Potatoes

From early planted potatoes started in late winter, right through to main crops in summer, it’s possible to have a good supply of potatoes throughout the year. Famously versatile in the kitchen, the range of differing varieties is vast, and many can be used for different purposes – from boiling, to mashing, to your Sunday roasters. Blight resistant crops are also on offer, and the range of colours from the humble potato is surprising.

It’s wise to buy seed potatoes, as they’re guaranteed to be disease free and certified organic. It’s also a great way to begin if you’re starting to grow edible plants or if you’d like to get children involved with growing their own. Potatoes can be planted in a variety of situations, from open ground to containers to hessian bags. If space is limited and you’re growing in containers, we recommend planting in shallow soil and gradually filling as the crops grow which will lead to a larger crop. If growing in open ground, plant deep in a trench up to 30cm deep and mix in good organic matter & seaweed meal. They can also be very helpful with a new patch that is overgrown and weedy. Stagger your seed potatoes in thick zig zags across the plot after weeding and they’ll smother any new weeds coming through.

Before planting they will benefit from ‘chitting’, which entails putting them in a cool dry place, thus encouraging them to product shoots (eyes). Some gardeners don’t do this, but it will make for a stronger plant. They’ll do best in a sunny planting position, with moderate watering once they are up and running.

Harvest when the soil is dry and, if possible, keep the fork back so you don’t puncture your tatties! If digging isn’t your thing, we recommend looking into the ‘no dig’ method. Store in a cool, dry place.