Very few vegetables can rival the excitement that comes with growing your own potatoes. Size of garden need not be a barrier here as potatoes will grow in any reasonably sized container – even in staked, used car tyres.
There are three main types of potato – first earlies, second earlies and maincrop – and bags of seed potatoes will be labelled as such. The main difference is the time they take to mature: first earlies are the quickest, and maincrop the slowest. If you are growing in a container, I recommend you grow first earlies, otherwise known as new potatoes.
Here is a beginner’s guide on getting started with your potatoes and how to cultivate the perfect crop.
How to grow potatoes
Potatoes will not tolerate cold weather, frosts in particular, so hold off planting until at least the end of March. Vulnerable young growth may need some protection if there is a frost, so cover plants with fleece or an old sheet.
To get started, buy seed potatoes from a local garden centre or visit a potato day event (check local press or visit the National Allotment Society, nsalg.org.uk, for dates). Choose large, firm potatoes with no shoots to give you the best start.
Next, prepare them for planting – a process known as chitting. I have always chitted seed potatoes in egg boxes in a bright, cool spot. Too warm or too dark will encourage long, light-starved shoots that struggle to establish in the soil. Try to position seed potatoes with the eyes or dimples facing up, as this is where they sprout. Planting times are late March for first earlies, mid-April for second earlies and late April for maincrop.
Plant potatoes around 30cm apart – or 20cm if using a container. Choose a sunny position and cover the emerging leaves with soil a few times as they grow (known as “earthing up”). Harvesting can start around 12-15 weeks after planting. I always feel around in the soil to see what stage the potatoes are at before I take the plunge and empty the pot or dig them up.
Top tip: keep plants well watered – potatoes have a high volume of water, so need moisture to swell.
This article is kept updated with the latest advice.
