Organic Seed Potato Golden Wonder

Potatoes maincrop: Golden Wonder
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. Main crop potatoes should be ready in approximately 120 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. Choose a variety with blight resistance if blight is a problem in your area. Main crop potatoes are grown for storage so you need blight free tubers to avoid them rotting over the winter. If your crop should get blight you can just dig and eat them but if you want to store them try the following method. Cut all the foliage down as late as possible, and burn it. Do not dig your potatoes for at least 4 weeks. The blight spores on the soil will die and then it is safe to lift your crop. Bag them in thick paper sacks, to exclude the light and keep in a frost free place. Always check your stored potatoes from time to time and take out any bad tubers to prevent any problems spreading.

How to cook:
Main crop potatoes are usually multi-purpose varieties, making them good for mashing, roasting, chipping and baking. Floury types have higher dry matter and this makes them better for roasting and chipping. Potatoes are extremely versatile in the kitchen, here are just a few things you can do: Dauphinoise, potato patties, spicy wedges, stews, casseroles, hotpot, shepherds pie, leek and potato soup, Sag Aloo and Bombay potatoes. The list, of course, could go on and on, whatever you do with them, enjoy.