It could appear unusual to start out speaking about Christmas in July. However summer season within the Northern Hemisphere is when gardeners want to start out fascinated by the colder months to return.
This month or subsequent, you could be sowing a variety of leafy greens and extra to see you thru winter and into spring. And that is additionally the time to plant some potatoes in pots so as to get pleasure from some new potatoes over the festive season.
The place to Develop New Potatoes for Winter
With the intention to develop potatoes to reap at Christmas time, you’ll doubtless want an undercover rising space in most temperate climates. In case you have a greenhouse or polytunnel, you must have the ability to develop new potatoes in containers so long as you make sure that these stay frost-free till you harvest them in December.
What Precisely Are New Potatoes?
New potatoes are freshly harvested younger, or small, potatoes. They aren’t a particular selection, however reasonably, simply youthful (smaller) variations of their grown-up counterparts. They’re harvested earlier within the season, which makes them sweeter; likewise, their skins are skinny and tender.
Container rising is usually finest except your space is frost-free in winter. Since containers can simply be positioned and moved undercover when the primary frosts arrive.
I exploit giant reclaimed buckets wherein to develop my Christmas cropping potatoes, although you may use a variety of containers, together with giant pots, barrels, sacks, or develop luggage of some type.
When deciding how giant containers ought to be, a tough rule is that you will want 10 liters 9roughly 2.5 gallons) of area for every potato tuber you plant. So in a 50-liter (10-gallon) container, you possibly can plant 5 seed potatoes.
To fill your containers, any peat-free potting combine will likely be positive.
I exploit a selfmade mixture of:
- 1/3 loamy soil
- 1/3 selfmade compost
- 1/3 leaf mildew
Which Potatoes to Develop
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Any first early or second early potatoes (first and second earlies check with potatoes which might be harvested early within the season) are perfect for rising to eat as new potatoes. I just like the varieties Maris Peer and Charlotte personally, although there are various that you simply may strive.
When to Plant Potatoes for a Vacation Harvest
New potatoes—first earlies or second earlies—are normally planted in spring and harvested in June or July. However so long as you possibly can maintain them frost-free, you possibly can plant potatoes in summer season for a harvest across the festive interval in mid-winter.
I discover that the place I stay in Scotland, the perfect time to plant potatoes for Christmas is in late July in my polytunnel. Those that stay farther south or in hotter areas typically discover an August planting time is finest.
When exactly you must plant your potatoes will rely upon the place you reside and the date of your first frost.
The best way to Plant Potato Tubers
To plant your potatoes, first, fill the container to a depth of round 15 centimeters (6 inches) with the rising medium. I additionally like so as to add a layer of comfrey leaves onto which I set the potato tubers, with their shoots/eyes upwards. Cowl the tubers with one other 15 centimeters or so of your rising medium.
Loads of area ought to nonetheless be within the container so as to “earth up” your potatoes because the crops develop.
Caring for Christmas Potatoes
Potatoes are usually simple to develop, however you’ll want to comply with these tips to make sure success.
- Because the crops develop, they need to be earthed up a few instances, simply as you’ll when rising potatoes within the floor. To do that, merely mound up the soil across the stem.
- Water constantly, particularly throughout dry spells, remembering that crops in pots want extra frequent watering than these rising within the floor.
- To provide crops a lift, it’s also possible to think about feeding with an natural liquid plant feed 2-3 instances over late summer season and early autumn. I like to make use of compost tea or a seaweed liquid feed for the aim.
- Within the late autumn, take away useless foliage after the crops die again. However go away tubers within the container till you wish to harvest them. Simply look out for rodents, squirrels, or different pests that may attempt to get to your tubers earlier than you do.
- While you want to harvest, you possibly can merely attain into the container to retrieve particular person new potatoes a number of at a time. Or you possibly can tip out the entire of the container to retrieve all of the tubers from inside.
Whereas you might also have saved maincrop potatoes prepared in your Christmas dinner, there’s something particular about having recent, new potatoes prepared for the festivities. So for those who can maintain containers of potatoes frost-free, why not strive rising some potatoes for Christmas cropping this 12 months?