Charlotte
A popular salad potato with waxy, yellow flesh that holds its shape well when boiled. It's reliable in UK conditions and produces a good crop of uniform tubers.
When to plant Potatoes in London
Solanum tuberosum
A staple root vegetable grown from seed potatoes, producing tubers underground. In the UK, potatoes are classified as first earlies, second earlies, or maincrop, each with different planting and harvesting times. They thrive in well-drained soil and full sun, and require earthing up to protect tubers from light.
60 cm · Full Sun · Moderate Water
Calibrated to London · average last frost around 4 Apr
| Activity | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow indoors | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Plant out | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Harvest | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
Growing guide
What to do through the growing season
Growing guide for
Change the guide to see different planting timelines and tips.
Grow first early potatoes for a quick harvest of new potatoes in early summer. Plant in spring and harvest when the plants start to flower.
01
Chit Seed Potatoes
21 Feb to 7 MarPlace seed potatoes eyes-up in egg boxes in a cool, light place like a windowsill from 21st February - 7th March. This encourages sturdy shoots to form over 4–6 weeks before planting.
02
Plant Outdoors
21 Mar to 4 AprPlant chitted potatoes in trenches or containers from 21st March - 4th April. Space them apart and cover with of soil. Protect early shoots with fleece if frost is forecast.
03
Earth Up
11 Apr to 30 May Dates as each sowing reaches this stageDraw soil up around the stems as they grow from 11th April - 30th May. This prevents tubers turning green and toxic, and protects shoots from late frosts. Repeat every few weeks until the mound is about high.
04
Water and Feed
25 Apr to 13 Jun Dates as each sowing reaches this stage Optional · repeat every 2 weeksWater regularly to keep the soil moist, especially when tubers are swelling from 25th April - 13th June. Apply a balanced liquid feed every 14 days to support growth.
05
Harvest First Earlies
30 May to 3 Jul Dates as each sowing reaches this stageHarvest new potatoes from 30th May - 3rd July when the plants start to flower. Use a fork to gently lift the tubers, taking care not to damage them. Eat fresh as they don't store well.
Suggested varieties
Popular varieties of Potato to consider
Maris Piper
A classic maincrop variety that's widely grown for its versatility and good blight resistance. It's excellent for roasting, chipping and mashing.
Rocket
An early variety that produces quick crops of white-fleshed potatoes, often ready by June. It's a good choice for gardeners wanting new potatoes early in the season.
King Edward
A heritage maincrop with distinctive pink eyes and floury white flesh that's ideal for baking and roasting. It stores well and performs reliably across the UK.
Pink Fir Apple
An unusual heritage variety with long, knobbly tubers and waxy, flavoursome flesh. It's prized for salads and holds up well in cooler UK summers.
Cara
A red-skinned maincrop with good resistance to common scab and drought tolerance. It produces large, floury tubers that are good for baking and mashing.
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Potato guides by town
See how Potato timing shifts in other towns with different frost dates.