First earlies can grow in two months from planting in late March/ Early April, as close as 35cm. Your harvesting before it’s properly mature as it doesn’t need much space to grow big! They are a ‘catch crop’ before you even plant your Brussels sprouts or your courgettes.

Second early potatoes, called ‘Seed Potatoes’, take off the chits if there are too many and these will mature some time in mid to late July. Spacings for these are 45 cm in a bed of 1.2 metres. Five in a square shape with one in the middle but it can be a little too crowded.. it looks like a lot of space but they need it!

You'll expect to gain 1-1.5 kg of potato per plant. When you're planting out, make a slit in the ground, the top of the chit is facing up with about 3 inches earth on top of the potato - no thinning or spacing needed.

Only maintenance for your potatoes is putting more earth over your potatoes
but apart from that they don’t need any water at this stage of growth because the roots will go deep into the soil. Watering when the potatoes start to flower or about 3 weeks before harvest time. Second earlies will be ready to harvest from the middle to end of July.