Help when to plant Potatoes in Essex

[Betty123]

Hi,

Im fairly new to Veggie gardening, Ive had raised bed for about 5 years nd am learning all the time.
The weather in Essex has left the soil heavy and still water logged so Ive still not planted my potatoes and onions......... what are you other Essex people doing?

[lottieguy]

Hi Ya Betty, If I were you I would follow the suppliers instructions. You should have your seed spuds out chitting now some where light but frost. Spuds can be held back if the weather is bad but usually around here we plant our seed spuds towards the end of March, I live just over the border in Suffolk, When you have planted keep an eye on the weather for cold snaps like the current one we are going though with snow etc. Cover up if frost is forecast though they will Take a little and just harvest later. As soon as you see growth though the soil earth them up. We can expect frost up till May. If you have earlies wait till they are flowering then give them a week before lifting and enjoy. You can't beat home grown early spuds and it's one of the highlights of my year with a sprig of fresh mint mmmmmmmm. Main crops need another cuple of weeks or more before harvest. Onions need to go in when weather allows and the whites are fairly frost hardy but the reds will bolt so keep them covered. Again the variety you are growing may have different instructions. Hope this helps and good luck and enjoy.

[Jungle Jane]

There’s the same thread over here -
https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...ml#post1584186