Vegetables: Potato

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There are three varieties of potatoes; first earlies, second earlies and maincrop.

First earlies provide new potatoes suitable for salads second earlies fill in the gap between the first earlies and the main crop. Main Crop can be used straight from the ground or can be stored for use over Winter.

Potatoes are produced from seed potatoes which should be from certified virus free plants and ideally the size of a hen’s egg. Before planting they should be chitted to produce small, strong shoots.

Chitting: Place the seed potatoes in egg boxes or seed trays, eyed end up, and keep in a light, frost-free room for about six weeks to allow the shoots to develop.

Plant as detailed below. When the stems are about 9ins tall pile loose earth up around the stems to leave a couple of inches above the soil. Keep earthing-up, a little at a time, until the stems stop growing. This earthing-up helps to stop the potatoes going green.

Ensure that the crop are kept well watered during dry weather and to avoid problems next year ensure the whole crop is removed from the soil.

First Earlies – e.g. Foremost, Rocket, Home Guard, Maris Bard

• Planting Time: Late March
• Soil: Can be grown in any soil preferably in a sunny spot. Dig in the Autumn and add manure or compost. Never add lime. Don’t grow on land where potatoes have been grown within past two seasons.
• Spacing: Plant each seed potato 12ins apart in rows 24ins apart.
• Lifting: Lift once flowers are fully open; usually June or July.
• Storage: Should not be stored, lift when small and treat as new potatoes.

Second Earlies – e.g. Charlotte, Anya, Maris Peer, Wilja

• Planting Time: Early-mid April
• Soil: Can be grown in any soil preferably in a sunny spot. Dig in the Autumn and add manure or compost. Never add lime. Don’t grow on land where potatoes have been grown within past two seasons.
• Spacing: Plant each seed potato 12ins apart in rows 24ins apart.
• Lifting: Lift once flowers are fully open; usually July or August
• Storage: Should not be stored, lift when small and treat as new potatoes.

Maincrop – e.g. Maris Piper, King Edward, Desiree, Pink Fir Apple

• Planting Time: Mid-late April
• Soil: Can be grown in any soil preferably in a sunny spot. Dig in the Autumn and add manure or compost. Never add lime. Don’t grow on land where potatoes have been grown within past two seasons.
• Spacing: Plant each seed potato 15ins apart in rows 30ins apart.
• Lifting: Wait until the stems have withered. Cut stems to the ground, wait 10 days and lift. Usually ready August to eat immediately or leave until September or early October before storing.
• Storage: Leave to dry out then place in a wooden box and leave in a frost-free shed until needed. They should last until Spring.

To find out how to treat pests and dieseases which affect potatoes visit our Pests and Diseases: Potato.

BUY YOUR POTATOES FROM THOMPSON & MORGAN

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