£5.99
Sarpo Una is a blight resistant variety which can be harvested as a waxy type or can be left in the ground to give a good crop of floury baking potatoes.
Please note: Potatoes are dispatched from January to May and always attract additional carriage at the checkout. Click here for carriage charges.
Potatoes second early: Sarpo Una
solanum tuberosum
Approx. 10 tubers per Kg
Our potatoes tubers are grown in Scotland and are certified, this means that they have been inspected and met the strict standards required of seed potatoes. We send them out from the beginning of January until May, stocks permitting. You can pre order. This is advisable to get the best choice of varieties. When you receive your potatoes get them chitting straight away. Standing them upright in trays or boxes, in a light, frost free place. They will grow short, dark green sprouts until you are ready to plant them. Potatoes are one of the most rewarding crops to grow. I always think harvesting your home grown potatoes is like digging for treasure.
How to grow:
Grow potatoes in their own plot within your rotation. Move them round every year to prevent the build up of disease. Use a 3 year rotation as a minimum, 4 is better. Potatoes can be planted as early as February with protection but the more traditional time for planting is Easter. The end of March, beginning of April is usual, weather permitting. Prepare a planting trench at least 30cm deep and put in home made compost or well rotted manure. Place the tubers, with the chitted sprouts uppermost, 15cm deep and 30cm apart. Mix some organic fertiliser, we use Tamar 555, with the remaining soil and backfill the trench with the remaining soil, mound the soil up along the row as you go. If you are planting more than one row make them 60cm apart. As the leaves grow protect them from late frosts by earthing up or use fleece. Earth the potatoes up at least once when the leaves are 15cm or so high. This helps to protect the top tubers and stops them going green in the light. Second early potatoes should be ready in approximately 100 days after planting.
Pests and diseases:
The major problem for potatoes is blight, a fungal disease which quickly spreads through the foliage and reduces the crop. Second Early potatoes are usually ready before the conditions for blight are prevalent. If your crop should get blight cut down the foliage and burn it. Dig the potatoes as required. If you want to store them follow the guidance in main crop potatoes.
How to cook:
Second early potatoes are mainly waxy salad types and are best boiled or steamed. If the crop is quite clean just wash the potatoes or scrub with a brush and cook with the skins on. Put a sprig of mint in the water or serve with some chopped mint and butter if liked. Check the descriptions for individual varieties, some second early types are more general purpose.