When to plant potatoes for Christmas
Knowing when to plant potatoes for Christmas can be tricky, especially if you’ve never done it before. But if you start the process in mid-June or July, by Christmas, you can tell your guests that their roast potatoes were grown by hand in your home!
All it takes is preparation. Ideally, those looking to yield a Christmas crop should start planting their potatoes in the summer. Potatoes take longer to grow than most other tubers (the underground part of a plant) because they require very specific growth conditions.
The soil must be cool, an adequate amount of sunlight should be present, and the potatoes need rich, fertile soil with a slightly acidic pH. They may sound demanding, but planting Christmas potatoes is made easier with Whitaker’s guide!
Advice on buying Christmas potatoes
Inspect seed potatoes for damage
Before planting, examine each seed potato carefully. Look for signs of disease, such as discolouration, soft spots, or mould. Avoid planting any tubers that appear damaged, as they can affect your Christmas crop!
Select suitable varieties
What’s the point of planting potatoes if they’re not ones you enjoy? Be sure to choose potato varieties that you and your family will love. The best choices for Christmas include:
- Charlotte: A second early variety known for its excellent flavour. Planting in August can lead to a December harvest.
- Maris Piper: Beloved for its fluffy texture, these potatoes are ideal for mashing, baking and roasting.
- Red Duke of York: A floury, earthy potato that’s a great all-rounder!
Timing your purchase
Best practice for Christmas potato planting is to start the process in summer. But why?
From mid-June to the end of July, the soil in your garden or allotment will be at its warmest. Warm soil is necessary for the potatoes to thrive, and starting so early means that when the big day comes, you’ll have lots of options to work with.
Choose a reliable supplier
Acquire your seed potatoes from reputable suppliers to guarantee disease-free stock.
You will need
- Chitted seed potatoes
- Peat-free, multipurpose compost
- Large container with multiple draining holes
- Manure
- General-purpose liquid fertiliser
How to grow potatoes indoors for Christmas harvests
1. Use the right container
Choose a container with a minimum depth and width of 30cm (1ft) (make sure it has drainage holes at the base to prevent waterlogging). Specialist potato-growing containers are available, but any large pot or sturdy bag will suffice!
2. Compost layer
Begin by adding a 10cm (4in) layer of potting compost or a mix of garden soil and well-rotted manure to the bottom of the container. For larger containers, consider filling them halfway.
3. Plant tubers
Place one to three seed potatoes on the compost layer. Each should have about 30cm (1ft) of space, then cover them with 15cm (6in) of compost or soil.
4. Earth up potatoes (with compost)
As the potato foliage develops, add more compost or soil to cover the stems (leaving just the top leaves exposed). Continue this process until the container is nearly full, and be sure to leave a 5cm (2in) gap at the top to allow for watering.
5. Fertilise
Maintain consistent moisture by watering regularly. Feed the plants with a general-purpose liquid fertiliser to support healthy growth!
6. Keep frost-free
As the season progresses, make sure your growing environment remains frost-free, as potato foliage is susceptible to frost damage. If growing in a greenhouse, consider using a heater or insulating materials to maintain appropriate temperatures.
7. Remove and re-compost
Once the foliage turns yellow and dies back in late autumn, remove it and add it to your compost heap.
8. Keep dry until Christmas!
Leave the tubers in their containers with the compost. Keep them relatively dry until you're ready to harvest for your Christmas meal!
Common problems with growing potatoes
Rot-prone
Potatoes are prone to different forms of rot, especially in damp conditions. Excessive moisture can lead to diseases such as gangrene, which manifests as small, round, dark depressions on the tubers that may expand.
To prevent this, make sure your potatoes are properly drained and avoid overwatering them. Check them regularly for rot and remove any affected ones to stop the spread of infection.
Snails and slugs!
Snails and slugs are common pests that enjoy potatoes as much as we do! They may feed on them, which creates entry points for diseases.
You can attempt to control them by:
- Hand-picking during damp conditions
- Setting up beer traps
- Using environmentally friendly slug pellets.
Shop for garden supplies with Whitakers Garden Centre!
Tick some supplies off your Christmas potato planting list with Whitakers Garden Centre!
Our compost, bark and mulch collection is home to the best all-purpose compost: perfect for potatoes! You can even get your hands dirty with our hand-held gardening tools, like trowels and weed pullers. Get yours today and make this Christmas dinner the best one yet.
- James Beesley
