The great British stand-by, potatoes are hugely versatile and are a staple ingredient of many meals in one form or another - boiled, mashed, chipped, roasted or baked.
Freshly dug and lightly boiled with mint; or cooled and eaten with salads; or mashed with mustard or horseradish they just can't be beaten.
There are three main types - first earlies, second earlies and maincrops (sometimes further divided into maincrop and late maincrop) depending on when they are planted and harvested. Grow a selection of all for the longest cropping period and store maincrops over winter. Extra early potatoes can be obtained by planting varieties such as Lady Christl, Rocket and Swift from late February under fleece or, better still, by growing in individual pots under glass. Potatoes need a sunny site away from frost pockets - the newly emerging foliage is susceptible to frost damage. You can prevent this by earthing up the soil around the shoots or by covering them with fleece. It's important to keep light away from the developing new potatoes as light turns them green and green potatoes are poisonous.
Planting
The seed tubers should be planted around late March for first earlies, early to mid-April for second earlies and mid-to late April for maincrops.
Chitting
It is vital with earlies and a good idea with maincrops to chit the seed tubers first before planting; this means allowing them to produce sturdy shoots before planting. Buy your seed potatoes in late January/February and stand them rose end up (the rose end has the most eyes) in egg boxes or similar in a light, frost-free place. The tubers are ready to plant when the shoots are about 5cm/1in. long.
Growing
There are numerous ways of growing potatoes. The traditional way is to dig a narrow trench 10-15cm (4-6in) deep. This can be lined with compost or even grass clippings for a better crop. The seed tubers should be spaced 35cm/14in. apart, in rows 45cm/18in. apart for earlies, and 38cm/15in. apart, in rows 75cm/30in. apart for maincrop varieties. Sprinkle slug pellets or other slug deterrents between the tubers as slugs can be a problem.
When the stems are about 23cm/9in. high start earthing up by carefully drawing soil up to the stems and covering to produce a flat-topped ridge about 15cm/6in. high. This can be done little and often or in one go.
Another method is to plant your potatoes through holes in black polythene. The advantages of this method is that there is no need to earth up and the new potatoes form just below soil level which means easy harvesting!
It's also possible to grow them in large containers - or even black bin liners. Line the bottom 15cm/6in. of the container with potting compost and plant the seed tuber just below this. As the new stems start growing, keep adding compost until the container is full.
Keep crops well watered in dry weather; the vital time is once the tubers start to form. A feed of potato fertiliser will help increase yields.
Harvesting
First earlies should be ready to lift in June and July, second earlies in July and August and maincrops from late August through October. With earlies wait until the flowers open or the buds drop; they are ready to harvest when they are the size of hens' eggs. With maincrops for storage, wait until the foliage turns yellow, then cut and remove it. Leave for 10 days before harvesting the tubers, leaving them to dry for a few hours before storing.
TOP TIP
It is vital with earlies and a good idea with maincrops to chit the seed tubers first before planting; this means allowing them to produce sturdy shoots before planting. Buy your seed potatoes in late January/February and stand them rose end up (the rose end has the most eyes) in egg boxes or similar in a light, frost-free place. The tubers are ready to plant when the shoots are 5cm/2in. or more n length.
For large potatoes rub off all but the three strongest shoots before planting, for maximum yields leave all the shoots in place. Or rub alternate potatoes in the row for the best of both worlds.
Potatoes require lots of water, needing more than 50cm/20in. of irrigation and/or rainfall throughout their growing season, so be sure to have a good regular watering plan in place.
