Meadowscape - Early Potatoes

To see our guide to potatoes, click here

Early Potatoes

Early Earlies

If you want to enjoy some home grown new potatoes by the end of April / early May its time for action now.

From your local supplier buy a good quality virus free "early" tuber with plenty of eyes.

Place these potatoes in a box that allows you to store them with the most eyes looking upwards.

Place the box in a cool light room that will remain frost-free. In 4 to 6 weeks, these potatoes will be sprouted, or chitted as it is sometimes known.

Take the best three for a container; this is to be grown, indoors, in a conservatory or greenhouse. The rest can be planted outside by mid/ late March.

Take a 30cm diameter x 30cm high pot and half fill with good compost ensuring that there are adequate drain holes.

Push the 3 tubers into the compost up to the eyes taking care not to damage the shoots. Now cover the potatoes gently with compost to about 50cm over the shoots.

When the foliage grows through the compost cover with a further layer as before and repeat the process until you reach the top of the pot.

Keep the compost moist.

Repeat after 7 days; don't forget to mark the pots with the date.

In 10 weeks time you should have a very early crop.

Good Luck