You will most likely want to buy your seed potatoes while there is plenty of choice available.
Chitting seed potatoes to get them started before you plant them is also something worth considering; (more on that in a future post). For now you can start to save egg cartons to put the potatoes in to chit, which makes them easier to store. Look at the different types of potatoes that are available
The main decisions on what type of potato to grow on the plot is based on which varieties you prefer to eat and cook with. Thinking of them in terms of floury types of potato and waxy varieties will point you in the right direction for choices. Then you need to decide preferred planting and harvesting times of year, the first early types go in the ground first, not yet though, then second earlies, then the main crop potatoes.
Some types of potatoes have resistance to certain pests and potato diseases and some potato varieties will grow well in difficult soil types.
Things to remember:
- Main crops will take up space on your plot for longer and are also more likely to suffer from blight. An earlier maturing crop might allow you to plant something else there once they are harvested.
- First early potatoes give you the pleasure of eating home grown new potatoes early in the year.