Irish potatoes do best when planted in early spring or in the fall. To find the best sowing date, take the last killing-frost date for your area and then back up 20 days. It takes about 20 days to sprout. If a frost is predicted after the potatoes have sprouted you can cover the sprouts with soil if the frost is supposed to be severe. A lighter frost may burn the top leaves but will not hurt the entire plant.

Make sure to hill the potatoes as they grow to provide space for potatoes to form underground. Potatoes enjoy sandier ground.