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A gardeners' favourite, a pack of 10 'Desiree' Main Crop Seed Potatoes grows high yielding and delicious tasting red skinned tubers.
'Desiree' Main Crop Seed Potatoes are a high yielding variety of seed potato that have a firm texture and delicious taste when cooked, making them a firm favourite.
Forming oval red skinned tubers with pale yellow flesh, these potatoes are excellent all-rounders and make great roasted potatoes, wedges, chips and mash, as well as tasty new potatoes to enjoy in time for Christmas.
They are tolerant to drought and show good resistance to potato virus and powdery scab, making them robust and easy to grow.
Planting Guide
Prior to planting, encourage Seed Potatoes to sprout by placing them on a cool, bright windowsill for 4-6 weeks. This process is known as 'chitting' and will help to prepare the potato tuber for going in the ground.
Plant Main Crop potato tubers, such as 'Desiree', outside from July through to September. Try to plant 10-13cm/4-5" deep, making sure to leave around 20-23cm/ 8-9" between each tuber.
These potatoes can be grown in pots or containers, however, due to the larger size of Main Crop potatoes, we recommend planting them in rows in the garden. Make sure to add ample good quality multi-purpose compost and keep them well-watered.
Once the plants reach a height of around 10-13cm, carefully draw up earth around the sides of the plant to encourage additional growths, protect them from frost damage and prolong the growing time. Earthing up also protects developing potatoes from sunlight which causes them to turn green and poisonous.
Harvesting Guide
Potatoes should be ready in approximately 16 weeks, or after flowering. Harvest only as required, leaving the remainder in situ for up to a month.
For a Christmas harvest, make sure to move any containers or potato bags to a frost-free area and cover garden potatoes with a layer of insulation.
Details
- Recipient of the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit
- Contents: 10 Seed Potatoes
- Planting period: Late June to September
- Planting depth: 10-13cm/4-5"
- Planting spacing: 20-23cm/8-9"
- Position: Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil: Fertile, Well drained
- Hardiness: Protect tubers from frost
- Harvesting period: Main Crop, November to December
- Plant height: Up to 60cm
- Plant spread: Up to 45cm
