If you are feeling green fingered as well as noticing the steady rise in potato prices, thanks to the exceptionally wet year that we have just had, growing your own potatoes could be the answer. Last week, we talked through the types of potato and when to plant. This week, as we approach the end of the planting window, we will take you through the planting practicalities, just in time for the Bank Holiday weekend!
To chit or not to chit?
Chitting is the process of letting your potatoes sprout before you plant them, so that they will crop sooner. Once the potato sprouts are more than 2cm long, you can plant them.
Planting
Avoid planting until you are sure that the late frosts have passed. Choose a sunny spot with well-fertilised soil. There are three options for planting potatoes. If you are digging, you can dig a 15cm trench and arrange the potatoes in it (about 30cm apart for earlies and 37cm apart for main crops) , or you can dig individual holes for each potato and place them carefully in, with the sprouts facing up. If you prefer not to dig in order to preserve the nutritional makeup of your soil, you can simply place the seed potatoes in a shallow trench with a layer of soil on top.
As the potato plants grow, bring in the surrounding soil to cover the stems. Eventually you will have deep ridges in your garden, with potato plants growing out of the peaks.
Weeding
Potato plants need plenty of light, so make sure that you are vigilant with weeding in the early days so that the vulnerable young plants don’t have to compete.
Watering
Potatoes need lots of water, so make sure that you keep the soil well saturated – even during wet weather.
Harvesting
Generally, your crop is ready when the plant starts to look a little bit sad. However, if you are not sure, there is no harm in gently pushing away the soil to check the size of your potatoes. If they are not big enough, simply cover them again and wait!
No space? No problem!
Potatoes love depth but they don’t take up a huge amount of space. If you have a small garden or limited space for planting out, it is possible to grow potatoes in growing bags or large pots. Choose a deep pot or bag and add around 15cm of fertile soil or peat-free compost to the bottom. If you are not sure what compost is best, ask for advice at your local garden centre. Place the potatoes on top of the compost, sprinkle with a little more compost and wait until you see shoots. Every time the shoot is exposed, add more compost until the plant is mature and the pot is full.
With some hard work, a little luck and a lot of patience you will be able to produce delicious, fresh produce in your garden. Getting started can be the difficult bit; a gardener can help to get you on the right track. For more advice, follow Trust A Trader on Facebook or X.