How to Grow Potatoes in the UK

Growing Potatoes
Potatoes were first grown in Peru over 200 years ago, long, long before the Irish ever got their hands on them! Aside from dairy foods, potatoes are the most commonly eaten food in the western world.

POTATO QUICK GUIDE

Latin Name
Solanum Tuberosum

Type
Half-hardy annual

Site and Soil
Sunny, well-dug and composted. Do not add lime.

Plant to Harvest Time
From 13 to 17 weeks

How Many?
Earlies, 1kg (2.2lb) per 3m (10ft) row (75cm or 2ft 6in wide). Slightly less for maincrop.

Up to the 1800s, growing potatoes was only for the poor. Their nutritional value and taste has been appreciated more over the last 200 years and the humble potato has now become part of the standard diet of the UK and Ireland.

Growing potatoes takes up a large amount of your garden space, so think carefully before planting. It is best to concentrate on the early potato varieties and those maincrop varieties which are unsuitable for commercial growing.

This article concentrates on how to grow two varieties of potato; "earlies" (known as new potatoes) and the "maincrop" potato. Both types of potato are planted in a similar manner and nearly at the same time, however they are harvested at different times. There are of course intermediate varieties which can be harvested between the two main varieties.

How To Grow Your Potatoes - Position

A potato plant will grow in most soils as long as it has been well dug. The soil should be clear of large lumps and stones. Add as much compost as is available, or bonemeal (or similar) at the time of digging. It is a good idea to prepare the soil in mid November or December to allow it to settle before planting and let the compost begin to break down. Although not fussy about the soil type, the potato prefers a slightly acidic soil, so do not add lime before, during or after planting.

Picture of growing potatoes, how to grow potato

Potato plants take up a lot of room!
Choose very carefully!

The ideal position for a potatoes is a warm and sunny site with little or no shade in the UK. Do not grow potatoes in the soil for two years in succession, this will increase the risk of disease. For the same reason do not plant potatoes where tomatoes were grown the previous year. Both are from the same family and will readily transmit diseases to each other.

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