Freshly dug new potatoes are a delight and something I always look forward to in summer. They have a wonderful flavour and can be eaten in so many ways, hot or cold. New potatoes are mainly produced from first early varieties and planting to harvesting takes about 12-13 weeks. This makes them not only a quick crop to grow, but it also means by staggering the planting you can easily extend the harvesting period over several months from mid-summer to autumn. New potatoes are also very easy to grow in the garden or in containers.
SOIL CONDITIONS
Potatoes are not too fussy when it comes to soil and if they have sufficient moisture and nutrients they will grow in most soil types, sandy to clay. However, for the best results they should be planted in a well-drained soil that’s had plenty of well-rotted manure or garden compost added. This is important as it helps retain moisture around the roots when the tubers are forming in early summer and helps reduce the amount of watering.
PLANTING
All potatoes are grown from ‘seed potatoes’ which are virus-free small tubers. These are available to buy from garden centres or online from late winter into spring. To give early varieties a head start, stand them in a cool, light place for several weeks, to allow the eyes to sprout small shoots, a process known as chitting.
Planting outside is done when the soil is starting to warm up in mid-March to early April, but it can be earlier depending on where you live. Of course, if you have a polytunnel planting can be a few weeks earlier than outside. Planting can continue until the end of June to give you a steady supply of new potatoes into autumn. Plant again in August for new potatoes for Christmas (see p8).
この記事は Kitchen Garden の August 2023 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Kitchen Garden の August 2023 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
EASY DOES IT!
As the growing season gathers pace there's one thing often in short supply: time! Ever feel like you're chasing your tail? Benedict Vanheems offers some tips to save valuable time and effort
A NEW Kitchen garden!
It's time for sowing and planting in the new garden and while Martin is busy with that, Jill is making a tasty asparagus soup
OUR PLOTTER OF THE MONTH
Kitchen Garden readers rose to the challenge when we asked for pictures of their plots to appear in the magazine this year. It's time to meet another of our talented competition winners
MANAGING WEEDS, NATURALLY
Weeds are never far away but you can keep them at bay without recourse to weedkillers
Meet the apple doctor
KG editor Steve Ott chats to Glyn Smith, head gardener for the National Trust's Erddig estate in Wrexham, about his career and love of the garden he has tended for 38 years
A CORNUCOPIA OF COURGETTES
It's time to sow a first batch of tender crops such as courgettes for picking through the summer months. KG editor Steve Ott has some tips for a super harvest
FLAVOURSOME FRUIT CURRANTS
you If I want to plant some soft fruit that is easy to grow and will give you plenty of flavour, how about trying currants?
TRY AMARANTH! The dual-purpose veg
Garden Organic's research manager Anton Rosenfeld extols the virtues of amaranth and how to grow it
A SPACE APART
Instagrammer James Martin shares his love of gardening and how much it has helped him and his family both mentally and physically under very difficult circumstances
HITTING THE SWEET SPOT
Welcome to the wonderful world of sweetcorn as Rob Smith takes a look at both old and newer varieties, with some growing advice too