How to Grow Pontiac Red Potato
Solanum tuberosum 'Pontiac'
Pontiac Red Potato is a versatile root vegetable prized for its easy growth and attractive red skin. Gardeners cultivate this variety for reliable yields of starchy tubers that store well after digging.
📷 Wikimedia CommonsStarting Pontiac Red Potato: indoors or direct sow?
🌾 Sow directly in the garden — Pontiac Red Potato is not usually started indoors.
Seed potatoes are typically planted directly in the garden rather than being transplanted from pots.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare loose, well-draining soil with a pH between 5.0 and 6.0 to encourage healthy tuber development. As a cool-season crop, plant seed potatoes or start indoors 2-6 weeks before the last frost date. Bury pieces at a depth of about 4 inches, allowing 14 to 28 days for germination once soil temperatures are right.
Space plants 12 to 15 inches apart in rows 30 to 36 inches wide to ensure proper airflow. Keep the soil consistently moist with 1-2 inches of water weekly, but reduce watering two weeks before harvest. Apply a thick layer of mulch around stems to suppress weeds and regulate soil temperature throughout the season.
Watch for Colorado potato beetles, aphids, wireworms, and flea beetles; use row covers or hand-pick pests early. Prevent late blight, early blight, scab, and blackleg by rotating crops annually and ensuring good air circulation. Harvest 80-95 days after planting when foliage begins to yellow, digging carefully to avoid bruising the tubers.
When to Plant Pontiac Red Potato
Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | — | June – July | August – September |
| Zone 2 | — | May – July | August – September |
| Zone 3 | — | May – June | July – October |
| Zone 4 | — | April – June | July – October |
| Zone 5 | — | April – May | July – November |
| Zone 6 | — | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 7 | — | March – May | June – November |
| Zone 8 | — | March – April | May – December |
| Zone 9 | — | February – March | April – December |
| Zone 10 | — | January – March | April – December |
| Zone 11 | — | January – February | March – December |
| Zone 12 | — | January – February | March – December |
| Zone 13 | — | January – February | March – December |
Companion Plants for Pontiac Red Potato
✓ Good companions
Fix nitrogen in soil and don't compete for space with potato tubers
Benefits from potato's pest-repelling properties while not competing for nutrients
Repels aphids and may improve potato flavor and growth
Deters Colorado potato beetles, aphids, and fungal diseases
Uses different soil nutrients and harvests before potatoes need full space
Repels Colorado potato beetles, aphids, and nematodes while attracting beneficial insects
Acts as trap crop for Colorado potato beetles and aphids, deters cucumber beetles
Attracts beneficial insects that prey on potato pests
✗ Keep away from
Allelopathic effects inhibit potato growth and competes heavily for nutrients
Both are nightshades susceptible to same diseases like blight and attract Colorado potato beetles
Produces juglone which is toxic to potatoes and inhibits their growth
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
