Focus on… Early potatoes

EVERYONE should experience that pivotal moment when the fork prongs are pushed into the soil to unearth the first new potatoes of the season. For those of us growing them outside, this will usually happen in early or mid-June. However, you can force Mother Nature’s hand by growing in tubs under glass. So how do you go about getting the best early crops?

Choosing ‘earlies’ is key – this is the name given to varieties that take 100 days to mature (whereas maincrops can take at least 130). These early varieties hit the ground running as soon as they enter warm soil. Warm soil is crucial – impatiently planting into cold earth won’t reap any rewards. At best, the tubers will sit in stasis until things warm up, while at worst they could rot. Soil temperatures must be