tender new potatoes or as mature storage potatoes. The right harvest stage depends on whether you want immediate eating quality or longer storage.
How to tell it is ready
New potatoes are ready when plants are still green and blooming, and the tubers are large enough to use. Mature potatoes are ready when vines yellow and die back, and the skins become firm and do not rub off easily with your thumb. Tubers should be full sized for the variety and feel solid, not watery. Avoid harvesting while the skins are still thin if you plan to store them.
How to harvest
Loosen soil with a digging fork or shovel several inches away from the hill to avoid spearing tubers. Lift the plant gently and sort through the soil by hand. Do not yank plants straight up because attached tubers can break or stay buried. Keep potatoes shaded during harvest because sun exposure can green the skins.
Timing
New potatoes are often ready about 50 to 70 days after planting, while mature potatoes commonly need 90 to 120 days. Harvest storage potatoes after vines die back and when soil is fairly dry. Morning is a good time to dig, especially on mild days.
After the harvest
Brush off loose soil but do not wash potatoes before storage. Cure mature potatoes in a dark, airy place for about 1 to 2 weeks so small wounds can heal and skins can toughen. After curing, keep them cool, dark, and dry.
Tips
Check a sample hill before digging the whole bed so you do not harvest too early. Avoid rough handling because bruises and cuts shorten storage life. Do not leave dug potatoes in the sun or in very warm soil for long periods.
General guidance for US home gardens. Timing varies by variety and region; check your local frost dates. Page updated Aug 4, 2026.