Growing Potatoes

Bosmere K705 Potato Planter Bag                     Click the image above to view this product

When you’re ready to plant, plant directly into the ground – using a trowel dig a V-shaped trench about 13cm deep - or simply pile dirt on the tomatoes (a process known as hilling).  When growing potatoes it is recommended that you set the tubers in rows running from north to south (to allow the sun’s rays to warm both sides of the ridges). The spacing between the rows should be 60cm for early varieties and 80cm for main crop varieties. Between the plants spacing should be 30cm for early varieties and 40cm for main crop varieties.  Once they are around 10cm tall, to increase the length of the underground stems (which bear potatoes) as well as protect the plants from late frosts, form a ridge along the length of the row by drawing soil over the shoots. Repeat this once or twice at 2 – 3 week intervals or until the ridges are about 20cm high.

The early varieties will usually be ready for harvesting in June or July - 10 to 12 weeks after planting. However, harvesting times for the different varieties in general depend on; When they were planted and what the weather conditions were like at planting time. The weather while the crop was growing, Variety maturity as well as how warm it the weather is during the harvest.