Katahdin

Family: Solanaceae Root Vegetable

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add Katahdin to a garden.

Sink your spoon into the cloud-soft promise of Katahdin—its flesh turns creamy and luminous when cooked, with a gentle, true-potato sweetness and a fine, velvety texture.

This white potato forms dependable, well-shaped tubers that roast up beautifully to a golden, crisp exterior while staying tender within. Grow Katahdin for hearty, everyday versatility in classic preparations, from rich mash and comforting casseroles to robust roasting and skillet-ready sides.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 95 DaysHabit: Clumping

Location not set yet

Enter your ZIP for local crop dates

Katahdin Planting Dates by USDA Zone

Estimated US hardiness-zone windows for sow, transplant, and harvest. Enter a US ZIP above for exact local dates, or open a zone below.

Zone	Start Indoors	Sow / Transplant	Harvest
Zone 1a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 1b	Protected Environment Only
Zone 2a	Direct Sow	May 25th	Aug 28th – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Direct Sow	May 15th	Aug 18th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Direct Sow	May 15th	Aug 18th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Direct Sow	May 19th	Aug 22nd – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Direct Sow	May 15th	Aug 18th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Direct Sow	May 13th	Aug 16th – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Direct Sow	May 8th	Aug 11th – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Direct Sow	May 4th	Aug 7th – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Direct Sow	May 1st	Aug 4th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Direct Sow	Apr 25th	Jul 29th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Direct Sow	Apr 20th	Jul 24th – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Direct Sow	Apr 10th	Jul 14th – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Direct Sow	Apr 1st	Jul 5th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Direct Sow	Mar 23rd	Jun 26th – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Direct Sow	Mar 6th	Jun 9th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Direct Sow	Feb 9th	May 15th – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	Continuous Production
Zone 10b	Continuous Production
Zone 11a	Continuous Production
Zone 11b	Continuous Production
Zone 12a	Continuous Production
Zone 12b	Continuous Production
Zone 13a	Continuous Production
Zone 13b	Continuous Production

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	95
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Clumping
Support Needed	None
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	55
Min Soil Temp (°F)	45
Min Night Temp (°F)	28
Harden Off (days)	Not Required

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Katahdin cooks up with that dependable, velvety starch that turns creamy without going gluey, so it’s a dream for mash and gratin-style comfort. When you roast it, you get real crunch on the outside and a plush, spoonable center—built for classic, butter-forward cooking.

Best Uses

buttery mashed potatoes that stay smooth and luminous
casseroles where the potato holds body without turning grainy
roasting wedges or chunks for crackly edges and tender centers
skillet potatoes that brown evenly and stay creamy inside

Flavor Profile

creamy, cloud-soft interior gentle true-potato sweetness fine-grained, velvety mouthfeel roast-friendly with a crisp-golden exterior

Kitchen Pairings

butter garlic sour cream black pepper grated cheddar

Frequently Asked Questions

What pest or disease problem is most common on Solanum tuberosum (Katahdin potato), and how do I treat it?

Late blight is the most damaging disease to watch for in potatoes, especially with cool, wet weather. Remove and destroy any leaves showing dark, water-soaked blotches, and avoid overhead watering; then start a preventive potato fungicide labeled for late blight if conditions are favorable. For early detection, inspect plants every 3–4 days and improve airflow by spacing rows and keeping foliage off the soil as the plants grow.

How often should I water Katahdin potatoes during the main growing phase?

During active tuber bulking (roughly weeks 4–8 after emergence), keep soil consistently evenly moist, not soggy. Water about 1 inch per week total (more in heat, less in cool weather), aiming for moisture to reach 6–8 inches deep where tubers form. Let the top 1–2 inches dry slightly between waterings to reduce risk of rot and scab.

How can I tell when Katahdin (Solanum tuberosum) is ready to harvest?

Harvest at about 95 days, when the plants’ foliage has yellowed and begun to die back. For new-to-medium sized tubers, you can carefully dig one plant early, but for full-size harvest wait until the vines are mostly dead. After digging, cure potatoes for 1–2 weeks in a cool, dark, airy place to toughen skins for storage.