How to grow potatoes indoors for Christmas harvests

1. Use a container at least 30cm (1ft) deep and wide, with drainage holes in the base
2. Add a layer of potting compost or garden soil mixed with garden compost or well-rotted manure. A layer 10cm (4in) thick is sufficient for 30cm (1ft) deep pots, but larger containers can be half-filled.
3. Plant one to three tubers per pot, each with about 30cm (1ft) of space, and cover with 15cm (6in) of compost or soil.
4. As the foliage develops, earth up the potatoes with further compost or soil until the container is full to within 5cm (2in) of the top. Leave a lip to aid watering.
5. Keep well-watered and feed with a general-purpose liquid fertiliser.
6. Ensure the greenhouse remains frost-free as the season progresses, as potato foliage would be damaged by frost.
7. The foliage will yellow and die down in late autumn and can then be removed and composted.
8. Tubers can be left in their pots in compost (kept fairly dry) until needed at Christmas.

How to grow potatoes outdoors for Christmas harvests

1. Follow general instructions for growing potatoes, including planting them in a trench and earthing them up as they begin to grow.
2. Take measures to protect against potato blight and slugs.
3. Once foliage dies down in September or October, remove and compost it.
4. On light soils in a sheltered garden, piling some earth up over the row where you know the potatoes are and covering it with straw to insulate tubers may be sufficient protection to store them in the ground until Christmas.
5. In cold areas, or where soils are wet and heavy, it is better to lift tubers by the end of October and re-bury them in coarse sand or soil in a frost-free place (such as a garden shed) until you need them.
6. Lifting and storing potatoes in the fridge, or in bags in a cool shed, is possible but will cause the skins to harden and the desirable, delicate ‘new-potato’ flavour and texture will be lost.

Problems

• Potatoes are prone to scab and a number of rots but this can usually be avoided when they are grown in fresh compost in containers
• Slugs and snails can damage foliage, stems and tubers underground
• Potatoes grown outside in summer and autumn are especially prone to potato blight. Those in containers indoors are not usually at risk
• Keep an eye on the weather forecasts as early frosts will blacken foliage and weaken plants; fleece protection may be needed for outdoor crops.

So what are YOU having with your potatoes this year? Side dish of turkey, ham or nut roast? Let the potatoes take centre stage.

RHS Award of Garden Merit.

This potato variety has been awarded the RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM), by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) because it has proved to be reliable in appropriate conditions and a good performing plant. For more information on RHS Award of Garden Merit plants visit .rhs.org.uk/plants.  To see the potatoes in the list, click on LISTS half way down this page, then scroll to potatoes

What is the AGM?

With more than 75,000 plants available in RHS Plant Finder alone, how can you tell which plants are best for all-round garden value? The AGM is intended to help gardeners make that choice, and is only awarded to plants that are:

• excellent for ordinary use in appropriate conditions*
• available
• of good constitution
• essentially stable in form and colour
• reasonably resistant to pests and diseases

We are delighted that so many of the varieties that we grow and supply have gained this prestigious award.  If you think other varieties should have this award, or have any comments please contact them directly.

Have a great time in the kitchen!  Let us know what you have cooked!  Upload pics to our social media @potatohouseuk using #potatohousetoeat and #ThePotatoName (eg #shetlandblack).

Do you know we also sell seed potatoes?  If you like this variety you can grow it in your garden.  If you have never grown potatoes before, don't worry, we're here to help.