Honestly, figuring out the best time to plant second early potatoes UK can feel a bit like guesswork sometimes! But don’t fret; it’s actually simpler than you might think. The sweet spot for planting second early potatoes UK generally falls in early to mid-April. This timing is a classic recommendation for a reason! It gives these lovely tubers a chance to get going without hitting harsh, late frosts that can really knock them back.
Why Does Planting Time Really Matter?
Choosing the right second early potato planting time UK isn’t just about following a calendar. It’s crucial for a few big reasons. Planting too early risks frost damage to tender new shoots popping through the soil. Frost can turn those hopeful green stems black overnight – a real heartbreaker! On the flip side, planting too late means a later harvest and potentially missing the best growing weather. If you’re curious about pushing the season, you might wonder how late can you plant potatoes in the UK? – it’s a common question!
Typical Planting Months in the UK: What To Expect
Most gardeners I know aim for March or April for their early potatoes. For second earlies specifically, April is usually the target month. The RHS, a fantastic authority on all things gardening, suggests planting second earlies in early to mid-April. Suttons, another trusted source, also points towards March and April. If you’re also planning your first potato crop, check out our guide on when to plant first early potatoes UK. And for those later harvests, we cover when to plant main crop potatoes UK too!
But here’s the thing: the UK weather is famously unpredictable, right? What works perfectly in Cornwall might be totally different up in the Scottish Highlands. This is where thinking beyond just the month becomes super important.
Considering Local Weather and Last Frost Dates
You absolutely must consider your local conditions. Are you in a mild coastal spot or a frosty inland valley? Your garden’s microclimate makes a huge difference. The most critical factor is the date of your last spring frost. Planting your second earlies out in the ground before this date is risky business.
Last frost dates vary massively across the UK. Knowing your local average last frost date is a game-changer for planning. It’s like having a secret weapon! You can find interactive maps and regional breakdowns to help pinpoint the typical last frost date for your specific area Source: Plantmaps UK Frost Map. Always remember that these are averages, and actual weather can vary year to year.
The Role of Soil Temperature: Getting It Just Right
Beyond frost, soil temperature is a big deal. Potato tubers are living things, and they need the soil to warm up a bit to start growing happily. Planting into freezing cold, wet soil can lead to the seed potatoes rotting before they even get going. Nobody wants that!
Ideally, you want the soil temperature to be around 7°C (about 45°F) or higher for a few consecutive days before you plant. You can check this with a soil thermometer, which is a handy little tool to have. While potato root growth is best in warmer soil (15-20°C), tuber initiation (that’s when the little potatoes start forming) can actually be more prolific in cooler soil conditions after the plant is established. So, getting them in when the soil is just warm enough to kickstart growth, but before it gets too hot, seems like a smart move for a good yield.
What About Traditional Planting Cues?
You might have heard old sayings about planting potatoes on Good Friday. It’s a lovely tradition, and sometimes it lines up nicely with the right conditions! However, relying solely on a fixed calendar date isn’t the most reliable method. Weather patterns shift year to year. It’s far better to keep an eye on the forecast, know your local frost risk, and maybe even test your soil temperature. Trust Mother Nature’s cues more than the calendar!
So, while early to mid-April is your general guide for the second early potatoes calendar UK, always be flexible. Watch the weather, know your local frost risk, and feel that soil! It really makes all the difference.
Getting Ready to Plant Those Second Early Potatoes
Alright, so you’ve got your seed potatoes, you know roughly when you’re aiming to plant based on the weather and soil temperature. What’s next? There are a couple of key steps to take before those tubers hit the soil that can seriously boost your chances of a great crop.
The Power of Chitting Second Early Seed Potatoes
Have you heard of “chitting”? It sounds a bit funny, doesn’t it? But it’s actually a super simple process that gives your second early seed potatoes a head start. Chitting just means encouraging the seed potatoes to sprout before you plant them. Think of it as waking them up from their dormancy.
Why bother chitting? Well, for early varieties like our second earlies, chitting can shave a couple of weeks off the time it takes for them to produce a harvest. This means you could be enjoying those delicious new potatoes even sooner! It’s not strictly essential – your potatoes will still grow if you plant them without chitting – but it’s definitely worthwhile if you want that earlier crop. The RHS recommends chitting early varieties (RHS How to grow potatoes).
So, how do you do it? Easy peasy! About 4-6 weeks before your target planting date (remembering that early to mid-April timeframe), take your seed potatoes out of their packaging. Stand them upright in an old egg carton or a seed tray with the end that has the most ‘eyes’ (those little dimples where sprouts will form) facing upwards. Place them in a cool, bright, frost-free spot. A spare room windowsill or a cool greenhouse bench is perfect. You’ll see sturdy, dark green or purple sprouts start to grow. These are exactly what you’re looking for! Aim for sprouts about 1-2 cm long. If you get lots of spindly, pale sprouts, it’s likely too warm or not bright enough. You might want to rub off the weakest sprouts, leaving just a few strong ones (around four per tuber is a good number) to focus the plant’s energy.
Preparing Your Soil for Planting
While your seed potatoes are chitting away, you can get the soil ready. Potatoes aren’t super fussy, but they absolutely thrive in well-prepared ground. They need a spot that’s sunny and has good drainage. Waterlogged soil is a big no-no and can cause your seed potatoes to rot.
If you can, prepare your potato patch in the autumn by digging in some well-rotted manure or compost. This gives it time to break down over winter and enrich the soil. If you didn’t manage that, don’t worry! You can still improve the soil in early spring. Dig the area over, removing any weeds, stones, or large clumps of soil. Incorporate some compost or a general-purpose fertiliser into the top layer. Potatoes prefer slightly acidic soil (a pH of 5.5 to 7.0 is ideal), but they can cope with a range. If your soil is very alkaline, you might see issues like potato scab, so avoiding liming the area where you plan to grow potatoes is a good idea. If you’re unsure about your soil’s pH, you can get a simple soil testing kit from most garden centres.
The goal is lovely, crumbly soil that’s easy to work and allows those roots and developing tubers to expand without hitting hard resistance. Trust me, your potatoes will thank you for the effort! Practicing crop rotation is also a cornerstone of healthy soil and pest management for many crops, including potatoes.
Planting Your Second Early Potato Varieties
Okay, the moment of truth! You’ve got your chitted seed potatoes ready and your soil is prepped and waiting. Now it’s time to get those tubers nestled into their new home. This part is pretty straightforward, but getting the spacing and depth right is important for a good yield.
Step-by-Step Guide to Planting
Here’s how I like to plant my second early potato varieties:
- Mark your rows: Use a garden line and two stakes to create straight rows. This makes everything easier later on, especially when it comes to ‘hilling’ (which we’ll talk about soon!).
- Dig the trench: Along your line, dig a trench about 10-15 cm (4-6 inches) deep. You can make it a bit deeper if your soil is light and sandy.
- Add some goodness (optional but recommended): If you didn’t add compost or fertiliser when preparing the bed, you can sprinkle a little general-purpose fertiliser or a handful of compost along the bottom of the trench now. Just don’t overdo it!
- Place the seed potatoes: Carefully place your chitted seed potatoes in the trench with the sprouts pointing upwards. Be gentle; you don’t want to break off those precious sprouts!
- Cover them up: Gently draw the soil back over the seed potatoes, filling the trench. You can lightly firm the soil, but don’t compact it too much.
- Water if needed: If the soil is dry, give the newly planted area a gentle watering. This helps settle the soil around the tubers.
And that’s it! You’ve planted your second early potatoes. See? Not so scary, right?
Recommended Spacing and Depth
Getting the spacing right is crucial for giving your potato plants enough room to grow and produce a good crop. If they’re too close, they’ll compete for light, water, and nutrients, leading to smaller potatoes.
For second early potato varieties, the general rule of thumb is to plant the seed potatoes about 30 cm (12 inches) apart within the rows. The rows themselves should be spaced about 60 cm (2 feet) apart (RHS How to grow potatoes). This spacing gives the plants room to develop their root systems and allows you space to walk between rows for weeding and hilling.
As for depth, planting them around 10-15 cm (4-6 inches) deep is standard. This depth protects the developing tubers from sunlight (which can turn them green and inedible) and helps anchor the plant as it grows.
Some gardeners experiment with closer spacing for earlies to get more tubers per square metre, even if the individual potatoes might be slightly smaller. But for a reliable crop of decent-sized second earlies, sticking to the 30cm x 60cm spacing is a safe bet.
Popular Second Early Potato Varieties for the UK
Okay, let’s talk spuds! There are so many fantastic potato varieties out there, and the second earlies offer a lovely range of flavours and textures. When people ask me what is the best second early potato?, I always say it really depends on what you’re planning to do with them and what flavours you love! What’s “best” for boiling might not be “best” for roasting, you know?
Here’s a look at some popular and highly recommended second early potato varieties list that do particularly well in the UK:
- ‘Charlotte’: A classic salad potato with a waxy texture and nutty flavour. Reliable and popular.
- ‘Maris Peer’: Versatile with smooth skins, great for boiling, steaming, or roasting. Good yield.
- ‘Vivaldi’: High-yielding with a creamy texture, good for boiling, mashing, and salads Source: Suttons Your guide to potato season.
- ‘Jazzy’: Produces lots of small, oval tubers with a lovely flavour and waxy texture. Good in containers and holds an RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM) Source: RHS How to grow potatoes.
- ‘British Queen’: A heritage variety with a floury texture, excellent for mashing or chips.
When choosing from the second early potato varieties list, think about how you like to eat your potatoes. Do you want them for salads, mashing, or boiling? Also, consider disease resistance – some varieties are more resistant to common potato problems like blight or scab than others. Reading variety descriptions carefully can help you pick the perfect one for your garden and your plate!
Caring for Your Second Early Potatoes After Planting
Alright, your seed potatoes are tucked into their beds. Now the waiting game begins! But while you’re waiting for those first shoots to appear, and as the plants grow, there are a few key things you can do to give them the best chance of success. Proper care is essential for a healthy crop.
Essential Watering Tips
Watering is super important, especially as the plants grow bigger and the weather warms up. Potatoes need consistent moisture to develop their tubers. If the soil dries out too much, especially when the potatoes are forming, it can stress the plants and lead to a condition called ‘common scab’, which makes the skins rough and scaly (though the potatoes are still edible).
The key is to water deeply and less often, rather than little and often. This encourages the roots to grow down into the soil, making the plants more resilient. Aim to keep the soil consistently moist, but not waterlogged. How much water? It really depends on the weather. In dry spells, you might need to water once or twice a week. Feel the soil a few inches down – if it feels dry, it’s time to water. Watering at the base of the plant is best to avoid wetting the leaves, which can help prevent diseases. Be mindful of overwatering too; constantly soggy soil can lead to root rot, often indicated by wilting or yellowing leaves even when the soil is wet. Conversely, underwatering will also cause wilting, but the soil will feel dry.
Hilling Your Potato Plants: Why and How
This is a really important step for growing great potatoes! Hilling, also known as ‘earthing up’, involves drawing soil up around the base of the potato plants as they grow. You’ll want to do this a couple of times during their growth.
Why hill? Firstly, it protects the developing tubers from sunlight. If tubers are exposed to light, they turn green and produce a toxin called solanine, which makes them inedible. Hilling keeps them safely buried in the dark. Secondly, it encourages the plant to produce more tubers. Potatoes form along the buried stem, so by covering more of the stem with soil, you’re giving the plant more space to create those lovely spuds!
Start hilling when the shoots are about 15-20 cm (6-8 inches) tall. Use a hoe or spade to draw soil from between the rows up around the stems, creating a ridge. Repeat this process a few weeks later as the plants grow taller, aiming for a final ridge about 20-30 cm (8-12 inches) high. It’s a bit of a workout, but totally worth it!
Protecting Against Pests and Diseases
Unfortunately, potatoes can be susceptible to a few pests and diseases. But don’t let that put you off! Being aware of them and taking a few preventative steps can make a big difference.
Late Blight:
This is perhaps the most serious potato disease in the UK, especially in warm, wet weather. It’s a fungal disease that causes brown patches on the leaves and stems and can quickly spread to the tubers, turning them into a rotten mess. Early varieties like second earlies are less likely to be affected than maincrops because they’re harvested earlier in the season, often before blight becomes widespread.
However, it’s still a risk. Good air circulation between plants (which your spacing helps with!) and avoiding wetting the leaves when watering can help. If you spot signs of blight (brown patches with fuzzy white growth on the underside of leaves), you need to act fast by removing affected foliage.
Potato Cyst Nematode (PCN):
These are microscopic soil-dwelling pests that can severely reduce potato yields. They’re a real pain because they can survive in the soil for many years. The best way to avoid PCN is to practice crop rotation – don’t grow potatoes (or other plants in the potato family like tomatoes) in the same spot year after year. A rotation of at least four years is recommended.
Slugs and Snails:
These common garden pests love munching on potato foliage and can also damage the tubers underground. Slug damage on tubers often looks like irregular holes. Keeping the area around your potato plants tidy and free of hiding places can help. There are various methods for controlling slugs and snails, from simple barriers to traps.
Wireworms:
These are the larvae of click beetles and can tunnel into potato tubers, leaving small, round holes. They are more common in ground that was previously grassland. Crop rotation and keeping the area weed-free can help reduce their numbers.
Potato Scab:
We touched on this with watering. It’s a bacterial issue that causes rough, scabby patches on the skin. It’s usually cosmetic, but it can make the potatoes less appealing. It’s more common in dry, alkaline soils. Keeping the soil consistently moist during tuber formation is the best prevention.
By keeping an eye on your plants, watering appropriately, hilling them up, and being mindful of potential problems, you’ll be well on your way to a successful harvest of your growing second early potatoes UK style!
Harvesting Your Second Early Potato Crop
This is the moment you’ve been waiting for! Harvesting second early potatoes UK grown is incredibly rewarding. Unlike maincrop potatoes which you leave in the ground to mature fully, second earlies are best enjoyed as ‘new’ potatoes – small, tender, and bursting with flavour. Timing is everything to get them at their peak.
Indicators Your Second Early Potatoes are Ready
So, how do you know when those little treasures are ready for digging? Second early potatoes typically take about 14 to 16 weeks from planting to reach maturity (Suttons Your guide to potato season). This usually puts the harvest window somewhere in July and August, depending on when you planted and the weather conditions.
The key visual cue is the plant’s foliage, often called the ‘haulm’. When the plants start to flower, it’s a sign that tubers are beginning to form underground. For second earlies, you don’t wait for the foliage to completely die back like you would with maincrops. Instead, you can start ‘robbing’ the plant for new potatoes once the flowers appear and the lower leaves start to yellow.
A little bit of gentle exploration is the best way to check. Carefully feel around in the soil at the base of a plant. Can you feel small potatoes? If they’re the size you like for ‘new’ potatoes (think hen’s eggs or slightly smaller), they’re ready to be lifted. You can often just carefully take a few from each plant and leave the rest to grow a little bigger if you prefer.
Techniques for Harvesting
Okay, you’ve decided it’s time to harvest. How do you get those potatoes out of the ground without damaging them?
The best tool for the job is usually a garden fork, but a spade works too. Insert the fork into the soil a little way away from the base of the plant (to avoid spearing the tubers!). Gently loosen the soil and lift the whole plant, or just lift a section if you’re ‘robbing’ for a few new potatoes.
Carefully shake the soil from the roots and stems to reveal the lovely tubers. You might find potatoes clinging to the roots or buried in the surrounding soil, so have a good rummage! It’s a bit like an Easter egg hunt for adults, honestly.
Try to harvest on a dry day if possible. This makes the soil easier to work and means the potatoes will be cleaner. Brush off as much soil as you can, but avoid washing them if you plan to store them for a short while, as moisture can encourage rot.
Place your harvested potatoes in a trug or basket. Don’t leave them sitting in direct sunlight, as this will turn them green. Enjoy them fresh from the garden – that’s when they taste the absolute best!
When Can I Plant a Second Crop of Potatoes? (Second Cropping)
Ever thought about having homegrown new potatoes around Christmas or in early winter? It might sound a bit bonkers, but it’s totally doable with something called second cropping! This is where you plant potatoes later in the year for a late-season harvest. So, when can I plant a second crop of potatoes?
The window for planting a second crop typically falls in July or early August in the UK. This timing allows the plants to grow and develop tubers during the warmer late summer and early autumn months.
Now, you can’t just use any old potato from your earlier harvest for second cropping. You need specially prepared ‘second cropping’ seed potatoes. These are usually tubers from the previous year’s harvest that have been kept in cold storage to prevent them from sprouting too early. This cold storage tricks them into thinking they’ve just been through a winter, so they’re ready to burst into growth when you plant them in the summer. It’s pretty clever, right?
Planting for a second crop is similar to planting your first or second earlies. You’ll want prepared soil, good drainage, and a sunny spot. Because you’re planting later, the soil is usually nice and warm, which helps them get going quickly. Suttons suggests planting these cold-stored tubers as soon as they arrive in July or August to take advantage of the warm soil (Suttons Your guide to potato season).
The aim of when can I plant a second crop of potatoes UK style is to harvest fresh, small ‘new’ potatoes from October right through to Christmas, depending on the variety and your local weather. Growing them in containers is a popular method for second cropping, as you can move the containers to a more sheltered spot or a frost-free greenhouse as the weather turns colder, protecting the plants and developing tubers from frost. This gives you a fantastic supply of fresh potatoes when shop-bought ones have been in storage for a while. It’s a brilliant way to extend your potato harvesting season!
FAQs About Growing Second Early Potatoes
Got a few more questions buzzing around your head about growing second early potatoes UK style? Totally understandable! Here are some common ones I hear, along with some straightforward answers.
What’s the Difference Between First Early and Second Early Potatoes?
Great question! It mainly comes down to timing and maturity. First earlies are the speed demons of the potato world; they’re planted first (usually late March) and are ready to harvest earliest (typically June/July). They produce smaller, very ‘new’ potatoes. Second earlies are planted a few weeks later (early to mid-April) and take a little longer to mature (harvesting in July/August). They’re still considered ‘new’ potatoes and have that lovely waxy texture, but they bridge the gap before the maincrop is ready. Think of them as the middle child – not the absolute earliest, but still early and with their own great qualities!
How Long Do Second Early Potatoes Take to Grow?
Generally speaking, you can expect to be harvesting your second early potatoes about 14 to 16 weeks after you plant them. This timeframe can vary a bit depending on the specific variety you’re growing and, of course, the weather. Warmer weather can speed things up, while a cold spring might slow them down a touch. Looking for those flowering cues and gently feeling for tubers is the best way to know for sure they’re ready.
Can I Leave Second Early Potatoes in the Ground After the Foliage Dies Back?
Unlike maincrop potatoes, which you often leave in the ground for a couple of weeks after the foliage dies back to allow the skins to ‘set’ for storage, second earlies are typically harvested and enjoyed fresh. While you can leave them in the ground for a short while after the foliage starts to yellow or dies back, it’s generally not recommended for long-term storage. Second early varieties have thinner skins than maincrops, which makes them more susceptible to pests like slugs and wireworms, and also to rotting in wet soil if left in the ground too long. They also don’t store as well as maincrops anyway. So, it’s best to harvest them as you need them once they’re ready, or lift the whole lot and use them relatively quickly.
Can I Grow Second Early Potatoes in Containers?
Absolutely, yes! Growing potatoes in containers, like large pots or purpose-built potato bags, is a fantastic option, especially if you’re short on space. Second earlies are actually really well-suited to container growing because they don’t need quite as much room as maincrops. Just make sure the container is large enough (at least 30 litres is a good size) and has drainage holes. You’ll need to water them more frequently than potatoes in the ground, as containers dry out faster. Hilling is still important; you just add more compost or soil to the container as the plant grows. If you’re interested in growing other tubers in containers, we have information on what is the best container for growing sweet potatoes?.
Do Second Early Potatoes Need Feeding?
While good soil preparation gives them a great start, a little extra feed can boost your yield. Once the plants are actively growing (maybe a few weeks after they’ve emerged), you can give them a balanced liquid feed every couple of weeks. Don’t overdo it with high-nitrogen feeds, though, as this can encourage leafy growth at the expense of tubers. A general-purpose vegetable feed is usually fine.
What if My Potato Leaves Turn Yellow Early?
If the lower leaves on your second early potato plants start turning yellow, especially as they get closer to their expected harvest time (July/August), it’s often a sign that the plant is putting its energy into forming tubers underground. This is perfectly normal! However, if the yellowing is widespread and happens much earlier in the season, or is accompanied by other symptoms like brown spots, it could indicate a problem like lack of water, nutrient deficiency, or even the start of a disease like blight. Check the soil moisture and look closely for any other signs of trouble.
Are Second Early Potatoes Determinate or Indeterminate?
This is a slightly more technical point, but essentially, potato varieties are sometimes described as ‘determinate’ or ‘indeterminate’. Determinate varieties (which include most first and second earlies) tend to grow tubers in a single layer along the stem and produce a set number of potatoes. They don’t benefit as much from repeated hilling up the stem, though it’s still important for protecting tubers from light. Indeterminate varieties (like most maincrops) produce tubers along the stem as you keep hilling, potentially yielding more over a longer season. Second earlies are generally considered determinate or semi-determinate – they’ll produce a good crop with standard hilling, but you don’t need to keep burying the stem indefinitely like you might with a maincrop.
Conclusion
And there you have it! Everything you need to know about planting second early potatoes UK style, from getting the timing just right based on weather and soil temperature, to chitting those seed potatoes, planting them out, caring for them as they grow, and finally, the joy of harvesting your own delicious new potatoes.
Growing your own is incredibly rewarding. It’s a chance to connect with where your food comes from and enjoy flavours you just can’t get from the supermarket. Second earlies are a brilliant choice for that mid-summer harvest, bridging the gap between the earliest spuds and the maincrop.
Remember to choose varieties you’ll love to eat, prepare your soil well, keep an eye on watering, and definitely give hilling a go – it makes a real difference! And if you’re feeling adventurous, why not try when can I plant a second crop of potatoes later in the year for a festive harvest? Happy potato growing, and I hope you enjoy every single homegrown spud! What are your favourite second early varieties to grow? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
