NEW POTATOES
Plant: January to February and July, December
Harvest: April to May and November to December
January: In mild areas only, plant early varieties in the border soil. Use a mulch if the weather is very cold. Seed potatoes should be sprouted before planting. Allow 30cm/12in between plants and the same between rows. Alternatively, plant two potatoes per bucket, half fill with compost and cover with fleece. Chit potatoes ready for planting next month.
February: Plant early varieties in buckets and containers so that they don’t interfere with the planting of summer crops.
March: Earth up as stems grow. If cold weather persists, give extra protection to any exposed leaves. Keep containers and borders watered, but not too wet.
April: Start harvesting tubers from Dec and early Jan sowings. Start by reaching a hand down the side of a bucket and sneak out a few tubers while leaving the rest to grow on. By the end of the month, most of the crop will be lifted before tomatoes go out.
May: Clear any remaining tubers early in May and make sure no small ones are left in the soil.
July: Plant second-cropping seed potatoes (or ones left from the spring) in containers outdoors. Bring containers into the polytunnel as soon as foliage appears.
August: Earth up as plants grow.
September: Make sure all containers are indoors before temperatures fall.
October: Cover with extra layers of fleece or bubble polythene, to keep plants growing.
November: Harvest lovely new potatoes, or leave them until next month.
December: Lift new potatoes for a celebratory dinner. Plant early varieties in mild areas for the earliest crop.
POTATO TROUBLES
Blight: July to October
Slugs: March to April and September to December