A Beginners Guide To Growing Potatoes

Potatoes are one of the easiest vegetables to grow for beginners, and it's time to start thinking early in the year.

Even if you only have a small plot of land, you can grow potatoes in a large container or bin for a delicious first crop that tastes far better than any store-bought variety.

Where to start?

Almost no one grows potatoes now. Most often, potato seeds (especially seed tubers) are bought in garden centers in January and February. They look like the little potatoes you need to get your housework started in the colder months.

What potatoes to grow?

There are two categories: early or main cultures. Early varieties, known as baby potatoes, are ready much earlier than the main crop (faster-maturing varieties will be ready to harvest in late June) and are a good option if you can grow several vessels at once. a large or trash can with drainage holes.

Early second crops are usually ready to harvest in July and August, while main crops stay in the ground longer, are harvested from late August to October, and produce larger potatoes and often larger yields.

seed potatoes

Before the end of January, sow potato seeds in a plate or in empty open egg boxes on a windowsill or in another bright, frost-free place with the end of the "cell" to the "bird". "For them. Within a few weeks, the buds will begin to sprout, making new shoots called 'cheats'. Label each variety you name."

Green shoots should be 2-4 cm tall from mid-March to April when the weather is warm enough for planting, as they do not establish well in cool, moist soil. If growing early, cut off the weakest shoots, leaving about four per tuber.

Land preparation

Ideally, you want to add plenty of organic matter to the area where you will be planting potatoes in the fall or winter.

they know how to plant

Plant the potato seeds in a sunny location. Dig a narrow trench 12 cm deep, tubers 30 cm apart (leave) for early crops and 37 cm for main crops, row spacing 60 cm for early crops, early crops and 75 cm for main crops. Remember that potatoes are frost-resistant, so plant them only in mid-March, when the spring sun warms the soil.

If the soil is dry, water it first, but if it rains, it won't be necessary. After planting, leaves should form in about four weeks and will need to be protected from late frosts.

landed

As the plant grows, it will need to be "covered," which means raising the soil around the leaves to protect the shoots from frost and to ensure that the potatoes below ground do not receive light that will cause them to turn green and poison. . It will be necessary to do this when the shoots are about 23 cm high.

Collect the dirt on and around the stems, leaving only the tops of the plants visible. You will need to do this several times as the stems grow until the mound is about 30cm high. If there is a risk of severe late frosts, cover the rows with garden bags.

If you plant big flowers...

Add 10cm of peat-free compost to the pot and place three to five shredded potatoes about a foot apart, covering them well with 10cm of compost and watering. As the plants grow, add more compost to the pot instead of the pot to protect the sprouts. You may need to do this several times.

Irrigation

In dry weather, make sure the plants are well watered. Potatoes as a main crop can also require a lot of nitrogen fertilizer if they are growing well. Potatoes, especially potted ones, will need regular watering, every two to three days, which will help the developing potatoes to swell.

collection

Hopefully the heads will flower and be ready to harvest by the end of June. If the foliage turns yellow on staples you intend to store later in the season, wait and wait 10 days before digging up the potatoes, allowing them to dry for a few hours before storing them in a cool, dry place. fresh and without frost. .

Be careful when you take out the garden forks to pierce the tubers. If you've grown potatoes in pots, you can poke them with a fork or simply turn the pot upside down to harvest.

What varieties to choose?

Reputable varieties often carry the RHS AGM (Garden Award of Merit), so look for the label when buying seed potatoes. For the first, you can choose "Accent", "Marys Bard" or "Swift"; the second option could be "Jazzy", "Nadine" and "Charlotte"; and good main crop varieties - 'Sarpo Mira' and 'Maris Piper'.