Potatoes - First Early

Type: Vegetable

Rotation Group: 1, Potatoes and Tomatoes


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FOREMOST

An old favourite, introduced over fifty years ago. The round, white-fleshed tubers are firm and waxy when young and retain their fine taste. New, boil, steam or saute.
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PENTLAND JAVELIN

Colour - white. Shape - oval. Easy to grow; eelworm resistance RO1. A popular early variety that is favoured for its tasty, white, waxy-fleshed tubers. New, boil, steam or saute - it does not discolour when cold.
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MARIS BARD

Traditional new potato taste. Heavy cropping variety. White skinned with white flesh. Ideal for salad, roast or chips.
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ROCKET

A very early, heavy-cropping variety. The pure white flesh is quite soft and waxy and delicious with mint and a knob of butter! New, boil, steam or saute.

Site, Soil and Preparation

Potatoes need a sunny site. Avoid planting in a spot prone to late frosts. Prepare the ground, ideally the previous autumn or winter, by digging in plenty of organic matter such as garden compost or well rotted manure.

Indoor Sowing

It's important with earlies, and a good idea with maincrops, to 'chit' the seed potatoes before planting. This means allowing them to start sprouting shoots.

Outdoor Sowing

Plant potatoes in a narrow trench 12cm (5in) deep. Space the potatoes 30cm (1ft) apart for earlies in rows 60cm (2ft) apart. Apply a general-purpose fertiliser at this stage.

Thinning

Thinning of potatoes is not needed.

Transplanting

Transplanting of potatoes is not needed.

Care

Keep the young plants weed free and well watered until established and then only water during dry periods.

Harvest

With earlies, wait until the flowers open or the buds drop. The potatoes are ready to harvest when they're the size of hens' eggs, usually in June-July.