Vegetable
Growing potatoes
Potatoes calendar
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plant | Plant in March | Plant in April | Plant in May | |||||||||
| Harvest | Harvest in June | Harvest in July | Harvest in August | Harvest in September | Harvest in October |
Overview
Potatoes are split into groups by how long they take: first earlies are ready in early summer, second earlies follow a few weeks later, and maincrops bulk up for autumn storage. Even a small bed of earlies tastes far better than anything bought, because the sugars in freshly dug tubers have not yet turned to starch. They also break up rough ground nicely in a first season.
Varieties to try
'Rocket' and 'Swift' are quick first earlies that often beat the worst of the blight. 'Charlotte' is a waxy second early salad potato that also does well in bags. 'Maris Piper' is the classic maincrop for chips and roasting, while the Sarpo varieties such as 'Sarpo Mira' have strong blight resistance and store for months. For something unusual, 'Pink Fir Apple' has knobbly, nutty tubers.
Soil and site
Best soil: Deep, loose, slightly acidic soil enriched with well-rotted manure or compost.
Pick an open, sunny spot that has not grown potatoes or tomatoes for at least three years, to limit soil-borne trouble. Dig in plenty of organic matter the autumn before. Avoid adding lime, as scab is more common in alkaline soil, and steer clear of frost pockets where early shoots get caught.
Sowing and planting
From late January, stand seed tubers in egg boxes with the end bearing most eyes facing up, somewhere light and frost-free, until sturdy shoots about 2 cm long form. Plant earlies from late March, second earlies in mid-April and maincrops by late April, in a trench about 12 cm deep, shoots upward. In a large container, start with 10 cm of compost, add two or three tubers and top up as they grow.
Spacing: First earlies 30 cm apart in rows 60 cm apart; maincrops about 38 cm apart in rows 75 cm apart.
Care
When shoots reach about 20 cm, draw soil up around them to leave just the tips showing, and repeat every couple of weeks. This keeps tubers in the dark so they do not turn green, and protects foliage from late frosts. Water generously once the plants flower, as that is when the tubers swell, and hoe between rows until the leaves meet.
Harvesting and storing
Earlies are usually ready when the flowers open; scrape back some soil to check the size first. Leave maincrops until the foliage yellows, then cut the stems off and wait two weeks so the skins firm up. Lift on a dry day, let tubers dry for a few hours and store only unblemished ones in hessian or paper sacks somewhere cool, dark and frost-free.
Common problems
Blight is the big threat in warm, humid summers, causing brown leaf patches and rotting tubers; grow resistant varieties and cut off infected foliage straight away. Slugs drill holes in tubers on heavy soil, so lift maincrops promptly in autumn. Earth up or fleece early shoots when frost is forecast.
Read more on the problems that most often hit potatoes:
Not sure what you're looking at? Try diagnosing it by symptom.
Month-by-month reminders
Jobs for potatoes come round in March, April, May, June, July, August, September and October. Each month page lists the rest of the garden's jobs for the same weeks.
Grow alongside
Sources
Names follow Kew's Plants of the World Online; timings and spacings reflect UK growing practice and were checked against the references below. Text is our own. See our editorial policy.