When to Plant Potatoes in England

In England, the best time to plant potatoes depends on the type you’re growing — but generally, planting begins in March and can continue into early May. First earlies are usually planted from mid to late March, second earlies from late March to early April, and maincrop potatoes from early to mid-April. Potatoes need frost-free soil that’s starting to warm up — ideally above 7°C. In colder regions or after harsh winters, you may need to wait until late April or early May for safe planting.

Types of Potatoes and Their Timing

Potatoes are grouped into three main categories: first earlies, second earlies, and maincrop. First earlies are fast-maturing and ready to harvest in around 10–12 weeks — perfect for new potatoes in early summer. Second earlies take 13–14 weeks, while maincrops need around 15–20 weeks to reach full size. The type you choose affects when you plant and when you’ll be harvesting, so it’s worth planning your timing and spacing accordingly.

Chitting: Prepping Before You Plant

Before planting, most growers chit their seed potatoes. This involves placing them in a cool, bright spot indoors — like a windowsill — for a few weeks to encourage short, stubby shoots. Chitting helps speed up growth after planting and can give you a more reliable early harvest. Start chitting your seed potatoes in late January or February, especially for first and second earlies.

How to Plant Potatoes

Potatoes should be planted around 10–15cm deep with the shoots facing upward. Space first and second earlies about 30cm apart in rows 60cm apart. Maincrops need more space — around 40cm apart in rows 75cm apart. As the plants grow, you’ll need to earth them up by mounding soil around the stems. This protects developing tubers from light, which can turn them green and inedible, and helps increase yield.

Where and How to Grow Potatoes

Potatoes need full sun and well-drained, fertile soil. Avoid planting in areas prone to frost pockets or where potatoes have grown in the last two years, to reduce disease risk. Raised beds or open ground work well, but you can also grow potatoes successfully in large containers or grow bags — especially first and second earlies. Use good-quality compost and keep the soil consistently moist, especially once tubers start forming.

Caring for Potatoes as They Grow

Keep potatoes watered during dry spells, particularly when plants are flowering — this is when the tubers are swelling underground. Remove weeds to reduce competition, and continue earthing up every couple of weeks as the plants grow taller. If there’s a late frost, cover young shoots with fleece or soil to protect them from damage.

Common Issues and How to Avoid Them

The main problems with potatoes are blight, slugs, and green tubers. Blight is more common in damp summers and tends to affect maincrops more than earlies. Grow early varieties to reduce the risk, or use resistant types like 'Sarpo Mira'. Avoid overwatering or poor drainage, which can increase rot and disease. Keep tubers well covered with soil to stop them turning green. Rotate crops yearly and don’t compost infected foliage — remove it from site.

Regional Timing Matters More Than the Calendar

While March is the general start for potato planting in England, actual timing should be adjusted depending on your location. In southern England, the soil often warms up earlier, so first earlies can go in by mid-March. In northern regions, especially the North East or upland areas, it’s often safer to wait until early April to avoid late frosts and cold, wet soil that can delay sprouting or cause tubers to rot.

Soil Temperature is the Real Green Light

Potatoes won’t grow well in cold soil. A simple trick: stick your finger in the soil — if it feels cold to the touch, wait. For more accuracy, use a soil thermometer. Aim to plant when the soil is consistently above 7°C. Too cold and the seed potatoes may sit dormant or rot. Too warm and you risk uneven germination. Covering the bed with fleece or black plastic a week or two before planting can help warm it up.

Don’t Rush Maincrops into Wet Ground

Maincrop varieties need a longer growing period, but patience pays off. Planting them into cold, waterlogged soil just to “get them in early” often leads to weak starts and increased disease risk. If your soil is heavy or slow to dry, use ridges or raised rows to improve drainage, or plant into containers instead.

Frost Is Still a Risk in April

Even after planting, potato shoots (known as haulms) can be damaged by late frosts, which are still common in April — and even into May in some areas. If frost is forecast and your plants have emerged, cover them with fleece, straw, or simply draw more soil over the new growth. Damaged shoots often recover, but it sets the crop back by a week or two.

Early Crops Can Be Grown Indoors

For ultra-early harvests, you can start first earlies in containers under cover — in a greenhouse, cold frame, or even in a sunny, sheltered spot near the house. Planted in February or early March, these can give you homegrown new potatoes by late May or early June. This method also avoids spring weather delays and gives a valuable head start.

Succession Planting Works with Potatoes

If you want to harvest potatoes across several months, stagger your planting over 2–3 weeks. Plant some first earlies mid-March, then second earlies in early April, followed by maincrops later that month. This extends your harvest window and avoids a glut of potatoes all maturing at once.