Whether boiled, mashed, baked, or any other variation, potatoes are an essential element in many dishes. There are two types of potatoes: maincrops and early varieties. Early varieties, which we refer to as "new potatoes," are ready to be harvested far sooner than maincrops.
Preparation before planting
Before planting, "chitting" the seed potatoes is crucial for early varieties and a good idea for maincrops. To do this, allow the shoots to begin to emerge.
Place them in egg trays or boxes in a bright, frost-free area, rose to end up (the end with the smallest dings or eyes). When the shoots are around 3 cm long, the potatoes are ready to be planted. Rub off the weakest shoots from early potatoes, leaving four per tuber.
Grow
In order to prevent frost damage to early shoots and to prevent developing potatoes from being exposed to light, which would turn them green and poisonous. Potato plants need "earthing up" as they grow.
Earthing up is the practice of mounding dirt around plants, typically certain vegetable crops. It also helps to avoid wind rock, which can loosen the roots in tall or top-heavy plants.
Draw soil up around the stems after they are approximately 23 cm (9 in) tall to form a ridge that is about 15 cm (6 in) high. Repeat the technique multiple times as the stems develop. The ridge's final height should be 20 to 30 cm (8in–1ft).
In dry weather, make sure to regularly water the plants, especially once the tubers begin to form. A nitrogen-rich fertiliser is beneficial for maincrop potatoes at the time of the second earthing up.
Plant
Planting should be done a little later in cold areas and sooner in milder ones depending on where you are in the country. , you can plant earlier when growing in pots.
Avoid planting in an area where late frosts are likely to occur since the freshly growing foliage is vulnerable to damage from frost in April and May.
Preparing the soil in the previous autumn or winter, by digging in a lot of organic materials, such as garden compost or well-rotted manure, is a good way to get the soil ready for the potatoes.
| Planting | Harvesting |
First Earlies | Late March | June to July |
Second Earlies | Early to mid-April | July to August |
Maincrops | Mid to late April | Late August to October |
Harvest
Wait till the blooms open or the buds fall off before using early varieties. As the tubers reach the size of a hen's eggs, they are prepared for harvest.
Wait for the foliage on storage maincrops to turn yellow before cutting it down and removing it. The tubers should be harvested after 10 days, and they should then be allowed to dry for a few hours before being put away.