The potato, although humble in looks, has been a mainstay of the British diet for centuries. The main reasons being that the tubers are ideally suited to being grown in our cool (rainy) climate and they need no special soil requirements.
Potato History
Potatoes are without doubt regarded as a ‘national treasure’ in the UK and are eaten by most of us every single day. Whether they be disguised in a bag of crisps, as ‘Bubble and Squeak’ mixed with cabbage, roasted to have with Sunday lunch or mashed and served with sausages, they are utterly delicious!
First brought to England from Virginia, by colonists that were sent to The Americas by Sir Walter Raleigh in around 1584, potatoes have grown in popularity and are part of our heritage.
If you have not grown your own spuds before then make this year the one that you try.
What are the different types of Seed Potatoes?
There are three main categories of potatoes. First Early, Second Early and Maincrop. They are put into groups to make it more straight forward to choose varieties you wish to try and to spread the growing season so that you can be harvesting potato crops from June to December.
How to Grow Potatoes
There are three main categories of potatoes. First Early, Second Early and Maincrop. They are put into groups to make it more straight forward to choose varieties you wish to try and to spread the growing season so that you can be harvesting potato crops from June to December.
For full instructions on details and easy instructions, read our How to grow Potatoes guide
In the height of summer, tiny ‘new potatoes’ just boiled and served with a knob of butter and sprinkled with fresh mint from the garden are a joy. My mouth is watering at the thought of long, warm summer days, enjoying harvesting, cooking and eating potatoes!
