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When to Plant Potato in Anaktuvuk Pass, Alaska (99721)

Location

Anaktuvuk Pass, Alaska

ZIP Code

99721

USDA Zone

2b

Last Frost

Thursday, May 28, 2026

📅 Your 2026 Planting Dates

Direct Sow Outdoors

Thursday, April 30, 2026

Based on last frost Thursday, May 28, 2026 · Zone 2b

Pro tip: Sow Potato directly outdoors 4 weeks before your last frost date.

🌿 Plant Details

Scientific Name Solanum tuberosum
Days to Maturity 90 days
Mature Height 18-24"
Spread 12"
Type Tuber
Fruit Size Variable

☀️ Growing Requirements

☀️

Sun

Full Sun (6+ hours)

💧

Water

Regular (1-2 inches/week)

↔️

Spacing

12" apart

🌱

Planting Depth

4" deep

Seeds typically germinate in 8-21 days

Ready to Plant Potato in Anaktuvuk Pass?

Get your seeds now so they're ready by Thursday, April 30, 2026.

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🤝 Good Companions

BeanCornBrassicasHorseradishMarigold

⚠️ Avoid Planting Near

TomatoCucumberSquashSunflower
🤝

Full Companion Planting Guide for Potato

See which plants help Potato thrive, which to keep away, and raised bed layout tips →

🛠️ Supplies You'll Need

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Common Potato Varieties

Popular cultivars to look for at your local nursery or seed supplier.

Russet Burbank

russet 100d

The American baking potato — fluffy, starchy interior; the standard for fries and baked potatoes.

Yukon Gold

yellow 70d

Buttery yellow flesh with a slightly waxy texture; excellent for mashing, roasting, and soups.

Red Norland

red 70d

Early red-skinned potato with smooth skin and waxy flesh; perfect for potato salad.

Fingerling (Russian Banana)

fingerling 80d

Small, finger-shaped yellow potato with a nutty, buttery flavor; perfect for roasting.

All Blue

specialty 90d

Deep blue-purple skin and flesh with a nutty flavor; holds its color through cooking.

Common Potato Problems

What to watch for — and how to fix it before it spreads.

🐛

Pests

Colorado Potato Beetle

Yellow-and-black striped adults and orange larvae devour foliage; can completely defoliate a plant.

Fix:

Handpick adults and orange egg masses daily; apply spinosad; rotate crops and till after harvest.

Aphids (Potato Aphid)

Green or pink colonies on undersides of leaves; transmit potato virus Y and leafroll virus.

Fix:

Spray with insecticidal soap; use reflective mulch; control ants that farm aphids.

Wireworm

Soil larvae bore small round holes through tubers; worst in recently tilled sod ground.

Fix:

Avoid recently grassed areas; use mustard seed meal in soil; beneficial nematodes.

🍂

Diseases

Late Blight (Phytophthora infestans)

The pathogen behind the Irish Famine — rapidly destroys foliage and tubers in cool, wet weather.

Fix:

Plant resistant varieties; apply copper fungicide preventively; destroy infected plants immediately; never compost.

Common Scab

Rough, corky patches on tuber skin; cosmetic but annoying; thrives in alkaline soils.

Fix:

Lower soil pH below 5.5 for potato beds; water consistently after tuber initiation; plant resistant varieties.

Verticillium Wilt

Soil-borne fungus causing early die-back and yellowing; stunts tuber development.

Fix:

Rotate crops (4+ year rotation); improve drainage; use certified disease-free seed potatoes.

💡

Common Mistakes

Planting store-bought potatoes

Grocery store potatoes are often treated with sprout inhibitors and may carry disease.

Fix:

Use certified seed potatoes from a reputable supplier; they're disease-free and guaranteed to sprout.

Not hilling

Exposed tubers turn green (solanine-toxic) and sunburn.

Fix:

Hill soil up around stems every 2 weeks as vines grow, keeping tubers buried under 4–6 inches of soil.

Watering overhead near harvest

Wet foliage with tubers near full size promotes late blight and storage rots.

Fix:

Switch to drip irrigation in late season; stop all watering 2 weeks before planned harvest.

🌾 Seed Saving Guide

🪴 Vegetative propagation

Propagate vegetatively, not by seed

Potatoes are propagated by planting whole small tubers or cut pieces of tuber with growth "eyes."

Save egg-sized tubers from your harvest for seed potatoes. Store in a cool, dark, humid place over winter.

🪴

Raised Bed Planting Guides

A 4×8 bed fits 32 plants of Potato. See plant counts, spacing grids, and companion pairings for every bed size →

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I plant Potato in Anaktuvuk Pass, Alaska? +

In Anaktuvuk Pass (Zone 2b), direct sow Potato outdoors around Thursday, April 30, 2026.

What is the last frost date for Anaktuvuk Pass, Alaska? +

The average last spring frost date for Anaktuvuk Pass, Alaska (ZIP 99721) is around Thursday, May 28, 2026. This is based on NOAA climate normals for USDA Zone 2b.

How long does Potato take to grow? +

Potato typically matures in about 90 days from direct sowing. In Anaktuvuk Pass, that means you can expect harvest around Thursday, April 30, 2026 plus 90 days.

Should I start Potato indoors or direct sow in Alaska? +

Potato does best when direct sown outdoors. In Anaktuvuk Pass, sow directly around Thursday, April 30, 2026.

Other Plants for Anaktuvuk Pass

Growing Potato in Zone 2b

Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is a popular garden vegetable. In Anaktuvuk Pass, Alaska, which is in USDA Hardiness Zone 2b, you should direct sow seeds around Thursday, April 30, 2026.

Your average last frost date is Thursday, May 28, 2026. Potato grows well when direct sown, as it doesn't transplant well or germinates quickly outdoors.