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What To Sow
Potatoes (maincrop) growing

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Hardy — can tolerate frost

When to plant
potatoes (maincrop) in the UK

Plant a few weeks after earlies. Earth up as haulms grow. Harvest when foliage dies back — leave in the ground for a week first to toughen the skins.

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20wto harvest
38cmspacing
5°Cmin soil temp
hardyhardiness
Plan it for your plot

Work out your own dates

Starts from the recommended sow date for your area. Sowed on a different day, or planted out late? Adjust below and the harvest moves with it.

Using the UK-average last frost · 15 April · add your postcode to tune it

Sow8 April
Harvest from26 August

Growing journey

Last frost
Direct sow1w before frost
Harvest19w after frost

20 weeks from sowing to harvest

Get potatoes (maincrop) seeds

Thompson & MorganSarah RavenSuttons

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What potatoes (maincrop) need

Sun. Rich, deep soil. Water consistently once tubers are forming.

Reading blight conditions…

Spacing

38cm

38cm between plants

These are larger plants — give them plenty of space for air circulation.

the varieties

Varieties worth growing

Desiree

common

Red-skinned, creamy-fleshed, and good at absolutely everything. Roast it, mash it, chip it, bake it. The potato that never lets you down and never asks for much in return.

in the kitchen

Perfect mash

Boil until they fall off a knife, drain thoroughly, then rice or mash with obscene amounts of butter and a splash of warm milk. Season. That's it. Perfection doesn't need complication.

find the seedsThompson & Morgan→Suttons→
Desiree— full guide →

King Edward

common

Named after the king, grown since 1902, and still the one that makes the best roast potatoes in the country. Fluffy inside, crispy outside, and absolutely nothing fancy about it. Sometimes classics are classics for a reason.

in the kitchen

Roast potatoes

Parboil, shake in the colander until the edges rough up, then into screaming hot goose fat. Roast at 200C until deep golden and shatteringly crisp. The Sunday lunch centrepiece.

find the seedsThompson & Morgan→Suttons→
King Edward— full guide →

Sarpo Mira

uncommon

The blight-proof potato. While everyone else is nervously checking their leaves in August, you'll be sitting back with a cup of tea. Hungarian-bred, practically indestructible, and the flavour is genuinely good too.

in the kitchen

Chunky chips

Cut into thick batons, blanch, dry thoroughly, then double-fry in oil — once at 130C to cook through, then at 190C until golden and crisp. Salt generously. The chip shop in your garden.

find the seedsThompson & Morgan→Suttons→
Sarpo Mira— full guide →

When to sow potatoes (maincrop)

Direct sowApril

Based on UK average frost date. Enter your postcode for exact dates, or find your city.

Seeds

Where to buy potatoes (maincrop) seeds

Thompson & MorganSarah RavenSuttons

Links may be affiliate links. We may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Kit

What you'll need for potatoes (maincrop)

The stuff beginners wish they'd bought sooner.

Chitting traysAmazon

Start chitting 6 weeks before planting. Egg boxes work, but proper trays are a few quid and stack neatly.

Potato grow bagsAmazon

If space is tight or your soil has blight history. Fabric bags with an access flap let you harvest without tipping the whole thing out.

Hessian storage sacksAmazon

Never store potatoes in plastic — they sweat and rot. Hessian breathes and keeps them dark.

Links go to Amazon. We earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Get your exact dates

Enter your postcode for personalised planting dates for potatoes (maincrop).

Keep exploring

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Cut the main head first and you'll get side shoots for weeks. Purple sprouting i

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Different varieties for each season — spring, summer, autumn, and winter types.

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Fold outer leaves over the curd to keep it white. Cauliflower leaves are delicio

Brussels sprouts

Grow through summer, harvest from autumn through winter. Flavour improves after

Garlic

Plant individual cloves Oct-Nov, pointed end up, 2.5cm deep. Garlic needs a cold

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Plant bare-root canes in winter for the cheapest option. Summer varieties fruit

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Cultivated blackberries produce bigger, sweeter fruit than wild ones and are tho

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One of the easiest fruit bushes for UK allotments. Plant a bare-root bush in win

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Blackcurrants are packed with vitamin C and make the best jam and cordial. Plant

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Dwarf varieties need no support. Pick every few days — once they start producing

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Big hungry plants — give them space and feed them well. Leave to cure in the sun

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Limit each plant to 2-3 fruits for bigger pumpkins. Sit them on a tile or slate

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Bolts at the slightest excuse. Sow every 3-4 weeks, pick frequently, and choose

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Sow direct — dill absolutely hates being transplanted. Short rows every few week

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Pinch out side shoots on cordon types. Feed weekly with tomato feed once the fir

Peppers

Start early — they're slow growers. Pinch out the first flower to encourage bush

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Need heat to germinate — use a propagator or the warmest windowsill you've got.

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Outdoor varieties are tougher and easier than greenhouse ones. Keep picking and

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Build a strong frame — they get seriously heavy. Pick every 2-3 days or they go

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