How to Grow Potatoes

Potato

Click here for Potato Troubles

• There are three varieties of potatoes; first earlies, second earlies and maincrop.

• First earlies provide new potatoes suitable for salads second earlies fill in the gap between the first earlies and the main crop. Main Crop can be used straight from the ground or can be stored for use over Winter.

• Potatoes are produced from seed potatoes which should be from certified virus free plants and ideally the size of a hen's egg. Before planting they should be chitted to produce small, strong shoots.

• Chitting: Place the seed potatoes in egg boxes or seed trays, eyed end up, and keep in a light, frost-free room for about six weeks to allow the shoots to develop.

• Plant as detailed below. When the stems are about 9ins tall pile loose earth up around the stems to leave a couple of inches above the soil. Keep earthing-up, a little at a time, until the stems stop growing. This earthing-up helps to stop the potatoes going green.

• Ensure that the crop are kept well watered during dry weather and to avoid problems next year ensure the whole crop is removed from the soil.

Sowing Time

Planting Time

Soil

Spacing

Cutting / Lifting Time

Storage

Cooking

First Earlies

e.g. Foremost, Rocket, Home Guard, Maris Bard

n/a

Late March

Can be grown in any soil preferably in a sunny spot. Dig in the Autumn and add manure or compost. Never add lime. Don't grow on land where potatoes have been grown within past two seasons.

Plant each seed potato 12ins apart in rows 24ins apart.

Lift once flowers are fully open; usually June or July.

Should not be stored, lift when small and treat as new potatoes.

New potatoes should be washed, not peeled, and boiled for 12 mins.

Second Earlies

e.g. Charlotte, Anya, Maris Peer, Wilja

n/a

Early-mid April

Can be grown in any soil preferably in a sunny spot. Dig in the Autumn and add manure or compost. Never add lime. Don't grow on land where potatoes have been grown within past two seasons.

Plant each seed potato 12ins apart in rows 24ins apart.

Lift once flowers are fully open; usually July or August

Should not be stored, lift when small and treat as new potatoes.

New potatoes should be washed, not peeled, and boiled for 12 mins.

Maincrop

e.g. Maris Piper, King Edward, Desiree, Pink Fir Apple

n/a

Mid-late April

Can be grown in any soil preferably in a sunny spot. Dig in the Autumn and add manure or compost. Never add lime. Don't grow on land where potatoes have been grown within past two seasons.

Plant each seed potato 15ins apart in rows 30ins apart.

Wait until the stems have withered. Cut stems to the ground, wait 10 days and lift. Usually ready August to eat immediately or leave until September or early October before storing.

Leave to dry out then place in a wooden box and leave in a frost-free shed until needed. They should last until Spring.

Scrubbed or scraped, cut into chunks and cooked for 15-20 mins. Parboil for 5 mins before roasting for 45 mins.

Potato Troubles

Trouble

Symptoms

Treatment

Prevention

Aphid

Plant infested with greenfly.

Spray at first sign of attack

None

Blackleg

Blackened stems at and below ground level. Leaves turn yellow and wilt.

None

Do not plant soft or rotten seed tubers and don't cut tubers

Capsid Bug

Small brown spots in leaves, later turn into holes

Spray if attack is bad, will not affect yield

None

Common Scab

Ragged-edged scurfy patches. Only on the skin, the flesh is not affected.

None

Buy healthy seed tubers. Do not Lime.

Dry Rot

Shrunken area with white pustules occur during storage.

None

Rotate crops. Ensure tubers are sound before storing and handle carefully.

Frost

Black stems or yellow patches on leaves

None

Cover if frost is expected

Gapping

Seed potatoes do not develop shoots

None

Buy healthy seed tubers and ensure they are kept in a frost-free location

Gangrene

Dark brown depressions on the surface of the tuber

None

Store only sound tubers and keep air and frost-free

Hollow Heart

Hollow centre of tubers

None

Keep well watered during dry spells

Leaf Roll Virus

Leaves are rolled upwards and become hard and brittle

None

Buy healthy seed tubers. Spray to control the virus-carrying aphids.

Mosaic Virus

Yellow or pale green mottling over the surface of the leaf

None

Buy healthy seed tubers. Spray to control the virus-carrying aphids.

Magnesium Deficiency

Yellowing between the veins of the leaves which turns brown and brittle. Stunted growth.

Apply MultiTonic and spray with Fillip

Feed regularly during the growing season using a fertiliser with magnesium

Potato Blight

Brown patches on the leaves with white mould on the underside of each spot. Can destroy all the foliage. grey patches below the skin.

None

Buy healthy seed tubers. Spray with Dithane in July and repeat every fortnight if the weather is damp. Keep earthed up.

Potato Cyst Eelworm

Weak and stunted plants. Small tubers produced

None

Rotate crops. Don't grow potatoes or tomatoes on infected land for at least six years

Powdery Scab

Round patches with raised margins on the skin.

None

Rotate crops

Rosy Rustic Moth

Hollow stems causing plants to die down early

None

None

Splitting

Deep cracks on surface of tubers

None

Do not store. Keep plants well watered during dry spells.

Slugs

Large holes in the tubers

None

Don't add too much manure and lift tubers as soon as they mature. Keep the area free of rubbish.

Spraing

Curved lines in the flesh

None

Rotate crops

Soft Rot

Soft, evil-smelling flesh

None

Store only sound tubers and keep dry

Spindly Sprouts

Thin shoots

Stand tubers in a light cool place

Buy healthy seed tubers and ensure they are sprouted in a light, frost-free location.

Soft Tubers

Soft and rubbery tubers

None

Water well during drought conditions

Wireworm

Orange, shiny larvae produce tunnels in the flesh of tubers

None

Rake Chlorophos into the soil before planting and lift tubers as soon as they are mature.

Wart Disease

Black warty outgrowths on tubers

None

Only plant immune varieties on infected land