Introduction to Growing Potatoes in the UK

Potatoes are one of the easiest and most rewarding crops to grow in UK gardens and allotments. Whether growing first earlies in containers or producing large maincrop harvests for winter storage, this hub brings together all of our potato growing guides, tips and troubleshooting advice in one place.

Potato Growing Basics

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Growing Potatoes at Home

  • Growing Potatoes in Bags and Containers

    Growing potatoes in bags or containers saves space, makes harvesting easier and lets you grow on patios or balconies without digging beds or needing a large garden.

  • Growing Potatoes in Raised Beds

    Growing potatoes in raised beds improves drainage, makes planting and harvesting easier, and gives you better control over soil quality without needing a large allotment.

  • Growing Potatoes on an Allotment

    Growing potatoes on an allotment gives plants plenty of space, allows larger harvests and makes it practical to grow different varieties for eating and storing.

  • How to Earth Up Potatoes

    As potato shoots grow, mound soil around the stems, leaving the top leaves exposed. Repeat as needed to keep developing tubers covered and prevent greening.

Potato Problems and Solutions

  • SCAB

    Potato scab is a common soil-borne condition that causes rough, cork-like patches on the skin of potatoes. It is usually worse in dry soils and alkaline conditions but rarely affects the edible quality of the crop.

  • BLIGHT

    Potato blight is a fast-spreading fungal-like disease that causes dark patches on leaves and stems before eventually affecting the tubers underground. It thrives in warm, damp weather and can quickly destroy entire potato crops if left unmanaged.

  • SLUG DAMAGE

    Slug damage on potatoes causes holes and tunnels in the tubers, especially in wet conditions and heavy soils. Damage is often only discovered at harvest time.

Harvesting and Storage

  • When to Harvest

    Harvest early potatoes when the tubers reach a useful size. For maincrop potatoes, wait until the foliage dies back and the skins have firmed up.

  •  How to Harvest 

    Lift potatoes carefully with a fork, working away from the stems to avoid damage. Empty containers onto a sheet and check the compost for hidden tubers.

  •  Storing Potatoes 

    Let healthy maincrop potatoes dry before storing somewhere cool, dark and frost-free in breathable sacks. Use damaged potatoes promptly and discard green or rotten tubers.

Extra Hints & Tips

Easiest Vegetable

Potatoes are one of the easiest vegetables to grow because you plant seed tubers rather than raising delicate seedlings. Once planted, they mainly need watering during dry spells and earthing up to keep developing potatoes covered.

They grow in garden beds, allotments and large containers, making them suitable for different spaces. Early varieties also give you a relatively quick harvest.

They are not completely trouble-free—frost, blight and slugs can cause problems—but they are a rewarding beginner crop. There is something particularly satisfying about lifting a plant and finding your dinner underneath it.

Watering Tips

Water potatoes thoroughly during dry spells, aiming at the soil around the plants rather than the leaves. Consistent moisture is especially important while tubers are forming and swelling.

Check the soil before watering: if it feels dry a few centimetres below the surface, give it a good soak. Avoid leaving it waterlogged.

Bags and containers dry out faster than garden beds, so check them daily in hot or windy weather. Make sure drainage holes remain clear.

Avoid alternating between very dry soil and heavy watering, as uneven moisture can cause potatoes to split or grow unevenly.

Spacing Advice

Plant first and second early potatoes approximately 30cm apart, with 60cm between rows. Maincrop potatoes need more space: allow 35–40cm between tubers and 75cm between rows.

Plant around 10–15cm deep, with the shoots facing upwards. Leave enough room between rows for earthing up later.

In bags or containers, avoid overcrowding: two or three seed potatoes in a 40–50 litre container is a useful starting point. Check the variety’s instructions, as vigorous plants may need more space.

Seasonal Potato Growing Calendar

  • JANUARY

    Chit seed potatoes

  • FEBURARY

    Prepare beds

  • MARCH

    Plant first earlies

  • APRIL

    Plant maincrop potatoes

  • MAY

    Earth up plants

  • JUNE

    Harvest first earlies

  • JULY

    Watch for blight

  • AUGUST

    Harvest second earlies

  • SEPTEMBER

    Lift main crop potatoes

  • OCTOBER

    Store potatoes

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  • Seasonal Gardening

  • Allotment Gardening

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