Focus on… Maincrop potatoes
WHEN it comes to growing spuds for roasting, boiling, mashing, chipping or baking, bulk is definitely the name of the game. So how do you guarantee superb quality and yields?
The right spots for spuds
Assign your potatoes to a sunny, open spot – being tender, they enjoy warmth while good airflow will deter the humidity that encourages late blight (see page 20). Unlike many veggies, a slightly acid soil is preferred, so don’t habitually lime bare beds in early spring.
“Tuber bulk is related to leaf surface area”
For top-notch maincrop potato yields, ample fertiliser is required – phosphate and nitrogen, in particular. Non-organic growers could add sulphate of ammonia (for nitrogen) and superphosphate at planting, and again on earthing up. Organic gardeners can rely instead on fish, blood and bone Spacing for traditional rows is also important (see page 20); 14in (35cm) is standard, but go wider on light soils if you
