Harvest HintsHarvest time depends on:
Generally, seed potatoes will be ready to harvest as follows:
Variety Maturity and Harvest Period
First Earlies - Ready to harvest in 65-100 days, normally June to July. Best harvested in small quantities and eaten when fresh. When first flowers appear, there should be edible tubers underneath.
Second Earlies - Ready to harvest in 100-130 days, normally July to august. Best harvested in small quantities and eaten when fresh. Allow to grown bigger than First Earlies.
Salads - Ready to harvest in 100-130 days, normally July to August. Best harvested in small quantities and eaten when fresh.
Maincrop - Ready to harvest in 125-180 days normally September onwards. Allow the foliage to die back before harvesting.
First earlies are best eaten fresh, at the start of the season.
Second earlies and Salads can be eaten fresh or stored, provided the skins are "set" and do not rub off when harvested. For storage, harvest in September, having cut down the foliage to stop continued growth, and treat as per Maincrops, below.
Maincrops can be stored, as long as the tubers are lifted in dry conditions or dried properly. Put into a hessian sack and store in a cool, dark, frost-free area.
Christmas Potatoes
As these have been planted in June/July, they will not mature properly until at least October. Allow the foliage to die back during the autumn and then make sure they are well protected from frost, by covering with straw, or fleece, or if planted in containers, moving the container into a cool, frost-free area. The crop can be harvested in time for Christmas and will look and taste like newly harvested First Earlies.
Containers
First earlies and Salads are best grown in containers, as these can be started indoors or in a frost-free area and then placed outside when the risk of frost has passed. This will mean that you will have very early crops of tubers and can savour the taste of home grown new potatoes early in the season. Back to Tips & Guides
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