Good news, it’s time to start getting excited about spuds!
Instead of them being only for the allotmenteer or the gardener with the large veg patch, everyone can grow them these days, even if you only have a small urban balcony or patio, says our CEO and trained horticulturalist, Peter Burks.
The waxy first earlies that can be steamed in their skins are truly delicious and this month is the time to be thinking about buying these in readiness for planting.
You can grow your own spuds in any sort of container or large pots, some people drill holes in dustbins or use old compost bags.
If you use large pots, you can grow a couple of seed potatoes in each and each tuber should yield around 10 mixed sized potatoes for you to eat.
Before you can plant your potatoes, you need to get chitting, which means encouraging the potatoes to sprout.
This is what usually happens to the spuds we eat when we leave them too long in a dark cupboard. You’re looking for short stubby sprouts not leggy ones though, so take care with how long you leave them and where you leave them.
Use an old egg carton and place one tuber in each space where an egg would normally sit.
Pop the carton in a cool, bright, dry spot out of direct sunlight with the potatoes in an upright position.
Within a few weeks they should be sprouting and ready to plant, when the weather is acceptable, in late March, early April.
Varieties that we recommend planting in pots include Charlotte and Pink Fir Apple, which are available now in most of our member garden centres, subject to availability and while stocks last.
Our members will also be able to provide you with lots of free advice on this topic and all aspects of gardening.
To find your nearest GCA garden centre, click here.