Hi Bobby and welcome to GoY. Living where you do you can plant first earlies in March these will give you a crop of new potatoes in around 12 - 14 weeks. Make sure you put a good layer of well rotted manure or compost in your trench and then cover with soil. The rows should be 60cm apart and the distance between the seed potatoes 30cm. As the green tops appear keep earthing, ridging, them up to encourage more potatoes to grow. Water if you have a dry spell as potatoes need a lot of water. 12 weeks from planting lift just one plant and see what you get. Bulba & I grow all our veggies following the moons cycle, if you want to do so sow your seed potatoes on 2nd, 9th, 18th - 19th or 28th - 29th March. Potatoes are a very easy crop to grow so have fun.

Hello Bobby,
I agree with Moongrower, I live in Surrey I had a very good crop of potatoes last year. Frosts are very frequent up until May so you must cover with fleece, also if you intend to have a cold frame or greenhouse you can use growbags.

Agree totally with the above ... just an added thought - I don't bother with chitting them anymore, and they come up every year beautifully. If your weather is mild, it might be worth planting a few seed potatoes earlier than march. I have not noticed any difference to chitting and waiting for planting in march or just planting straight out sooner - they crop simultaneously but without the hassle of 'chitting'. I have also experimented this year with seed potato left in ground after the autumn reap and so far they are sprouting. Note that I did not have blight last year or in recent years so rotation, so far, has not been done. I am gambling!!

Sorry Avkq I strongly recommend to Bobby and anyone else growing potatoes and other solanums that they practice a four year crop rotation otherwise you really are taking a risk. I agree it is not necessary to chit first early potatoes but really does help with main crop, especially as far north as we are.

Avkq, don't gamble. As Mg says it will prove you wrong before you start. Also saving your own seeds with potatoes will give poor results. The danger of follow on with any crop must be avoided at all cost.