I only grow Maris Peer and I find, they can grow as first earlies, second earlies or maincrop. Some years I've had them in as early as Feb, but this year its been mid April and they still suffered from a little frost damage. I have now just harvested my first crop of the season and they were delicious. I will now be self sufficient in potato's until around end of Sept. I grow them in 60 litre canvas containers. I first start off with 3, then a month later plant 2 more, then a couple of weeks later I plant the final 6th one. Then as I harvest each one, I re-plant another and another until about the beginning of Aug. I get a harvest of about 1.5kg in each container. I sift the used soil and re-use every year, adding a handful of growmore fertiliser and a little sulphur each time which reduces black spot which starts to happen if it gets really hot.
I grow them on my driveway at the front of my SW facing house, I have even had neighbours asking what type of flowers they are because the foliage and flowers can look quite attractive.
I use 5 seed potatoes in each container, I buy two bags at B&Q, usually at the start of Feb when they are on offer, they shrivel and look worse as the year progresses, but still grow OK. Dont keep them in them in the dark or they just keep growing roots and are soon fecked.
I use the lasagne method, with the container about 1/3 full I plant two North and South.
Then add some more compost and add one in the middle.
Then add some more compost and add two more East and West.
Then add some more compost, its now about 2 thirds full, followed by a handfull of growmore fertiliser and a few puffs of sulphur. The sulphur is eaten by some bacteria and makes sulphuric acid and this helps keep black spot away, especially near the end of the season when it can get too hot.
Water in well.
After a few days they start growing and poking through the compost.
I add more compost as they grow (earthing up) until the container is almost full.
They can get really big and start to flower. At this stage they may need a lot of water every day and use an occasional high potassium fertiliser.
Once the flowering stops and the stems fall over, they are nearly ready, you can either harvest early for smaller potatoes or leave for another 2 weeks or so for larger ones. If you want max size, then wait until the stems yellow and die off.
The reasons I like Maris Peer the best is, they are so consistent with lovely flavour. But also, the stems are easy to pull out and the roots are not too tough so the used compost its relatively easy to sift and use again. Left is the sifted used compost, which will be used again.
My usual 1.5kg harvest from each bag.
Wash and bag them, the skins are so delicate they can be simply be scrubbed off without requiring peeling.
We ate some tonight with roast chicken, absolutely delicious, so much better than from the supermarket and so easy to grow. You also don't even need a garden, any sunny spot will do.
