So potato farmers were on the news complaining about the lack of rain which is a bit rich after such a wet winter.
Planted seed has not broken the soils surface on some farms.
‘Potato crops will be ruined, prices must go up, spuds have had their chips.’
Short of spudding a new well it is up to the gardener to augment the normal efforts.

Lack of Water

• A Potato is 98% water, don’t believe you are eating lots of fiber and starch.
• Chitted potato seed is already beginning to dry out hence the wrinkles.
• Water is the main conveyor of food to any plant and Potatoes are very hungry plants.
• No water means no nutrients to help your potato grow.
• Leafy potatoes transpire lots of water through the leaves.
• The more leaf, the more breeze, the more sun the more the water is taken away from the potato plant. Thus the more care you need to take
• Dry plants will be droopy, prone to blight and poor croppers.

Watering Potatoes

• Rain is the natural answer, preferably as slow steady rain or constant drizzle.
• Thunderstorms can wash the top soil away and can leave tubers exposed to go green. Earth up after storms.
• Irrigation so that any water reaches the soil and can penetrate down to the roots is an ideal.
• Watering with a sprayer or hosepipe is slower and more cumbersome but necessary in dry conditions. Give enough water to get down 4-6″ in the soil.
• Leaves can act as an umbrella so make sure the roots get wet.
• If watering I like to add a feed during May to give the plants a boost. Seaweed extract would also be a good tonic.
• After all the watering avoid water logged soil it can encourage blight and rot.

If farm crops are poor and prices rise you are going to need your home grown spuds and they taste better anyway.
I am going to plant some more into large containers I call pot pots just in case. I had some seed potato I was keeping in the fridge to plant later so I could have new potatoes on Christmas day come rain or no rain.

Other Options

• Grow your potatoes under black polythene planting the  tubers through the polythene. The advantage of this method is that there is no need to earth up and the new potatoes form just below soil level.
• Grow the potatoes on top of the soil under a very deep mulch. For both these ideas make sure the soil is well soaked by winter and spring rain before planting and then you shouldn’t need to worry.
• Select waxy crops that may do better in dry conditions.
• Grow your potatoes on the flat  instead of in ridges as the soil drys out less.