When to Plant Potatoes in the UK
June 25th, 2021 | Categories
Planting time for potatoes does vary depending on the type of potato you are growing and also the part of the UK you are in. Generally, the time at which all potatoes are ready to plant is when the last frosts of winter have passed which could be sooner or later depending on which part of the country you are in. Think about the differences alone if you are in the North of Scotland vs the South of England.
Normally the planting time for potatoes is as follows:
- First earlies – planted late March to early April
- Second earlies – planted early-ish April to the middle of April
- Maincrops – planted the middle to late April
Give or take a few weeks on these depending on local conditions. If growing in greenhouses you can obviously plant earlier even in cooler parts of the country. Likewise, if growing in containers, these can be moved and kept in warmer areas while you’re waiting for outside conditions to reach optimum levels.
Potatoes have a long growing season, so with a little know-how, you can get them planted early, maximise your yields, and even plant again in the late summer so you have a supply of fresh home-grown potatoes well into winter.
Seed potatoes can be planted in July/August for potatoes to be harvested at Christmas, perfect for your festive feasts!
If you’re interested in how to grow potatoes outside in the soil or in grow bags, we have great guides for you to follow linked to below that takes you through the whole process.