Should you delay planting potatoes after the wet winter?

When do you plant your potatoes in the ground?

Spuds are typically planted from mid-March through to early May, depending on whether the variety is Early, Second Early or Maincrop. Some gardeners take a chance on a warm, dry spring, and may plant potatoes as early as late February in mild regions.

This year, however, has been exceptionally wet in many areas of the UK, so the soil is colder than many of us are used to by this stage of spring. It's therefore not a good idea to plant early, and instead check soil temperatures before digging your potato trenches. If you have cloches or horticultural fleece, use these to help warm the soil a couple of weeks before putting your spuds in the ground.

If planted in soil that's too cold, seed potatoes are at risk of rotting. A soil temperature of 10ºC is ideal for potato planting as the tubers are likely to put on growth immediately so there's less chance of them rotting in the soil. Another good indicator of a warm soil is when leftover potatoes from last year start growing.

If planting them in bags or containers of compost then there's no need to wait, as long as the compost is free draining it should warm up quickly in spring sunshine.

When to plant potatoes

First early or ‘new’ potatoes are the earliest to crop, in June and July. They don't store for long so are best eaten fresh. These can typically be planted from mid-March but do check soil temperatures before planting – planting late won't do them any harm, you'll just have to harvest them a bit later, too.

Second earlies (also called ‘new’ potatoes) take a few more weeks to mature and are harvested in July and August. These also don't store for long, so are best eaten fresh. They can be planted from early April but, again, check soil temperatures or warm the soil with a cloche before doing so.

Maincrop potatoes take the longest to mature and are harvested from August to October. They are suitable for baking, roasting and mashing, and can be stored for a few months. These can be planted from late April into early May. If conditions remain dry, there's no reason why you can't plant your maincrop spuds at the usual time.

Tips for success

Before planting, it's a good idea to 'chit' your potatoes. This involves letting the potatoes grow shoots, which will allow them to start growing more quickly after planting. Place the seed potatoes in trays or egg cartons in a cool, light spot until short shoots have formed. Plant potatoes with the shoots facing upwards.

Plant earlies and second earlies 10-15cm deep and 30cm apart, with 60cm between rows. Maincrop potatoes require more space so plant them 40cm apart, with 75cm between rows.