Potato
Solanum tuberosum
A vegetable, planted March to May.
In September: clear away the dead potato stems and leaves and lift the crop.
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Potato, month by month
Bar: the usual months. Sprout: this month.
| Sowing, planting or job | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | 2027Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plant seed potatoes. | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none |
| Earth up the potato. | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | usual | usual | none |
| Lift the potatoes. | usual | usual | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | usual |
| Clear away the dead potato stems and leaves. | usual | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none |
| Protect the potato from frost. | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | none | none | none |
What to do, and when
The usual months for a UK garden. Your own plan gives the week.
Planting
Plant seed potatoes March to May, 15cm deep, 30 to 37cm apart, rows 60 to 75cm apart. Strong source: RHS.
Earth up the potato
Once shoots are about 23cm tall, draw soil into a ridge, leaving just the top 10cm showing.
Usually April to July. Strong source: RHS.
Lift the potatoes
Usually June to October. Strong source: RHS.
Clear away the dead potato stems and leaves
When lifting, clear away the leftover top growth to reduce the risk of blight next year.
Usually September. Moderate source: RHS.
Protect the potato from frost
If frost is forecast after shoots show, cover overnight with a cloche, hessian or straw, or with soil.
Usually April to May. Strong source: RHS.
What the source words mean
Strong: the RHS page for this plant is among them.Moderate: another trusted UK source, or the RHS on its group.
Every line above names the page it comes from. Where we found no good source for a job, we left it out. Where the name “Potato” comes from.