Potatoes

Question 1

Definition of ‘earlies’

Answer 1

Potatoes harvested in June/July to provide ‘new’ potatoes.

Sometimes divided into first and second earlies

Question 2

Definition for of maincrop

Answer 2

Maincrop potatoes are harvested from August to October and can be stored to provide potatoes through winter.

Question 3

Potatoes: General cultivation

Answer 3

Potatoes are half-hardy.
‘Seed’ potatoes are small tubers, use certified seed to avoid viruses.
Potatoes will grow in most soil types - good first crop as they suppress weeds and improve soil structure.
Poor soil can have manure or come most dug in.
Prefers slightly acid soil (pH 5 to 6) - do not lime.

Question 4

Potatoes.

Pest - symptoms

Answer 4

Wireworms - larvae of click beetles
Feed on tubers- tubers are tunnelled and wireworms may be seen in soil or on tubers.
More prevalent in newly cultivated ground.

Question 5

Potatoes.

Pest - treatment

Answer 5

Wireworms - treatment.
Harvest crop ASAP.
No approved chemical control.

Question 6

Potatoes.

Disease - symptoms

Answer 6

Potato blight.
More likely in wet seasons.
Dark brown/black patches on leaves, sometimes fringed with white fungus.
Quickly spread causing all foliage to collapse.

Question 7

Potatoes.

Disease - Treatment

Answer 7

Potato blight.
Use new, certified seed potatoes.
Ensure no tubers are left in the ground after harvesting.

Question 8

Chitting potatoes

Answer 8

Chitting - development of shoots before being planted.
Gives potato a longer growing season, important for earlies.
Stand potatoes with the end with the most eyes (rose end) facing upwards; store them in a light, frost free place.
Leave until shoots are about 2 to 3 cm long, this will take about 6 wks.

Question 9

Early varieties of potatoes

Answer 9

Arran Pilot

Wilja

Question 10

Maincrop potatoes

Varieties

Answer 10

Maris Piper

Pentland Crown

Question 11

Planting timetable

Earlies

Answer 11

Plant outside- Mid March to end of April.

Harvest - June and July

Question 12

Planting timetable

Maincrop potatoes

Answer 12

Plant outside - April

Harvest - Aug to mid October.

Question 13

Planting Potatoes

Answer 13

Depth - 10 to 15cm
Distance apart - 30 to 40 cm
Distance rows apart - 50cm 
Smaller distances for earlies.
Use crop covers for earlies to protect from frost and get earlier crop.

Question 14

Potatoes

Ground occupancy

Answer 14

Earlies - 15wks

Maincrop - 20 wks

Question 15

Potatoes

Special requirements - earthing up.

Answer 15

When stalk and leaves (haulm) are 30cm high draw the earth up to 10 to 15 cm around plant - this is necessary to prevent green potatoes which are poisonous.
Earthing up can be avoided if the ground is mulched with black polythene.

Question 16

Harvesting potatoes

Answer 16

Harvest earlies when they are about the size of a chickens egg.
Harvest main crops when the haulm has turned brown and withered.

Question 17

Storage of potatoes

Answer 17

Earlies are not suitable for storage.

Let main crops dry thoroughly and store in trays or bags in a frost free place.

Question 18

Potatoes.

Special requirements

Answer 18

Water regularly as the new potato develops.

Feeding with nitrogen during growth period is beneficial.