Want to have a go at growing your own spuds in 2016?

 

In February we will have all our seed potatoes in stock and it’s always good to plan ahead and think about the varieties you might like to grow.
What varieties to try?

Consider your soil type and what you want to use your homegrown spuds for.

First early Rocket varieties prefer a sandy soil, while Maris Bard will tolerate heavier soils, giving a higher yield of bigger tubers, but will be a week or two later than the more recent introductions like Rocket and Swift.

It’s a very similar story with second earlies, which are sown three to four weeks after first earlies, and maincrop varieties, which are some six to eight weeks after first earlies.

A variety like Desiree, which is a great choice for maincrop being particularly versatile in the culinary department, has great flavour but won’t have the yield of a modern variety like Picasso.
 
Trial and error is a great way to discover varieties that suit your own particular taste and soil. You can grow different varieties in containers, which is a great way to grow potatoes if space is an issue.

Check back on our blog in January for more handy hints on how to plant your potatoes and how to know when they are ready to eat.