Until the 1800s growing potatoes was only for the poor, their nutritional value and taste has been appreciated much more over the last 200 years, and is the standard diet

of many countries.

Potatoes are grouped according to their season of harvest ie; earlies, second earlies and maincrop. In general, early varieties are lower yielding, require less space, and escape many of the diseases that affect the later harvested maincrops.

Where to grow my potatoes

You can grow your potato inside, outside, in a greenhouse or even start off inside and move it outside as it gets milder.Where ever you decide to grow them make sure you buy good quality certified seed potatoes, and grow them organically less risk of introducing disease and pests.

Chitting

Put your seed potatoes in an open egg box with the sprouts facing up. Then place on a

windowsill for two weeks to allow the sprout to harden.This process is called chitting.

Growing outside

The ideal position for a potatoes is a warm and sunny site with little or no shade.A potato plant will grow in most soils as long as it has been well dug. The soil should be clear of large lumps and stones. Potatoes need food to grow this comes from nutrients in the soil, adding compost should contain everything your potatoes need.

Potatoes can be ‘earthed up’ as they grow bringing soil up around the shoots or alternatively can be mulched with a thick layer of hay, straw, leaf-mould or grass mowings.This will help prevent tubar blight the control of weeds and preserve moisture.

Plant

Early varieties: March/April Main crop: April in rows 30cm x 75cm (12in x 30in) apart at a depth 15cm (6in) in a trench with loosened soil at the bottom.

Grow your potatoes in a container

It is possible to grow a usable crop of potatoes in containers such as old dustbins, large terracotta pots, a barrel ect.Make drainage holes in the bottom of the container, fill the bottom of the container with 5-10cm of crocks (old broken pots etc).

Once chitting is complete take your container and half fill it with compost or soil.Place 3 to 5 (depending on size of container) seed potatoes on top with the sprouts pointing upwards. Cover the potatoes with more of the potting compost until they are just buried, and then water well. As the green foliage grows upwards add more compost. It does not matter if the leaves are covered as they will soon grow up through the compost again.

Place your potato container somewhere reasonably light and not too warm, put it

somewhere as light as possible ideally south facing.Put it away from a radiator or heater and keep turning it so it grows upright, keep it moist but don’t over water it.

Some varieties that should produce a reasonable yield are Premier, Swift, Estima, Marfona, Maris Bard and Desiree.

For a full selection of vegetable seeds

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