Quick Tips on Growing Early Potatoes
- Aim for crops of new potatoes to lift in May-July from the varieties list below.
- Buy small tubers of seed potato from your garden centre or mail order
- Encourage sprouting, ‘chitting’, by placing the potatoes in a cool light place with the bud eyes facing upwards. For a small number you can stand them in old egg boxes. You are aiming to get short, strong shoots at the rose end. If there are too many shoots I rub off some of the surplus to channel energy.
- Plant out in mid February- March into organically rich, fertilised soil about a foot apart.
- You may wish to try growing in a special potato sack or barrel where you can add soil as the plant grows to save earthing up.
- Choose varieties that have a subtle flavour and a good waxy texture such as ‘Accent’
- For a floury potato try ‘Red Duke of York’ or old varieties Pentland Javelin, Maris Bard or Arran Pilot
- Untried very early varieties include Rocket, Winston and Lady Christl.
- Eat new potatoes as soon as they are picked and take care they do not go into the water.
Related
- Buy Early Potatoes at Thompson and Morgan
- Potatoes at Amazon
How can you tell when early potatoes are ready for lifting?
Thanks for this information. I have a friend who’s interesting in growing potatoes and this should help her out nicely. Much appreciated
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