Seed Potatoes

Your own home grown potatoes!

Our first and second early seed potatoes and main crop potatoes are now in stock and can be planted out from February to May. We advise that first earlies can be planted from March, second earlies a few weeks later to be planted early to mid-April and main crop to be planted mid-to late April.

You can expect your first harvest early summer for first earlies (June/July) and July-September for second earlies. Main crop potatoes are harvested in September/October.

Earlies are small potatoes and are absolutely delicious! We love to parboil them and then saute in butter.

Planting seed potatoes directly into the ground

1. Preparation for planting – for first and second earlies, it’s always a good idea to chit your seed potatoes first (chit in February), you can do this by placing them in an egg box or tray and placing them ideally in a cool dry place, like a windowsill out of direct sunlight. This doesn’t matter for main crops; you can plant them as they are.
2.  Plant your potatoes – dig straight trenches 12cm deep and 30cm apart, with 60cm between the rows. Plant with the shooters facing upwards, try and plant them in a sunny and frost-free area. Once your seed potatoes are placed into the trench, cover them back up with enough compost to cover them.
3. Caring for your potatoes – water your potatoes regularly, especially in dry spells, and keep the soil weed free.
4.  Earthing Up – green shoots will start to appear, once they are around 20-30cm add some extra soil around the stems halfway up, to avoid light getting to the potatoes that are growing closer to the surface.
5. Harvesting – leave for 2 to 3 weeks after flowering for the skin to harden (this helps with storage) and then harvest. Once your potatoes are ready to harvest, dig them up with a fork or a spade, being careful not to spear any potatoes.
6. Enjoy your delicious, home grown potatoes which ever way you please!

Planting potatoes in tubs & bags

1. Preparation for planting – place about 3/4 inches of soil in the bottom of the tub or bag
2. Plant your potatoes – plant the potatoes shoot up and make sure they’re equally spaced out
3. Planting – add about 2/3 inches of soil on top covering the shoots
4. Earthing up – then the shoots begin to appear at about 2/3 inches in height, add more soil. Repeat this method until you get about half way up the bag. This helps stop the light getting to tubers and stops potatoes going green.
5. Harvesting – leave for 2 to 3 weeks after flowering for the skin to harden (this helps with storage) and then harvest. Once your potatoes are ready to harvest, dig them up with a fork or a spade, being careful not to spear any potatoes.
6. Enjoy your delicious, home grown potatoes which ever way you please!

Seed Potato Care

• Water your potatoes regularly, especially in dry spells
• Grow in weed free soil
• Place in a sunny but sheltered spot
• Chit your seed potatoes as soon as possible as they’ll take a few weeks (January/ February time is ideal)