Planting potatoes in the UK, from first earlies to maincrop

In a typical UK garden, plant potatoes from mid-March to late April. First earlies go in first, in the second half of March, then second earlies in early April, and maincrop in mid to late April.

These dates assume a last frost around 20 April, which is normal for lowland England and Wales. In Scotland, the north of England and frost pockets, plant a couple of weeks later. In the south-west, near the coast and in cities, you can often start a little sooner.

The three types and when each goes in

The type is printed on the seed potato bag. It tells you how long the crop takes, which is what decides the planting order.

Type	Plant	Ready to lift	Typical varieties
First earlies	mid to late March	about 10 weeks later, from June	Rocket, Swift, Pentland Javelin
Second earlies	early April	about 13 weeks later, July	Charlotte, Kestrel, Maris Peer
Maincrop	mid to late April	15 to 20 weeks later, late August to October	Maris Piper, King Edward, Sarpo Mira

Earlies are the new potatoes. They’re dug young, while the skins still rub off, and don’t keep for long. Maincrops take up more room and time, but they make the big potatoes that store through winter.

Potatoes aren’t fully hardy. The tubers are safe underground, but frost blackens the leaves. Planting in March is fine because the shoots take two or three weeks to come up, and you can protect them once they do.

Chitting

Chitting means letting seed potatoes sprout before planting. Start in late January or February, about four to six weeks before you plan to plant.

Stand the potatoes in egg boxes or seed trays with the end that has the most eyes facing up. Keep them somewhere light and cool but frost-free, like a spare room windowsill or a porch. You’re after short, dark, sturdy shoots about 2 cm long. Pale, long shoots mean the spot is too dark or too warm.

It gives earlies a head start of a couple of weeks. For maincrops it’s optional.

How to plant

1. Dig a trench or individual holes about 12 cm deep.
2. Set the seed potatoes in with the shoots pointing up, 30 cm apart, in rows 60 cm apart. Maincrops do better with a bit more room if you have it.
3. Cover them gently so you don’t snap off the shoots, and leave a slight ridge over the row.

In a bag or large pot, put 10 to 15 cm of compost in the bottom, sit two or three tubers on it, and cover with another 10 cm. Add more compost as the shoots grow.

Earthing up

When the shoots are about 20 cm tall, pull soil up around the stems with a hoe or rake, leaving just the top few centimetres of leaf showing. Do it again two or three times as they grow, until you have a ridge 15 cm or so high.

This does two jobs. New tubers form along the buried stem, and any that reach the light turn green, which makes them bitter and mildly toxic. Earthing up keeps them covered.

Frost on the leaves

Shoots that come up in April are at risk on clear, still nights. If frost is forecast, earth soil right over them or cover the row with fleece. A frosted shoot goes black and limp. The plant usually sends up new growth, but you lose a week or two.

When to lift

• First earlies: from June, when the plants flower or the flower buds open. Scrape back some soil and check the size before digging the whole plant.
• Second earlies: from July, about 13 weeks after planting.
• Maincrop: from late August into October. Cut the foliage off at ground level when it yellows and dies back, then wait about two weeks before digging. The skins toughen up and the potatoes keep far better.

Dig maincrops on a dry day and let them dry on the surface for a few hours before storing in paper or hessian sacks, somewhere cool, dark and frost-free.

Common problems

• Blight. Brown patches on the leaves in a warm, wet July or August, which spread fast. Cut off and bin the foliage straight away to protect the tubers. Earlies are usually lifted before blight arrives, which is one reason they’re popular.
• Scab. Rough, corky patches on the skin, worse in dry, light or limed soil. It’s only skin deep. Water during dry spells once tubers start forming.
• Slugs. Small holes that tunnel into maincrops left in the ground too long. Lift them once the skins have set.
• Planting near tomatoes. They share the same blight. Keep the two apart, and don’t plant potatoes in the same bed two years running.