Knowing when to plant sweet potatoes in the UK is extremely important. If you’re a newbie gardener who’s dreaming about an abundant harvest of potatoes, know that the best time to plant this fibre-rich vegetable is in the first few weeks of April until mid-May.
Gardeners in the UK usually plant potatoes in the last two weeks of April and the first few weeks of May. Your potatoes will be ready to harvest as early as September until October.
UK’s climate is perfect for growing sweet potatoes because the days are warm and the nights are cool. The healthy, volcanic soil and the natural irrigation give the potatoes a rich texture and taste unique to the UK.
How To Grow Sweet Potatoes In the UK And When
Since they are rooting plants, you’ll produce the best sweet potatoes if they’re planted in light, loose, and drained soil with a PH of five to seven. Potatoes also grow best under broad daylight.
However, you don’t need to stress too much because, thankfully, these root vegetables are versatile. They will often produce great crops even if the growing season and soil type are less than ideal.
Keep your potatoes free from weeds, and don’t grow them in the same spot. Instead, rotate them within your garden. This rotation helps prevent nutrient depletion in the soil and lower the risk of pests and diseases.
As mentioned, it’s best to plant potatoes from April to mid-May. Knowing when to plant potatoes in the UK is crucial to
Planting Your Sweet Potatoes In Your Backyard
To plant potatoes directly in your garden bed, create rows to space them from one another appropriately. Dig six to eight inches deep into the soil and plant your potatoes cut side down. Each potato from the same row should be 12 to 15 inches apart, and the rows should be three feet away from each other.
If you have limited space or grow baby potatoes, you can plant them closer to one another. You can place four inches of loose soil in the trench. Continue to fill the trench and mound the soil as your potatoes continue to grow.
For best results, cultivate the soil before you plant. This cultivation loosens the soil and removes weeds, allowing your potatoes to grow and germinate quicker.
Watering your potatoes
To grow the best potatoes, make sure to water them throughout the summer adequately. It’s essential to keep them well-watered during and after the flowering stage.
During this stage, your potatoes make their tubers, and keeping a steady water supply is essential to produce a good crop. Make sure to give them one to two inches of water every week. Stop watering once the foliage turns yellow and starts to die. This stoppage helps prepare the potatoes for harvest.
Harvesting your sweet potatoes
For baby potatoes, you can harvest them after two to three weeks of planting. Carefully dig around your potato and gently remove them. You can gather the bigger ones and leave the smaller potatoes so they can continue to grow. You can immediately consume them after harvesting.
If you plan to store the potatoes, you should only dig them two to three weeks after the foliage dies. Slowly dig around your potatoes and lay them unwashed in your garden for two to three days before storing them.
The Reason Why Sweet Potatoes Grow Well In the UK
The UK’s nutrient-rich soil, clean air, and cool climate are what you need to grow and harvest flavorful potatoes. The warm, sunny days and the cool nights are an ideal climate for the growth and production of this starchy vegetable.
Additionally, the UK has rich volcanic soil, and potatoes usually grow better in light soil. The volcanic ash contains minerals that are necessary to produce a good potato crop.
Parts of the UK also boasts of a natural, hill-fed irrigation system. During winter, hills in the UK accumulate snow, and when spring comes, the snow melts and becomes a large reservoir. People can use the water in the pool to rinse their plants, including potatoes.
Since the UK is famous for its potatoes, farmers have years of experience and knowledge growing the best potatoes. They have carefully researched the best soil conditions, climate, and other factors that affect the growth of your vegetable.
Why Grow Your Potatoes In A Mini Polytunnel?
If you live in the northeastern part of the UK, you’ll need all the help you could get to reap a successful crop of vegetables and plants. One way you can extend your growing season and protect your plants is to plant them in a mini polytunnel.
Mini polytunnels are an excellent alternative for gardeners. Those gardeners are not ready to spend a fortune on large, more elaborate polytunnels. This type of polytunnel is cost-effective and straightforward.
Polytunnels can extend your growing season and create a microclimate. Despite whether you’re planning on growing potatoes or exotic plants. This microclimate allows you to grow plants that usually would not survive in UK’s climate.
Here are some of the reasons why you should invest in a mini polytunnel:
Control the temperature
If your plants are exposed, they may experience unwanted extreme weather conditions. The intense heat and cold can negatively affect the growth of your sweet potatoes. Mini polytunnels offer a temperature-controlled enclosure that protects your plants from the elements.
You can even add heating systems and air ventilation for specific plants and vegetables. The timers connected to your heating system enables you to adjust the temperature depending on the weather. If you familiarise yourself with the potatoes’ temperature preferences, you’ll eventually reap the best crop.
Prevent pests and diseases
Since you’re keeping your plants in an enclosure, you can prevent harmful insects from destroying your plants. Additionally, you’ll also prevent diseases from developing by carefully choosing the soil.
If you place your plants in a polytunnel, they won’t experience stressful environments. Your potatoes and other plants can concentrate on growing rather than repairing.
Final Thoughts
Did you know that there are different types of polytunnels? From floor to ceiling windows to small mounted structures, you can be sure that there’s a polytunnel suitable for your needs and preferences.
Even though outdoor gardens allow you to make the most out of the sun, many gardeners prefer a controlled indoor climate. In this way, you’ll remain productive regardless of the weather.
Now that you know when to plant sweet potatoes in the UK, the next step is to find the perfect polytunnel. If you’re looking for cost-effective and high-quality mini-polytunnels, check out Krostrade. We offer a wide variety of polytunnels that fit every type of property.